Mountain as Memory and Meaning: A Semiotic Reading of the Ilongot Tales (Dimolat)

The Ilongots and their oral literature play a significant role in Philippine culture and the identity of Filipinos; however, there is a dearth of documentation and critical analysis of their literature, such as their tales or dimolat. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the semiotics of the collected Ilongot folktales, or dimolat, by Laurence L. Wilson. Specifically, it sought to answer how the collected tales can be read in terms of their narrative structure and how the signs and symbols interpret the concept of the mountain, as expressed both implicitly and explicitly in the collected tales. Qualitative research employing critical analysis was used. The 22 Ilongot tales were mapped out according to the narrative functions and character roles as outlined by Vladimir Propp, Greimas's Actantial Model, and Roland Barthes's semiotic approach. Findings revealed that the tales conformed to a universal narrative structure but showed cultural specificity. Propp's character roles and Greimas's Actantial Model suggest that Ilongot stories feature the archetypal hero, helper, donor, and opponent; however, the opponents in the tales are not always individuals, but also abstract forces such as famine, fear, hunger, or death. Semiotic analysis further revealed that the concept of the mountain, as expressed in the tales, can be interpreted as a cradle of life, refuge, protection, provider, sustenance, sacred space, a site of isolation and testing, and keeper of cultural memory. The study concludes that the collected Ilongot tales serve not only as entertainment but as vessels of ancestral wisdom, moral education, and identity preservation. The mountain, both implicitly and explicitly expressed in these stories, symbolizes the Ilongot people's inseparable bond with their environment, history, and community. Future studies may employ different lenses to analyze the same collection and may also utilize the same methodology to explore other regional literatures, thereby understanding Filipino identity, preserving, and appreciating the literary pieces of their chosen ethnic group.