both Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism (The New Testaments have been published in six of the Mangyan languages). Storytelling The Mangyans spread their stories through oral tradition. A select group of stories were preserved in poems and written in syllabic Indic writing. These poems were carved into materials like bamboo with a sharp object. Practicing oral tradition came with its own set of rules for the Mangyans. For example, folk-tales called suyot were only to be told after the sun had set. The Mangyans believed telling stories during daylight would lead to rotting of the teeth. There were several distinct types of oral works that the Mangyans practiced. There are not English equivalents for every name the Mangyans gave to their story categories. English speakers have given descriptive names for these categories. Song poems – Contain the taboos, beliefs, and customs of the Mangyan people. These stories were used to describe the origin of customs and the importance of practicing those customs. Folk beliefs and customs – These stories contain the taboos, beliefs, and customs of the Mangyan people. These stories were used to describe the origin of customs and the importance of practicing those customs. Riddles – These stories were used for entertainment. They were mindgames and comical stories told during night hours to pass the time. Folk tales – There were three different types of folk tales told among the Mangyan people. Suyot is the oldest of the oral traditions. They were tales of legend, folklore, and fables. Sugklanon was another type of story, acquired through Bisayan influences. Tultulanon were stories of historical events. The Mangyans also told stories about their day to day life to describe the world around them. There were stories about different medicines they used, and stories used to describe the varieties and characteristics of rice they cultivated. Most of our understanding of Mangyan culture and practices is derived from these oral and written accounts. Indigenous Mangyan religion The Mangyan have a complex spiritual belief system which includes the following deities: Mahal na Makaako – The Supreme Being who gave life to all human beings merely by gazing at them. Binayi – Owner of a garden where all spirits rest. Binayo – Is a sacred female spirit, caretaker of the rice spirits or the kalag paray. She is married to the spirit Bulungabon. The kalag paray must be appeased, to ensure a bountiful harvest.