Exploring Nature and Human Phenomena in the Jama Mapun Legend of Adjung-Adjung
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsis.V1.I2.82Keywords:
Adjung-Adjung, Cultural Heritage, Cultural Memory, Jama Mapun, Maritime Culture, Oral Tradition, Pallun MapunAbstract
This study examined the Jama Mapun Legend of Adjung-Adjung as a form of living cultural heritage that reflects the values, beliefs, language, livelihood practices, spirituality, maritime identity, collective memory, and sense of place of the Jama Mapun community in Mapun, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. The study was anchored in an integrated conceptual perspective combining oral tradition as cultural transmission, intangible cultural heritage safeguarding, and place-based cultural memory. A qualitative descriptive design employing documentary, textual, thematic, and narrative analysis was used. The documented legend served as the primary source and was purposively selected as the unit of analysis, while a researcher-developed textual analysis guide was used to organize recurring cultural meanings and narrative evidence. No survey respondents or research participants were involved. The findings revealed major themes of filial responsibility, gratitude, humility, ambition and social mobility, spirituality and moral accountability, livelihood and maritime culture, family and community relationships, and place-based cultural memory. The analysis further showed that the legend connects intangible cultural meanings with the Adjung-Adjung rock formation and Juwata Bay, while variations in the names and details across versions reflect the dynamic nature of oral transmission rather than a single fixed narrative. The study concludes that Adjung-Adjung functions as an evolving cultural narrative through which Jama Mapun identity, values, language, and collective memory are transmitted across generations. Continued community-based documentation, transcription, translation, educational use, and preservation of multiple authorized versions are recommended while maintaining recognition of cultural knowledge holders and the relationship between the narrative and its cultural landscape. The study aligns primarily with SDG 4 on Quality Education through culturally grounded and intergenerational learning and SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities through the safeguarding of cultural heritage. Its sustainability impact is principally cultural, educational, linguistic, community, and institutional, contributing to the continued transmission and responsible preservation of Jama Mapun heritage.
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