Oct
7
Ancient Filipino Mythology and Trinity
October 7, 2007 | |
In the beginning when the Earth was still
young, the gods, Bathala; Aman Sinaya; and Amihan, were the only beings that
existed. Bathala was god of the Sky (Langit) and Aman Sinaya was goddess of the
Sea (Dagat). The two have been fierce rivals for a long time, and everyday,
they would try to outdo each other. Bathala used his lighting bolts and
thunder, and Aman Sinaya used her waves and typhoons.
One day, Aman Sinaya decided to send her
tempests into the Sky to cause a wild commotion. In order to stop her, Bathala
threw giant boulders that came from atop of the mountains. It created thousands
of islands onto the surface of the Sea, which became the Philippine
archipelago. Amihan, the Northeast Wind in the middle of the two realms,
decided to stop the battle once and for all by taking the form of a bird. She
then flew back and forth between them. This made the Sky and the Sea closer
than it was before. At the point where the two realms met, both deities agreed
to end the fight and become friends.
As a sign of friendship, Bathala planted a
seed underneath the ocean floor. It soon grew into a bamboo reed, sticking out
of the edge of the Sea. Amihan had gazed upon it one day and heard voices,
coming from inside the bamboo. "Oh, North Wind! North Wind! Please let us
out!", the voices said. She pecked the reed once, then twice. All of a
sudden, the bamboo cracked and slit open. Inside were two human beings; one was
a male and the other was a female. Amihan named the man "Malakas"
(Strong) and the woman "Maganda" ( Beautiful). She then flew them
onto one of the islands where they settled, built a house, and had millions of
offspring that populated the Earth.
Then, it finally came when the children
were too numerous for Malakas and Maganda to control. One day, they were
ordered to work in the fields, but instead, they did nothing. When the parents
arrived home, they noticed that their instructions weren’t followed. Asking for
some guidance, they prayed to the great god, Bathala, and he came to them and
said, "Let your anger be shown to everyone and it shall make them into
what they are meant to be." So out of their anger, they grabbed spoon
ladles and began to give blows to everyone.
All the children started running away.
Some hid under the bamboo tables and became slaves. A few of them went inside
the burning cauldron and turned into the Aetas of the islands. Others climbed
up the rooftop and became the datus of the villages. While some climbed on top
of the trees and were believed to have become the commoners. Those who fled to
the mountains turned into hunters and the ones who ran to the seashore turned
into fishermen.
Filipino Pantheon of God’s and Goddesses
Ancient Philippine mythology, while not as
widely known as its European and East Asian counterparts, contains similar
elements to other mythologies, including deities, creation stories, mythical
creatures, and beliefs.
Ancient Philippine mythology varies among
the many indigenous tribes of the
Philippines
. Some tribes during the pre-Spanish conquest era
believed in a single Supreme Being who created the world and everything in it,
while others chose to worship a multitude of tree and forest deities (diwatas).
Below are some of the gods and goddesses of the various ancient Philippine tribes:
Bathala ( Maykapal, Bathalang
Maykapal, Abba)
Chief god of the Tagalogs. He created the
celestial fire (the Sun), and humanity. Bathala, known as Abba in the Cebuano
language, was possibly worshipped by the Visayans. An invocation to Bathala
sung by priestesses called babaylans contains the following: "Bathala, the
source of all creations, in Your hands lie Maniliw the witch, and from your
chest comes out the creator Lulid Amo that can make darkness darker than the
night".
Kan-Laon
The supreme god of the
Southern Visayans
, especially in the
island
of
Negros
. His abode is
Mt.
Kanlaon
.
Gugurang
Chief god of the Bicolanos and keeper of a
sacred fire on top of a mountain.
Aswang
The god of evil; brother and enemy to
Gugurang.
Haliya
The Bicolano goddess of the moon and
protector of women. To the Bicolanas, Haliya is their protector from Bakonawa,
the evil serpent that takes on a woman’s form when Haliya does not rise.
Kabunian (Lumawig)
Supreme deity among the Ifugao tribe. His
palace is said to be at the
peak
of
Mount
Pulag, in the
Northern
Cordilleras
.
Kaptan
For most of the ancient Visayans, he is
the supreme deity who dwells in the sky.
Anitun Tabu
The Tagalog fickle-minded goddess of the
wind and rain.
Tadaklan
The god of thunder, as worshipped by the
Tinguian people of central
Luzon
.
Kimat
The lightning dog, owned by Tadaklan. It
is said that when Kimat attacks, he comes down from heaven and bites whatever
it is aimed at.
Dian Masalanta
The goddess of love, pregnancy, childbirth
among the ancient Tagalogs. She is the daughter of Dumakulem and Anagolay.
Apolake, the god of war, is her brother. Ever since the arrival of the Spanish,
she has been known by the name, Maria Makiling, after her mountain.
Mayari
In ancient Tagalog mythology, Mayari is a
one-eyed but extremely beautiful goddess and protector of the moon. She is the
daughter of Bathala and sister of Tala and Apolake. Apolake and Mayari once got
into argument about who would be the better ruler of the world. Apolake
referred to his male strengths and Mayari insisted on equal rights. The dispute
intensified and the two started to hit each other with wooden bars. Mayari
received a blow on her face and was blinded on one eye. Apolake was very sorry
for his deed and he offered her friendship and mutual change in the power over
the world and Mayari agreed.
Apolake
The Tagalog god of the sun and lord of
war. He is the son of Bathala and brother of Mayari, but in other myth his
sister is Dian Masalanta and his parents were Anagolay and Dumakulem. He is
identified to the Pangasinense god Ama/Apo-Kaoley, he is called by some fool
people as Adlaw but actually it is a Visayan word for "Sun" just like
his sister Mayari(who is called Bulan) even though he is a Tagalog deity.
Malyari
The god of strength and bravery. He is the
Filipino counterpart of Hercules. Also known as Bernardo Carpio (or Karpyo), he
was the son of Bathala from a mortal woman. He was trapped between two clashing
mountains by the gods, as punishment for his pride and selfish attitude.
Lakapati (Ikapati, Lakanpati)
The hermaphrodite deity of fertility and
cultivated fields among the ancient Tagalogs. He/She is also the protector of
crops and farm animals. As Ikapati she is a great mother goddess for the
Tagalogs, her name means "giver of food" and her worshippers pray for
her to protect them from starvation. She protects the growing food and animals
for her people who acknowledge her and provides abundance during the harvest.
In other myths, she is a consort of Bathala/Abba (both of them were sometimes
viewed as hermaphrodite), and was first responsible for the creation of the
universe. It was thought that she started creating the universe, but it was
Bathala who finished it.
Idianalé (Idianalo, Ideale)
The goddess of works and good actions for
the ancient Tagalogs. Other legends say that she is also a goddess of death,
and it is possible that she and Hukloban are one goddess. She is invoke by the
ancient Tagalog people for guidance and success in their workings, even the
farmers call upon her for help and protection that is why she is also
worshipped as a goddess of agriculture specially animal hunsbandry. She is said
to be a favorite deity of the Katalonans(ancient Tagalog priestess or priest).
Lalahon
The Visayan goddess of fire, volcanoes,
and harvest. In ancient times, natives blamed her for sending armies of locusts
to destroy their harvest. They offer her gifts, in order to please her and
prevent her from doing this.
Sitan
The Tagalog god of the afterlife and
guardian of Kasanaan (realm of the evil spirits called manggalo) with the help
of his follower gods Hukluban(death), Manggagaway(sickness), Mangkukulam(fire),
and Manisalat(destroyer of love).
Hukloban
The Tagalog strong metamorphic goddess of
death and one of Sitan’s helpers. Her name is a Tagalog word for crone or hag
or from the old Tagalog word "huklob" which means enchantment.
Manisalat
The Tagalog god of broken families. His
followers were also called manisalats, a kind of witch that can sow or prevent
animosity between spouses and lovers, and can prevent them from having sexual
intercourse.
Mangkukulam
A Tagalog god of fire and one of Sitan’s
helpers. His name is a Tagalog word for "witch".
Manggagaway
The Tagalog goddess of disease and one of
Sitan’s helpers. She is said to disguise herself as a healer, roaming the
countryside not to heal, but to induce maladies with her charms. Her followers,
medicine women called manggagaways, are believed to possess the ability to cure
or induce sickness using their knowledge of herbs and poisons.
Mythological Creatures
Aswang
The Aswang is perhaps the most famous
Philippine mythological creature. The aswang is a ghoul or vampire, an eater of
the dead, and a lycanth.
Aswangs can change from a human to an
animal form, usually as a bat, a pig or a black dog. Some aswangs can change
form at will, others through the use of foul oils concocted by evil magicians.
Aswangs appear at night to prey upon unwary travellers or sleeping people. It
is said that they have a peculiar liking for the taste of human liver. The myth
of the Aswang is popular in the Visayas, especially in provinces such as Capiz,
Antique, and
Iloilo
.
Dila
In the Tagalog language, the word dila
means tongue. The Dila is a tongue of a spirit that passes through the bamboo
flooring of provincial houses. It then licks certain humans to death.
Diwatas and Engkantos
Diwatas, or fairies, are said to reside in
large trees, such as acacia and balete. They are the guardian sprits of nature,
bringing blessings or curses upon those who do good or harm to the forests and
mountains. One such famous Diwata is Maria Makiling, guardian of
Mount
Makiling
in Laguna province.
Engkanto (sometimes spelled Encanto) is an
umbrella term for most supernatural beings. The common connotation is that they
are faires who reside primarily in the forests and the sea. They can also be
called encantado (male) or encantada (female).
In other parts of the country, Diwatas are
analogous to nymphs.
Duwende
Duwende (or duende in Spanish) means
dwarf. In the
Philippines
, duwendes frequently live in houses or in trees in
rural areas. They are known to be either good or mischievous, depending on how
homeowners treat them. Filipinos usually leave food on the floor, so that the
duwende residing (or guarding) the house would not be angry with them.
Kapre
Kapres, tall and dark giants, are known to
inhabit forests under old acacia or mango trees. Kapres are said to smoke huge
rolls of tobacco, which is why some superstitious Filipinos living in rural
areas are very wary about the smell of burning tobacco at night. Kapres usually
make people lost with their mystical powers. If you’re stuck in a place and you
keep going around in circles, you’re said to be played around by a Kapre. To
escape its control, you must remove your t-shirt, and wear it inside-out. It is
said that when a brief shower of rain falls while the sun is shining, a pair of
Kapres are being wed.
Manananggal
A Manananggal is a sorceress who has the
power to divide her body into two. She usually appears as a pretty newcomer to
small villages and barrios. To feed, the self-segmenter chooses an isolated
place where she will leave her lower torso while she hunts at night. When she
separates from her lower torso, she loses her beauty and her true monstrous
form emerges — huge leather bat wings sprout from her back and allow her to
fly. She then goes off in search of houses where pregnant women reside. Upon
choosing a suitable victim, the Manananggal alights on the house and inserts
her tongue through the roof. The tongue is long, hollow and extremely flexible.
She uses it to puncture the womb of the sleeping woman and to suck out the fetus.
At other times, she seduces men with her beauty and lures them to a private
place before eating them alive. She usually eats the insides, like the heart,
stomach or the liver.
Sunlight is deadly to the Manananggal when
she is in her monstrous form. Should her two halves still be separate with the
coming of dawn, she will be destroyed. According to legend, to destroy the
Manananggal, one should search for the lower torso that she leaves behind
during her nightly hunts. Salt, ash, and/or garlic should then be placed on the
exposed flesh, preventing the monster from combining again and leaving it
vulnerable to sunlight. Small containers of salt, ash and raw rice, and the
smell of burning rubber are said to deter the Manananggal from approaching
one’s house.
Mangkukulam
The Mangkukulam uses dark magic spells to
harm their victims. They are known to curse their enemies with evil and wicked
spells. Common mangkukulam tools include black candles, voodoo dolls, human
hair, and needles.
A "Mambabarang" is a kind of a
mangkukulam. The difference is that the mambabarang uses magical insects to
bring harm to his victims. These insects are released after incantations, when
they will search for their supposed victim and burrow themselves into the
victim’s skin. The victim then suffers from pus-filled boils from where the
insects exit their temporary host.
Matruculan
The Matruculan is believed to enter a
virgin’s house and then impregnates her. After some time, Matruculans return to
the house to kill the pregnant mother, open her abdomen, and eat the growing
fetus.
Multo
Multo, the Tagalog word for ghost, comes
from the Spanish word muerto, which means "dead". Superstitious
Filipinos believe that some kind of multo, often a spirit of their former kin,
regularly visits them. It is also believed that in death, a dead person is
first visited by and then fetched by another dead spirit. This is called, in
Tagalog, "pagsundo" (to fetch). The Tagalog word for being visited by
a multo is ‘minumulto’(being haunted), or ‘dinadalaw’ (being visited).
Nuno sa punso
The Nuno sa Punso inhabits mounds, such as
anthills, in the ground. Superstitious Filipinos, when passing by a mound, will
ask the resident nuno’s permission to let them pass. Strange and sudden
illnesses that befall a person are sometimes attributed to nunos.
Santelmo
Santelmo, or Santo Elmo, is a fireball
seen by dozens of Filipinos, especially those living in the
Sierra
Madre
Mountains
. It was scientifically explained as electric
fields which have diverged from the lines. However, the sightings were reported
since the Spanish era (1500s-1800s). (See also Shinen and Will-o-Wisps) There
were also sightings in the
Alps
and
Himalayas
.
Sirena and siyokoy
The Sirena is a mermaid. Sirenas are
reportedly often seen ashore by fishermen, especially in the towns bordering
the
Pacific Ocean
. The Siyokoy is the male counterpart of the
Sirena. Siyokoys have gill slits, are colored brown or green, and have scaly
skin, comparable to that of fishes.
Tikbalang
The Tikbalang is a half-horse, half-man
creature. Its head and lower body are that of a horse, and its torso and arms
are that of a human. Tikbalangs are very playful with people, and they usually
make a person imagine things that aren’t real. Sometimes a Tikbalang drives a
person crazy. Male tikbalangs are said to lure beautiful women into the forest,
after which, they are never heard from again.
Legends say that when a person tames a
Tikbalang then retrieves a sample of hair from its mane, the Tikbalang will be
that person’s slave for life.
Tiyanak
The Tiyanak (related to Changelings) is
the offspring of a woman and a demon. The Tiyanak can also be the aborted
fetus, which comes to life to take revenge on its mother. Most Tiyanaks are
said to live in forests. If they see a human, they transform into what looks
like a normal baby. When the person notices the Tiyanak and comes near to take
a look at it, that’s when the Tiyanak changes back to its true form and eats
its prey. They are typically portrayed to have reddish or dark skin and glowing
eyes. Contrary to popular belief, some of them do grow into adolesence and lead
somewhat normal lives. There are, however, tell-tale signs that they are
tiyanaks. One, they talk very fast and possess an accent quite similar to sellers
in wet markets. Two, they cannot help but sing almost all the time. Three, they
have a know-it-all attitude. Four, they never reach 5 feet. Lastly, they would
normally grow their hair long enough to touch their waists.
This is an ancient Visayan account of
creation.
Thousands of years ago, there was no land,
sun, moon, or stars, and the world was only a great sea of water, above which
stretched the sky. The water was the kingdom of the god Maguayan, and the sky
was ruled by the great god, Kaptan.
Maguayan had a daughter called Lidagat,
the sea, and Kaptan had a son known as Lihangin, the wind. The gods agreed to
the marriage of their children, so the sea became the bride of the wind.
Three sons and a daughter were born to
them. The sons were called Likalibutan, Liadlao, and Libulan, and the daughter
received the name of Lisuga.
Likalibutan had a body of rock and was
strong and brave; Liadlao was formed of gold and was always happy; Libulan was
made of copper and was weak and timid; and the beautiful Lisuga had a body of
pure silver and was sweet and gentle. Their parents were very fond of them, and
nothing was wanting to make them happy.
After a time Lihangin died and left the
control of the winds to his eldest son Likalibutan. The faithful wife Lidagat
soon followed her husband, and the children, now grown up, were left without
father or mother. However, their grandfathers, Kaptan and Maguayan, took care
of them and guarded them from all evil.
After some time, Likalibutan, proud of his
power over the winds, resolved to gain more power, and asked his brothers to
join him in an attack on Kaptan in the sky above. They refused at first, but
when Likalibutan became angry with them, the amiable Liadlao, not wishing to
offend his brother, agreed to help. Then together they induced the timid
Libulan to join in the plan.
When all was ready, the three brothers
rushed at the sky, but they could not beat down the gates of steel that guarded
the entrance. Likalibutan let loose the strongest winds and blew the bars in
every direction. The brothers rushed into the opening, but were met by the
angry god Kaptan. So terrible did he look that they turned and ran in terror,
but Kaptan, furious at the destruction of his gates, sent three bolts of
lightning after them.
The first struck the copper Libulan and
melted him into a ball. The second struck the golden Liadlao and he too was
melted. The third bolt struck Likalibutan and his rocky body broke into many
pieces and fell into the sea. So huge was he that parts of his body stuck out
above the water and became what is known as land.
In the meantime the gentle Lisuga had
missed her brothers and started to look for them. She went toward the sky, but
as she approached the broken gates, Kaptan, blind with anger, struck her too
with lightning, and her silver body broke into thousands of pieces.
Kaptan then came down from the sky and
tore the sea apart, calling on Maguayan to come to him and accusing him of
ordering the attack on the sky. Soon Maguayan appeared and answered that he
knew nothing of the plot as he had been asleep deep in the sea. After some
time, he succeeded in calming the angry Kaptan. Together they wept at the loss
of their grandchildren, especially the gentle and beautiful Lisuga, but even
with their powers, they could not restore the dead back to life. However, they gave
to each body a beautiful light that will shine forever.
And so it was the golden Liadlao who
became the sun and the copper Libulan, the moon, while Lisuga’s pieces of
silver were turned into the stars of heaven. To wicked Likalibutan, the gods
gave no light, but resolved to make his body support a new race of people. So
Kaptan gave Maguayan a seed and he planted it on one of the islands.
Soon a bamboo tree grew up, and from the
hollow of one of its branches, a man and a woman came out. The man’s name was
Sikalak and the woman was called Sikabay. They were the parents of the human
race. Their first child was a son whom they called Libo; afterwards they had a
daughter who was known as Saman.
Pandaguan, the youngest son, was very
clever and invented a trap to catch fish. The very first thing he caught was a
huge shark. When he brought it to land, it looked so great and fierce that he
thought it was surely a god, and he at once ordered his people to worship it.
Soon all gathered around and began to sing and pray to the shark. Suddenly the
sky and sea opened, and the gods came out and ordered Pandaguan to throw the
shark back into the sea and to worship none, but them.
All were afraid except Pandaguan. He grew
very bold and answered that the shark was as big as the gods, and that since he
had been able to overpower it he would also be able to conquer the gods. Then
Kaptan, hearing this, struck Pandaguan with a small lightning bolt, for he did
not wish to kill him but merely to teach him a lesson. Then he and Maguayan
decided to punish these people by scattering them over the earth, so they
carried some to one land and some to another. Many children were afterwards
born, and thus the earth became inhabited in all parts.
Pandaguan did not die. After lying on the
ground for thirty days he regained his strength, but his body was blackened
from the lightning, and his descendants became the dark-skinned tribe, the
Negritos.
As punishment, his eldest son, Aryon, was
taken north where the cold took away his senses. While Libo and Saman were
carried south, where the hot sun scorched their bodies. A son of Saman and a
daughter of Sikalak were carried east, where the land at first was so lacking
in food that they were compelled to eat clay.
Comments
1 Comment so far
Thanks for the lesson, living in usa without anybody talking about this, makes me want to know more….