Legends and Myths: Phillipine

Legends and Myths: Phillipines



Philippine mythology is the body of stories and
epics originating from, and part of,
the indigenous Philippine folk religions, which
include various ethnic faiths distinct from one
another. Philippine mythology is incorporated
from various sources, having similarities with
Indonesian and Malay myths, as well
as Hindu, Muslim, Shinto, Buddhist,
and Christian traditions, such as the notion of
heaven (kaluwalhatian, kalangitan, kamurawayan,
etc.), hell (kasamaan, sulad, etc.), and the human
soul (kaluluwa, kaulolan, makatu, ginokud, etc.).
Philippine mythology attempts to explain the
nature of the world through the lives and actions
of heroes, deities (referred to
as anito or diwata in some ethnic groups),
and mythological creatures. The majority of
these myths were passed on through oral
tradition, and preserved through the aid of
community spiritual leaders
or shamans (babaylan, katalonan, mumbaki, baglan,
machanitu, walian, mangubat, bahasa, etc.) and
community elders.

The mythologies and indigenous religions of the
Philippines have historically been referred to
as Anitism, meaning "ancestral
religion".[1][2] Other terms used were Anitismo, a
Hispano-Filipino translation, and Anitería, a
derogatory version used by most members of the
Spanish clergy.[3] Today, many ethnic peoples
continue to practice and conserve their unique
indigenous religions, notably in ancestral domains,
although foreign and foreign-inspired religions
continue to influence their life-ways through
conversions, inter-marriage, and land-buying. A
number of scholarly works have been devoted to
Anitism and its various aspects, although many of
its stories and traditions have yet to be
recorded by specialists in the fields
of anthropology and folklore.[1][4][5]

Sources[edit]

Main article: Philippine folk literature

There are two significant sources of Philippine mythologies, namely, oral
literature and written literature.

Oral (folk) literature[edit]

Oral literature (also known as folk literature) consists of stories that have
been or still are being passed down from one generation to another through
oral means such as verbal communication. All sources of Philippine
mythologies are originally oral literature. As oral literature is passed on
verbally, changes in stories and the addition of stories with the passing of

time are natural phenomena and part of the evolving dynamism of
Philippine mythology. Despite many attempts to record all of the oral
literature of the Philippines, the majority of the stories pertaining to
Philippine mythologies have yet to be properly documented. These oral
traditions were intentionally interfered with by the Spanish through the
introduction of Christian mythologies in the 16th century. Some examples of
such interference are the Biag ni Lam-ang and the Tale of Bernardo Carpio,
where the names of certain characters were permanently changed into
Spanish ones. Resurgent ripples of interest towards oral literature in the
Philippines have sprung up since the 21st century due to sudden interests
among the masses, notably the youth, coupled with various media such as
literary works, television, radio, and social media.[6]

Written literature[edit]

Literature consists, in part, of oral tradition that has been committed to
writing in the form of manuscripts or publications. Juan de Plasencia wrote
the Relacion de las Costumbres de Los Tagalos in 1589, documenting the
traditions of the Tagalog people at the time. Other accounts during the
period are Miguel de Loarca's Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas and Pedro
Chirino's Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas (1604). Various books regarding
Anitism have been published by numerous universities throughout the
country, such as Mindanao State University, University of San
Carlos, University of the Philippines, Ateneo Universities, Silliman University,
and University of the Cordilleras, as well as respected non-university
publishing houses such as Anvil Publishing. The publication of these books
range from the 16th century to the 21st century. There are also printed but
unpublished sources of Philippine mythologies, notably college and graduate
school theses. Specific written literature should not be used as a generalizing
asset of a particular story, as stories differ from town to town or village to
village, despite the people of a particular area belonging to the same ethnic
group. Some examples are the story of Bakunawa and the Seven Moons and
the story of The Tambanokano, which have multiple versions depending on
the locality, people's ethnicity, origin of story, and cultural
progression.[7][4][8][9]

History[edit]

Main article: Cultural achievements of pre-colonial Philippines

The Tagalog people's Obando Fertility Rites, before becoming a Catholic festival, was
initially an animist ritual dedicated to the intersex deity, Lakapati, who presided
over fertility, the goddess of love, Diyan Masalanta, and the supreme god, Bathala.[10]

The Virgin of Antipolo has animist connections. Many of the rituals and prayers
connected to the Lady of the Breadfruit (Tipolo) Tree have similarities to the pre-
colonial indigenous cult of Maguayen, the Visayan god to whom people made offerings
before building a boat or embarking on a voyage. Similarly, the Virgin of Antipolo is
also asked for protection and well-being, as well as for the blessing of new cars, the
modern mode of transportation.[11]

The indigenous religions of the Philippines developed through a variety of
migration phases and trade routes. Scholars theorized that Austronesians
arrived through the "Out-of-Taiwan model", where Homo sapiens from
mainland Asia crossed Taiwan, and later the Philippines, until furthering to
other islands south of the Philippines. The Austronesians are believed to have
brought complex animist beliefs with shamanism, ancestor worship, totemism,
and tattoo artistry. The beliefs on benevolent and malevolent spirits was also
established by their arrival.[12]

By 200 to 300 CE, Hindu mythologies arrived in some areas in the
Philippines through trade routes and more waves of ethnic migrations.
Hinduism brought in Indianized traditions to the Philippines, including
indigenous epics such as Ibalong, Siday, and Hinilawod, folk stories, and a
variety of superstitions which gradually established more complex
indigenous polytheistic religions. Additionally, the concept of good and
bad demons, which is prevalent in Indian societies, became widespread in the
archipelago. These demons were viewed as both evil and good, unlike Western
demons which are only evil. Unlike other areas in Southeast Asia which were
heavily converted to Hinduism, indigenous religions in the Philippines were
not replaced by Hinduism, rather, those religions absorbed traditions and
beliefs present in Hinduism. Gender-variant deities and shamans also became
widespread during this period. Humanoid mythical creatures also developed
alongside a variety of evolving belief systems.[13] Around 900 CE, Chinese
influence spread in some areas in the Philippines, inputting Sinified belief
systems in the process, along with Buddhist mythologies. The most
prominent belief that spread during this phase was the belief in ghosts, which
is prevalent in Chinese societies.[14]

By 1300 CE, Muslim traders arrived in the southern Philippines, bringing
with them Islamic mythologies and its belief systems. Many natives in certain
areas in the southern and western Philippines were converted into Muslims
easily as much of the people had societies that had high acceptance towards
foreign traditions.[15] In the middle of the 16th century, the Spanish arrived
from Latin America and brought with them Christian mythologies of the
Ibero-American kind (For example, veneration to Our Lady of Guadalupe of
Mexico) and its accompanying belief systems. Some of the inhabitants were
receptive to these myths, but most of which were against it as the Spanish
wanted to conquer the lands and override their leaders, instead of simple
tradition exchanges. When the Spanish laid its foundations in the archipelago,
a three-century purge against indigenous religions began, which resulted in
much of the ethnic people's indigenous cultures and traditions being
brutalized and mocked. The phase also replaced much of the polytheistic
beliefs of the people into monotheism. Existing myths and folklores were
retrofitted to the tastes of the Spanish, but many indigenous belief systems
were hard to replace, and thus, were retained despite Spanish threats and
killings.[16][17] During the Philippine revolution, there were attempts to
revitalize the indigenous Philippine folk religions and make them the newly

established state's national religion. However, the proposals were sideline due
to conflicts with the Americans, which led to war.[18] In the late 19th
century, the Americans occupied the country and bolstered Westernization
which included the conversion of more people into Christianity.[19]

Regional Philippine mythology[edit]

Due to intensive cultural exchanges spanning for millenniums, many of the
mythologies from a variety of ethnic groups in the Philippines have
similarities, in one way or another. A few examples of which are: (1) the
creation myths of the Bicolano people[20] and the Visayan peoples, whose
deities' names are different but the activities recorded in their creation
myths are extremely similar;[21] (2) the presence of deities named
Mayari[22]/Malayari[23]/Apûng Malyari,[24] which is prevalent in
Tagalog,[22] Kapampangan,[24] and Sambal mythologies;[23] (3) the presence
of moon deities, named Bulan in Hiligaynon, Karay-a, Cebuano[25] and
Bicolano mythologies,[20] and serpent deities named Bakunawa in Hiligaynon,
Karay-a, Cebuano, and Bicolano mythologies (4) the presence of moon-
swallowing monsters named Tambanokano in Mandaya and Manobo
mythologies, where the Mandaya Tambanokano is depicted as a crab, while
the Manobo Tambanokano is depicted as a tarantula or scorpion, depending
on the ethnic sub-group;[citation needed] (5) the presence of foe-deities named
Gugurang and Asuang in Bicolano mythology[26] and Agurang and Aswang
in Hiligaynon mythology.[26] and (6) the presence of deities named Kabunian
in the mythologies of the Ibaloi people,[27] the Bontoc people,[28] and
the Ifugao people.[29]

Despite being ethnic counterparts, the deities, heroes, and creatures are
completely different from each other, and their stories must be respected as
they are and not mixed into a single narrative. It should also be noted that
each ethnic story has a variety of versions. In many cases, stories vary
between town to town or village to village despite the peoples in the specified
areas belonging to the same ethnic group.[30][31][32][33]

A Bontoc shaman performing a sacred wake ritual with a death chair.

The Philippines is made up of more than 7,000 islands, but they are divided
into three main island regions.[34] These regions are: Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao (which is subdivided here into North and South). There have
been attempts to refer each region to specific pre-colonial mythologies,
however, the difference in mythologies and belief systems is not by region,
but by ethnic groups, where some ethnic groups have influence in only a few
towns, while others have inter-regional influences spanning various
provinces. Buddhism and Hinduism in the Philippines is influential to the
culture and myths of the people within the three major island regions. There
is no unified mythology among the three regions, due to a wide array of
diverse cultures that continue to flourish distinctly in the islands.[35] These
myths were orally passed down,[36] which means that even myths within the
same region will have some degree of change.

Luzon[edit]

Pre-colonial Luzon were split among Hindu-Buddhist, Muslim principalities,
and animist.

 Creation Story – Story of Bathala (Tagalog)[37]
o The story of Bathala explains how he became the ruler of the
universe, the etiological explanation of the coconut tree, and how
everything on earth came to be

 The Creation – Lumawig (Igorot)[38]

o Lumawig, a great spirit god created peopled in different areas.
This gives an explanation on why people speak differently than others.

 The Flood Story (Igorot)[39]

o Lumawig's two sons decided to flood the earth to bring up
mountains so that they can catch pig and deer. However, in the acts
of doing this, they drowned all the people on earth except for two
people; they were brother and sister. Ludwig helped the two survive
the flood and after the flood subsided, the brother and sister got
married and repopulated the earth.

o Etiological explanation for mountains

Visayas[edit]

Pre-colonial Visayas were influenced by Hindu-Buddhist and Animism.
The Spaniards even described some of the indigenous people who lived there
as Pintados, which means that they had tattoos/paintings on them.

 The Sun and the Moon[40]

o The sun and moon created the stars. This provides an etiological
explanation for the stars.

o The sun burned the stars and this made the moon upset. They
begin to fight, but the moon ran away. This provides an etiological
explanation why the sun and moon seem to be "chasing" each other.

Mindanao[edit]

Pre-colonial Mindanao (around 900AD) were influenced by Hindu-
Buddhist, Indonesian, and Malaysian beliefs and culture. Then around the
14th century, Islam in most northern islands of Mindanao were well
established.

 The Children of the Limokon (Mandaya)[41]

o The limokon bird laid eggs along a river that created man and
woman. However, they were born on separate sides of the river. One
day the man came across the woman and they got married and had
children.

o This gives an explanation on how the Mandaya people were
created.

 The Sun and the Moon (Mandaya)[42]

o The sun and moon were married, but one day, the sun got
angry at the moon and started to chase her. This gives an etiological
explanation why the sun and moon “chase” each other.

o The first child of the sun and moon was chopped up by the sun
because he was angry at him. The sun then scattered him across the
sky. This is the etiological explanation why there are stars.

o Another son of the sun and moon was a gigantic crab that
created lightning when he blinks his eyes. He lives in a hole in the
bottom of the ocean and is responsible for high and low tides.

 How the Moon and the Stars Came to Be (Bukidnon)[43]

o This was a time the sky was close to the ground. A spinster who
was pounding rice struck the sky so hard it began to rise. Her comb
and beads that she hung on the sky to dry also raised with it. That
became the moon and stars.

 The Flood Story (Bukidnon)[44]

o A big crab that crawled into the sea created the flood in which
drowned all the people except those who made a raft and stayed upon
it.

 Origin (Bagobo)[45]

o A boy and a girl were the only ones left on Mount Apo. They
were so weak because of the drought. However, the boy found a
sugarcane and was able to cut it. Water from the sugar cane refreshed
him and his sister until rain came.

o This is why they are called Bagobo.

 Epic ‘Tudbulul’ (T’Boli)[46]

o Tudbulu was a hero that organized a concert. He gathered
music and this attracted many people. Some of these people stayed
and lived together.

o This is how the T’boli tribe was formed

 Creation Story – D’wata (T’Boli)[47]

o The Betoti found soil and brought it back to D’wata. They
spread out the soil and created dry land. The animals on earth then
told Betoti that they need someone to look after them. Betoti told
D’wata and thus man and woman were created out of statues.

 Creation Story – Melu (B’laan)[48]

o Melu created the Earth with his dead skin that came off as he
cleaned himself. The remaining dead skin was used to make 2 men.
However, Melu could not make their noses. Tau Tana appeared below
the earth and helped him make the noses. When they were done, they
whipped the men until they started to move. Melu then told the two
men to save their dead skin and hair so that he would be able to make
them companions.

 In the Beginning (B’laan)[49]

o Four beings that created the earth, and people.
o They tried using wax, then dirt. However, their noses were the

most difficult to make. Melu was in a hurry and pressed his finger at
the root of their noses. This is the reason why the B’laan peoples’ noses
are the way it is.

Cosmogony or creation myths[edit]

Angalo, a creation giant, is said to be the first man and the son of the god of building
in Ilokano mythology.[50]

Lingling-o are jewelries that are believed to aid in fertility, and also represent a
person's social standing through the material used as medium

Cosmogony or creation myths usually tell how the world was created, and
most of the time, also includes how mankind came into existence. Each
ethnic group in the Philippines has their own creation myth, making the
myths on creation in the Philippines extremely diverse. In some cases, a
single ethnic group has multiple versions of their creation myth, depending
on locality and sub-culture from a larger 'mother' culture. A few of the
many cosmogonies known to specific ethnic groups in the Philippines are as
follow:

 Ifugao – the universe has always existed and will always exist[51][31]
 Tagalog – a sacred kite caused the sky and the sea to war; the sky

threw boulders onto the sea, forming islands; the kite afterwards built a
nest on an island and left the sky and sea in peace[52]
 Bicolano – the only thing that existed in the universe were water and
sky; the grandsons of the sky god, Languit, sought to attack the sky realm
to have more power; the group was led by Daga, god who controlled
winds; Languit, in anger due to his grandchildren's betrayal, struck all of
them with lightning, killing them instantly; Bitoon, who did not join the
upheaval, looked for her brothers, but was also accidentally struck by
Languit's lightning; only the sea god, Tubigan, managed to calm down
Languit; the two old gods each gave the bodies of their dead
grandchildren light, where Bulan's body became the moon, Aldao's (or
Adlao) body became the sun, and Bitoon's body became the stars; Daga's
body was not given light and, thus, became the earth[53][54]

 Kapampangan – the sky, earth, planets, and stars were in existence
before land came; during a war between the deities for the beautiful
daughter of the supreme deity, Mangetchay, the earth was formed from
the stones thrown by the warring deities; life on earth was created by
Mangetchay in remembrance of the deity's dearest daughter who died in
war[55][24]

 Ilokano – the Ilokano supreme deity ordered two primordial giants,
Angalo and Aran, to become responsible for the creation of the world; the
giant Anglao (or Angalo) dug the earth and made mountains; Anglao
urinated into holes in the earth and made the rivers and seas, afterwards
he put up the sky, the sun, the moon, and arranged the stars[56][57]

 Ibaloi – the first thing in existence were the skyworld and the
underworld; the peoples of both sides fought and one day, a man from
the underworld hit the sun god with an arrow; the sun god afterwards
pushed up the skyworld and pushed down the underworld, and then
created the earth[58]

 Panay – for the many ethnic groups originating from Panay, the
world was said to be formless and shapeless in the old times; the sea, sky,
and earth were mixed together; from the formless mist, the deities
Tungkung Langit and Alunsina appeared; the two married each other and
lived in the highest realm of eternal space; one day, Tungkung Langit
fought and hurt Alunsina, which forced Alunsina to be driven away; in
Tungkung Langit's loneliness, he created the sea and land and took his
wife's jewels to create the stars, moon, and sun; despite all of these,
Alunsina chose to stay free from anybody and never returned to
Tungkung Langit, thus, an early notion of divorce[59]

 Bisaya – one Bisaya cosmogony myth tells that a sacred bird of prey
incited the sky and the sea to fight against each other so that it may find
somewhere to land, thus creating the islands where the bird of prey
landed on;[60] another Bisaya cosmogony myth tells that the deities
Kaptan and Magauayan (or Maguayan) fought each other for eons until,
tired of the war, the great bird Manaul dropped boulders upon the
fighting divinities; the rocks that dropped became islands[61] while
another Bisaya cosmogony myth tells Kaptan's son, Lihangin, who was
god of the wind, and Maguayan's daughter, Lidagat, goddess of the sea,
were married and produced children; three of these deities, led by
Likalibutan, made an upheaval against Kaptan, angering the supreme god;

Lisuga, who was looking for her brothers, was also accidentally hit by
Kaptan; all the four grandchildren of Kaptan and Maguayan perished;
Kaptan accused Maguayan of the coup, but was later calmed down and
the two deities grieved their grandchildren; Liadlao's body became the sun,
Libulan's body became the moon, Lisuga's body became the stars, and the
wicked Likalibutan's body became the earth and had no light; soon, a
bamboo tree grew, where the first man, Sikalak, and the first woman,
Sikabay, sprang from[21]
 Suludnon – there was no land in the beginning; only the sky and a
wide expanse of water called Linaw were present; the primordial giants,
Laki and Bayi, appeared from nowhere and were responsible for the
creation of many things; Bayi, the creation giantess, caught the
primordial earthworm which excreted the earth; she also have birth to
the wild animals that inhabit the earth[62]
 Bukidnon – in one Bukidnon cosmogony myth, the supreme god
Magbabaya created the earth after he saw that there was only a hole, no
sky and soil; he first made the eight elements, tumbaga (bronze), bulawan
(gold), salapi (coins), bato (rocks), Gabon (clouds), ulan (rain), puthaw
(iron), and tubig (water); from the elements, he created the sea, sky, the
moon, and the stars;[63] in another Bukidnon cosmogony myth,
Magbabaya (referred as Diwata na Magbabaya) created the world with
the god Dadanhayan ha Sugay; before creating mankind, the two deities
created the Incantus, six guardian deities that contain good and evil
qualities and can send calamities if angered[64][65]
 Manobo – creations myths by the Manobo is diverse; one Manobo
cosmogony myth from Talakogan in the Agusan valley tells that the
creation of the world was due to the god, Makalindung, who set up the
world on iron posts; another Manobo cosmogony myth from Argawan
and Hibung rivers states that the creation goddess, Dagau, created the
world; while another Manobo cosmogony myth from the upper Agusan
says that the world is shaped like a giant mushroom and deities shake its
core when angered by humans[66]
 Manuvu – in the beginning, there was nothing but a formless void; the
deity Manama or Sigalungan created the deities which assisted him in
creation; he took two steel bars and fashioned the bars into a frame; he
then scraped off his fingernails and molded it into a mass which
eventually became the earth[67][30]

 Bagobo – the world was created by Pamulak Manobo, who made the
land and sea and the first humans; rain is caused when he throws water
from the sky, where showers are his spit; white clouds are smoke from
the fire of the deities; the sun created yellow clouds that make the colors
of the rainbow[68]

 Blaan – the god Melu constantly rubbed his skin so that he may be
pure white; he later accumulated a lot of dead skin, and in his annoyance,
he used the dead skin to create the earth[52][30]

 Teduray – in the beginning, there was only sky and sea; Sualla (or
Tullus-God) lived in the sky, while his sister Sinonggol lived in Bonggo, the
land of the dead; Sualla visited the palace of the sun and touched one of
the eight primordial wooden khnenentaos (statues), thus creating the
first Teduray; from the rib of the man, Sualla created the first woman;
when the man and woman had a child named Mentalalan, it became sick
and the man sought Sualla's aid; Sualla gave a special medicine to the
man, but before the man delivered the medicine to his son, a demon sent
by Singgol, changed the medicine, which led to the death of Mentalalan;
Sualla afterwards convened a meeting with his four brothers, Mentail,
Micael, Mintlafis, and Osman Ali to buy soil from the Navi; the soil was
then planted by Sualla at Colina, the center of the world; the soil grew,
and Mentalalan was finally buried; from the boy's body, crops of different
kinds sprouted; in anger, Sinonggol threw her comb, which turned into
the first boar that aimed to destroy the crops[69]

Concept of realms[edit]

Like most mythologies (or religions) in the world, the concept of realms
focuses greatly on heaven, earth, and hell. These worldwide concepts are also
present in the many mythologies of the Philippines, although there are stark
differences between ethnic groups, with ethnic-endemic additions,
subtractions, and complexities in the beliefs of ethnic realms. Additionally,
unlike the general Western concept of heaven and hell, in the Philippine
concept, heaven may be located in the underworld, while hell may be located
in the skyworld, depending on the associated ethnic group. These differences
are notably caused by both cultural diffusion and cultural parallelism. These
diffusions and parallelisms are also present in the many story motifs of
Philippine mythologies. Some examples of the concept of realms in the many
ethnic groups in the Philippines are as follow:[70]

 Tagalog – the upperworld is called Kaluwalhatian, and is the home of
specific deities who belong to the court of Bathala, the Tagalog supreme
deity. The middleworld are the domains of mankind, other deities and
various mythological races, while in the underworld, there are two realms,
namely, Maca (realm where the spirits of good mortals go to) and
Kasanaan (realm where the spirits of sinful mortals go to). Deities also
dwell in the underworld, notably Sitan and his four agents. There is also
Batala, a reappearing mountain realm located in the middleworld and is
filled with the sacred ‘’tigmamanukan’’ omen creatures.[70][71]

 Palaw-an – the earthly world is composed of seven plates, one on top
of the other with a center pole connecting all of them; mankind is
believed to live in the middle of the fourth plate[70]

 Tagbanwa – the earthworld and the underworld are complete
opposites as night in the earthworld is day in the underworld, and vice
versa; rivers flow backward in the underworld, from sea to mountains,
and rice is always eaten cold[70]

 Batak – the ancestral land of the Batak is called Kabatakan, which is
found in the middle layer (fourth layer) of the universe; the universe has
seven layers (lukap) consisting of a center tier (fourth layer) surrounded
by ocean and inhabited by humans, animals, plants, super-human beings,
and aggressive entities; Puyok, the highest sacred mountain in Kabatakan,
is regarded as the original place of all malevolent panya’en; the Gunay
Gunay, at the edge of the universe, is perceived as the place of origin of
the couple divinities, Baybay (goddess and master of rice) and Ungaw
(god and master of bees).[72]

 Sulodnon – the universe has three realms; the upperworld is
Ibabawnon, which is divided into two realms, one for the male deities and
the other for female deities; the middleworld is Pagtung-an, where the
earth is located; the lowerworld is Idadalmunon, where the souls of the
dead go to; initially, there was no land, only a sky and an expanse of
water called Linaw; earth was established upon the excretion of an
earthworm found by Bayi, a creation giantess[70][73]

 Bisaya – the universe has seven layers; the first is uninhabited and
nothing can be found in its vastness; the second is called Tibugnon and is
made of water filled with mermaids and sea fairies who govern their
separate kingdoms; the third layer is called Idalmunon which is the bowels
of the earth and is inhabited by underground spirits; the fourth layer is

called Lupan-on which is the earth where mankind and various
supernatural beings live in; the fifth layer is called Kahanginan which is
the atmosphere directly above earth and is the home of flying beings
suchs as the bentohangin race and the hubot race; the sixth layer is called
Ibabaw-non which is inhabited by special babaylans who intercede for
man with spirits; the last layer and the highest is called Langit-non,
which is the abode of Maka-ako, the creator of the Bisaya universe; these
seven layers can be classified into three categories, namely Kahilwayan,
the skyworld realms ruled by Kaptan and inhabited by deities who assist
him, Kamaritaan, the middleworld home of humans which is ruled by
Sidapa and Makaptan and inhabited by the gods of their middleworld
court, and lastly, Kasakitan, the lowerworld realms ruled by Magyan and
Sumpoy; Kasakitan is said to have a unique sub-realm called Kanitu-
nituhan which is ruled by the god Sisiburanen[70]
 Bicolano – it is believed that the sky and the waters are the first
thing in existence; after the divine upheaval against the god Languit, the
sun, moon, stars, and earth were formed through the bodies of his dead
grandchildren; an unnamed giant is said to support the world, where his
finger movements caused earthquakes; if the giant's body moves, it is said
to cause the end of the world[70][74]
 Ilokano – the sky, sun, moon, stars, rivers, seas, and mountains are
said to be created by the giant Anglao upon the order of an unnamed
supreme deity; the underworld is guarded by the giant dog, Lobo[70]
 Kapampangan – the sky, earth, planets, and stars were in existence
while land was created after the great divine war of the gods which was
caused by the beauty of the divine daughter of Mangechay, the
Kapampangan supreme deity; the gods lived in different faraway planets,
and they travelled from planet to planet, with each travel taking up to
hundreds of years[70][75]
 Ifugao – initially, it is believed that there are two mythical worlds,
namely Daya and Lagud. Daya is the downstream east, while Lagud is the
upstream west. This notion later developed into a layered concept of the
universe, where Daya became the upperworld which includes four layers,
namely, Hudog, Luktag, Hubulan, and Kabunian, where Kabunian is the
lowest of the upperworld, and is home to the god Liddum, the only deity
who directly communicated with mankind for the deities of the upper
layers of the upperworld. Each realm's upper surface layer is believed to

be earthen and filled with fields and gardens, while the lower surface is
made of smooth blue stone. The middleworld is the mortal world, directly
below the Kabunian layer, and has the broadest circumference in the
global universe, as both the upperworld and the lowerworld grow
successively smaller as they approach the end of the celestial globe. The
lowerworld is called Dalom, which is made of an indeterminate number of
layers. The souls of those who were murdered are believed to go to its
lowest level. Finally, the realm of Lagud was transformed by the layered
universe concept into a far eastern sub-realm region[70][29][76]
 Kalinga – the universe is believed to look like a big plate (personifies
the earth) with a smaller dome (personifies the sky) resting on it; the sky
is not transparent, rather it is opaque and solid and its rim is three
meters thick[70]
 Kankanaey – the middleworld is believed to be carried by four huge
posts which stands on the lowerworld; a giant hog causes earthquakes
every time it scratches against one of the posts; the lowerworld is call
Aduongan and is inhabited by cannibals[70]
 Ibaloi – the skyworld and the underworld were once close to each
other; this changed after a great war between the two sides where a man
from the underworld hit the sun god with an arrow; the sun god moved
the two world apart, establishing a gap between; earth as the
middleworld was afterwards established[70]
 Bukidnon – the Banting is a small circula space of immense brightness
extant in the beginning, surrounded by a sacred rainbow; the realm called
Haldan ta Paraiso (Garden of Paradise) was created by Diwta na
Magbabaya from materials provided by Dadanhayan ha Sugay; the
garden is where Agtayuban rests his wings; the upperworld is said to be
divided into seven tiers and the underworld also has seven tiers, but only
three are identifiable; the middleworld is saucer-shaped, as is the sky, but
with the concavity towards the earth[70][77]
 Manobo – the world is on iron posts created by the god Makalindung
who lives in the center with a python; the sky is round and ends at the
limits of the sea; this limit is the sea navel, where waters ascend and
descend; the underworld is below the pillars of the earth and is divided
into different subsections where each Manobo nation is assigned a place;
there are different sections for other tribes and even for foreign
peoples[70]

 Mandaya – the earth is flat but pressed into mountains by a
mythological woman; the earth rests on the back of a gigantic eel which
causes earthquakes when agitated[70]

 Bagobo – deities live in the skyworld, where various realms are
present, each being ruled by a divinity lesser than the supreme deity
Pamulak Manobo; the entrance to the skyworld has numerous kampilan
swords who fight without any wielder; the underworld for the sinful dead
is called Gimokudan, where spirits with heavy misdeeds are engulfed by
flames, while those with little misdeeds are not, although their bodies are
covered with sores as they lay in an acid that burns like lemon juice; a
special underworld sub-realm called Banua Mebuyan, near a black river,
is reserved for children who died at their mother's breast and these souls
are nourished by the many-breasted goddess Mebuyan; children's souls
who graduate from Banua Mebuyan go to another district to join souls
that died of disease; all souls pass through Banua Mebuyan before going to
Gimokudan; another special underworld district is dedicated to those
slayed by swords or spears, where scars will continue to be with the soul
and plants in the district are colored like blood[70][78]

 Tboli – the skyworld has seven layers, where the last layer is the
dwelling of the supreme couple deities, Kadaw La Sambad and Bulon La
Mogoas; earth was formed due to the body of the sterile god, S’fedat;
there are different afterworlds depending on the circumstances of death;
the soul of those killed via swords in battle and murder go to Kayong,
where the soul is greeted with continual music; if a soul dies a natural
death, it goes to Mogul, which has everything a soul desires[70]

 Maranao – the world has seven layers; the earth and sky are also
divided into seven layers; some of the layers of the earth are the human,
layer of karibangs, and the layer under the sea inhabited by nymph-like
beings; each sky layer has a door guarded by a garoda; the seventh layer
of the sky is heaven, where the tree of life grows and whose leaves
inscribes the names of all living humans; once the leaf of a person ripens
or dries and falls, the person dies; in a section of heaven, the jars
containing the souls of every person alive exists; this jar area is guarded
by the fearsome creature Walo

Each ethnic group in the Philippines, which number more than a hundred,
has their own indigenous concept of realms. The diversity of ethnic groups in

the country contributes to the unique diversity of realms believed to be found
endemically in specific ethnic domains and mythologies.[70]

Deities[edit]

For a list of major and minor deities of Philippine mythology, see Deities of
Philippine Mythology

A symbol of Bathala, supreme god of the Tagalog people. The symbol also depicts a
loyal anito at the bottom area and a tigmamanukan bird, which is sometimes
wrongfully portrayed as a sarimanok.

Mayon volcano, within the Albay UNESCO biosphere reserve, is believed to have
sprouted from the burial ground of lovers Magayon and Pangaronon. Later, the
supreme god of the Bicolano people, Gugurang, chose Mayon as his abode and
repository for the sacred fire of Ibalon.

The deity Namtogan, who has paraplegia, is said to have taught the Ifugao how to
craft Bulul statues, which would serve as avatars of rice deities. The statues are bathed
in animal blood and sometimes given rice wine in rituals performed by
a mumbaki (Ifugao shaman).

Each ethnic group in the country has their own distinct pantheon of deities
and belief systems. Some ethnic groups have a supreme deity, while others
revere ancestor spirits and/or the spirits of the natural world. The usage of

the term "diwata" is mostly found in the central and southern Philippines
while the usage of "anito" is found in the northern Philippines. There is also a
'buffer zone' area where both terms are used interchangeably. The etymology
of diwata may have been derived from the Sanskrit word, devata, meaning
"deity", while anito's etymology may have been derived from the proto-
Malayo-Polynesian word qanitu and the proto-Austronesian qanicu, both
meaning "ancestral spirits". Both diwata and anito, which are gender-neutral
terms, can be translated into deities, ancestral spirits, and/or guardians,
depending on the associated ethnic group. The concept of
both diwata and anito are similar to the concept of the Japanese kami.
However, during the colonization era between the 16th century to the 19th
century, the Spanish intentionally modified the meaning of
both diwata and anito as both terms were not in line with the monotheistic
concept of Christianity.[citation needed] This modification was supported by the
Americans in the early 20th century.[citation needed] The meaning
of diwata was transformed into "fairy or enchantress", while the meaning
of anito was transformed into "ancestors and spirits", although in areas not
subjugated by Spain, the original meanings of the two terms were not
changed. Each of the supreme deities per ethnic people is completely distinct,
even if some of their names are the same or almost the same.[79][80][81][82]

The Sambal and Dumagat peoples believe that the foul odor of takang
demonyo or kalumpang (Sterculia foetida) attracts two horse-like races, namely the
tulung, monstrous tikbalang-like beings, and the binangunan, fire horses.[83]

A kolago/kagwang, Cynocephalus volans. The Waray and Bisaya peoples believe that
when such a creature cries loudly during dawn, there will be no rain for the whole
day.[83]

Heroes in Philippine mythology[edit]

Main article: Philippine epic poetry

Manang, wooden idols of household deities of the Mandaya people.

Each ethnic group in the Philippines has its own set of stories depicting their
mythical heroes, notably through oral traditions such as epics and verbal
poems. Many of these stories have now been published in scholarly works and
books by various folkloristic and anthropological scholars and researchers
throughout the country. Due to Spanish and American colonisation, some of
the stories have been retrofitted with minor changes, notably in the heroes'
names. For the native people, many of these heroes are referred
as actual humans who lived centuries ago (others, a few hundred years
ago[84][85]) and not "mythical" beings, the same way Christians and Muslims
believe that their prophets/saints were 'actual' people from the past. Among
these heroes are as follow:

 Sondayo – a hero who owns a magical flying scarf called a Monsala,
which can be ridden through lightning, in Subanen mythology; he has the
power to make anybody fall asleep; his life and epic is much celebrated in
the sacred buklog rituals[86]

 Manggob – a young hero raised by a giant recorded in the Diawot
epic of Mansaka mythology; he wields a golden top which had the power
to bring dreams into reality; his journey focuses on his search for the
golden top and his long-lost sister[87][88]

 Silungan Baltapa – a noble and sinless hero from Sama-Dilaut
mythology; his life is mostly about his voyages at sea, noting the tradition
of maritime journeys for the Sama (Bajau) peoples; he is believed to have
absolute knowledge and possesses power to speed-up time for voyages and
essentially go anywhere he pleases[89][85]

 Tugawasi – a hero who controlled the wind from Labin Agta
mythology; his heart beat is said to boom like thunder when he is
fighting[90]

 Tud Bulul – a hero famed as the moonspeaker as he can speak with
the moon and the wind from T'boli mythology; his weapons are a sword
named K'filan, which can stretch to one million lakes and seas, and a
shield named K'lung, made out of hardened wood[90]

 Agyu – a powerful hero whose journey is recorded in the Ulaging epic
of Talaandig and Manobo mythologies of Bukidnon, while his clan's story is
recorded in the Ulangihan epic of Manobo mythology of Livungan Valley;
he navigates the sky through his floating ship named
Sarimbar/Salimbal[90]

 Laon and Kan – Laon was a king of Negros from Hiligaynon
mythology; he owns a head cloth named Birang, which can produce any
material or food the wielder wants; Kan was a youthful hero and friend
Laon; Together, they slayed a dragon-like monster living in present-day
Kanlaon volcano[90]

 Bantugen – his life and journeys are recorded in the Darangen chants,
which has been inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists,
from Maranao mythology; he owns a magic Bangka which can navigate
like a submarine and he can also travel the sky, walk on water, and
summon ancestral spirits[90][91]

 Indarapata and Solayman – brothers who have slayed numerous
monsters present in Maguindanao mythology and Maranao mythology;

they own a sentient kris named Juru Pakal and a sacred plant which
notifies Indarapata if Solayman (Solaiman in Maranao) has passed
away[90]
 Lumalindaw – a powerful combat musician from Ga'dang mythology;
he owns an ayoding, a musical instrument which guides him in making
decisions, and a bolo, which produces light and music when swang[90]
 Tuwaang – a craftsman hero from Manobo mythology; he can speak
with the wind, ride on lightning, and use a magical flaming skein[90]
 Labaw Dangon, Humadapnon and Dumalapdap – demigod sibling
heroes recorded in the Hinilawod/Sugidanon epic
from Suludnon mythology; their romantic saga inspired various art forms
in Panay[92][91]
 Ligi Wadagan and Ayo – heroes from the Dulimaman epics of Itneg
mythology; Lidi Wadagan, also called Agimlang, is known for his
resoluteness in defense of his community,[93] while Ayo, whose full name
is "Ayo, si babei nga Dulimaman" and referred simply as Apo, is known
for her unsurpassed fistfight combat skills and devotion to protect her
family[94]
 Kudaman – a strong hero from Pala'wan mythology; he has the
power to revive the dead by spitting them with chewed betel nut; has a
purple heron named Linggisan, who he uses for transportation[95]
 Banna – a hero of Dulawon recorded in the Ullalim epic of Kalinga
mythology; slayed numerous powerful beings and is celebrated in various
Kalinga occasions such as Bodong peace pacts[96]
 Urang Kaya Hadjiyula – a freedom-loving hero of Jolo recorded in the
Parang Sabil (Sword of Honor) epic of Tausūg mythology; his life and
journey in all facets glorifies the Tausūg's love for freedom, dignity, and
honor seen in the tradition of kamaruan[84][85]
 Maharadia Lawana – a monkey-king recorded in the Maharadia
Lawana epic of Maranao mythology who is gifted by the supreme deity
with immortality; scholars have noted that the epic is the localized
version of the Indian epic Ramayana[97][98]
 Suac – a cunning hunter-hero from Kapampangan mythology, who
defeated various monsters and later became a ruler; has two loyal friends,
namely Sunga and Sacu[citation needed]

 Kawlan – a shaman hero of Sumlog from Kalagan mythology; he has
the power to communicate with spirits, heal the sick, and see the souls of
the dead[99]

 Biuag and Malana– two rival heroes of the Ibanag, the Itawit, and
the Gaddang people of Cagayan Valley; they are endowed with
supernatural strength by the goddess Maginganay; one version states that
the two rivals eventually became friends and did various journeys and
defeated many invaders which made all their people proud of them for
generations,[100][101][102]

Other human figures in Philippine mythology[edit]

Aside from the deities and heroes, numerous human figures, either full
humans or demigods which may be mortals or immortals, in Anitism have
been attributed as causers or helpers of various events in epics and poems,
and their actions supplement some explanations on why things have become
to what they are today. A few of these figures are:

 Esa’ – the ancestor of Palawan's Batak people; he named
the Kabatakan it Tanabag (Batak Ancestral Lands), after he followed his
dog companions during a hunt for wild pigs; the landscape is said to have
been created by the movement of Esa’[103]

 Tuglibong – a Bagobo grandmother who persuaded the sky to go up
to where it is now by ranting and rebuking it repeatedly[104]

 Bugbung Humasanun – a binukot (well-kept maiden) of great beauty
from Bohol who tasked her suitor, Datu Sumanga, to make
several mangayaw raids from the southern frontiers such as Jolo and as
far north as China; by tradition, she received each time the spoils and
captives that Datu Sumanga obtained from the raids[105]

 Ukinirot – a heavenly Bisaya hunter who shot an arrow in the sky,
thus making a hole which the sky beings used as an easy entrance to the
human world; the hole eventually got blocked by a huge woman who tried
to enter the hole[104]

 Sural – the first Bikolano to have thought of a syllabary
or suyat script; he carved it on a white rock-slab from Libong, which
Gapon later polished[106]

 Timungan – a Kankanaey gardener who created a hole in the
skyworld after digging up a gigantic sweet potato in his heavenly
garden[104]

 Apolinatu – an Itneg mortal who was fetched by his lover, the star
goddess Gagayoma, to live with her in the upper world;[104] the couple
had a child named Takyayen, who sprang after Apolinatu pricked
Gagayoma's last two fingers[70]

 Dinahong – the original Bikolano potter who was believed to have
been an Agta (Negrito) or pygmy; helped the people learn cooking,
making pots called coron, stoves, earthen jars, and other kitchen
utensils[106]

 Manggat and Sayum-ay – the first man and woman in Buhid
Mangyan mythology; gave the name of all trees, animals, lakes, rocks,
and spirits found within the Buhid Mangyan ancestral home[107]

 Pandaguan – there are two Bisaya stories regarding Pandaguan,
where the tales may be referring to two different persons with the same
name; the first Pandaguan was the youngest son of the first man, Sikala,
and first woman, Sikabay; he invented a fish trap which caught a gigantic
shark; he was later lightly zapped by Kaptan after he boasted that he can
defeat the deities;[21] the second Pandaguan was a good and noble man
who became a comrade of the deities, but later chose to leave his gifted
immortality behind due to the reasoning that both mortals and
immortals will always be afflicted with anger and sorrow no matter how
short or long they live[108]

 Puhak – a much-hated Manobo man who defecated on the divine
stairs created by the deities to connect the mortals with the upper world;
due to his mockery, the stairs were permanently closed by the deities[104]

 Dayang Kalangitan – a legendary queen from Tondo who co-ruled
initially with her husband, and later as sole ruler of her domain;
fragmented Tagalog oral literature maintains that she is currently the
only known legendary female monarch from a Tondo dynasty, as written
records were burned by the Spanish during colonization[109]

 Madlawe – a Subanen prince, in the Guman epic, who saved a
kingdom called Pagkatolongan; he died in battle but was revived by the
maiden Pagl'lokon[110]

 Sawalon – daughter of Padsilung ha Kabatlaw, enemy of Agyu; she
successfully poisoned the hero Agyu of the epic Olaging and Ulahingan,
however, failed as Agyu was revived later on[110]

 Tomitib Manaon – a dear friend of the Subenen hero Taake; he
perished after a battle with Walo Sebang and was revived after Taake's
wife and sister "fished back" his soul from a tonawan (pot of melted
iron)[110]

 Mabaning and Mabanale – two close friends of the Maranao hero
Bantugen; after finding that Bantugan has died, they rode their shields
up to the skyworld and retrieved the soul of Bantugen, thus reviving
him[110]

 Gat Pangil – a legendary ruler in Tagalog beliefs; said to have
established the domains of Bai, Pangil, Pakil, and Mauban[111][112]

 Kalantiaw – a ruler from Panay who also had influence in west
Negros; enacted the Code of Kalantiaw to maintain order among his
people; nationally known as a historical figure until Christian scholars
from a Roman Catholic university debunked his existence as "mythical"
and "an urban legend" in 1968; despite this, various ethnic groups in
Western Visayas, where his story originated from, continue to see him as
a historical figure[113]

 Bulang – a Buhid Mangyan man who was washed away by torrential
rain; he submerged after his foot got stuck, and his body later
transformed into a rock now called Bato Bulang found today in the
Binagaw river; stories say that if the rock is lifted, the entire area around
it will be submerged in water[107]

 Lukbang, Mengedan and Bodek – the three ancestors of the Tagakaolo
people; Bodek, the only woman, gave birth to Linkanan and Lampagan,
who in turn became parents to two birds, Kalau and Sabitan, who flew
away and brought back soil which their parents shaped to form the
earth[114]

 Ubing-ubing – the son of greedy parents, Apo Lakay-lakay and Apo
Baket-baket; turned into stone by the beach; his parents also turned into
stone when the sea touched their feet; the greedy pair's stones can be
seen at Taggat Lagoon, while Ubing-ubing's stone is at Sentinela beach
in Claveria, Cagayan[115]

 Aguingay – a legendary lady recorded in the epic, Si Bulusan nan Si
Aguingay, from Sorsogon beliefs; Mount Bulusan is said to be the burial

ground of Aguingay and her lover Bulusan, while some stories say that
their burials are the two lakes of the mountain[116][117]
 Rosa – a mortal woman who was pursued by a son of the sun god in
Bikolano mythology; the son refused to light the world until his father
consented to his marriage; forgetting to remove his powers of fire, the son
accidentally set ablaze Rosa and her entire village when the son visited
her; the only thing that remained were hot springs[70]
 Bayani – a mortal who courted the Tagalog goddess, Sinukan;
Sinukan tasked him to build a bridge, but he was unable to complete it;
Sinukan, in her wrath, transformed a stream into a flash-flood which
engulfed the unfinished bridge and Bayani[70]
 Magat – a mortal man who saved a maiden from a huge python;
made a promise to the maiden and the deity Kabunian, but failed; the
maiden became a dead crocodile and after burying his supposed-to-be
wife, he drowned himself in a stream which was then transformed into
the Magat River[citation needed]
 Old man of Kagawran – an old kind man from Itbayat who brought
the dead bodies of snakes that have been killed by the sun's heat below
shades; once when he fell and couldn't get up, a snake with leaves in its
mouth slithered beside him and put the leaves on his forehead, healing
him instantly and giving him strength; the place where the man fell has
since been called as Duch’narbaan (where someone fell)[118]
 Ilang and Edo – lovers from Tayabas with a tragic story; upon
learning of Ilang's relationship with Edo, a poor kaingin man, her parents
forbade her to see him again and forced her to be with her rich suitors;
Ilang refused her parents and chose to wither away and be buried in her
lover's meeting place; when she died, the ilang-ilang grew on her burial,
which Edo tended for the rest of his remaining life[119]

Other monster figures and familiars in Philippine
mythology[edit]

The rotation of Bakunawa in a calendar year, as explained in Mansueto
Porras' Signosan (1919)

Summit caldera of Mount Pinatubo (1991). In Sambal beliefs, the volcano is said to
erupt whenever the flaming "sea turle", Bacobaco, comes out of the crater. The volcano
is notable as the home of the Kapampangan god, Apûng Malyari, and the Sambal
supreme deity, Malayari.

Mount Matutum is known for the many monsters that used it as a lair, such as
Tarabusar,[120] Omaka-an, and Maka-ogis.[121]

A Visayan tenegre horn hilt, depicting the sea serpent deity, Bakunawa. Outside the
Visayas and Bicol regions, horn hilt depictions often change into other designs as
Bakunawa only exists in Visayan and Bicolano mythologies.

There are also specific figures in Anitism which are not humans. Many of
which are monsters from epics and poems, while others are deities, demigods,
or humans that turned into non-human forms due to a variety of causes or
are originally non-human in form. There are also beings that are essentially
non-human messengers, divine familiars, or folkloric animal humanoids. A
few of these figures are:

 Bacobaco – a great "sea turtle" who bore into the top of Pinatubo,
creating a great crater and emitting great flames, huge rocks, mud, ashes,
smoke and deafening noise in the process; stories say that if Bacobaco
comes out of the volcano, horrible things will happen[23][122]

 Kurita – an amphibious animal with several limbs who survived on
land and sea and lives at Mount Kabalalan from Maguindanao mythology;
eats humans and exterminates all animal life near it[120]

 Kasili – a fish-like snake being who wraps itself around the world;
Eugpamolak Manobo, also called Manama and Kalayagan, the supreme
deity of the Bagobo people, gave life to Kasili during the world's
creation[114]

 Dogong – a gigantic creature that looks like a mermaid with a human
head and body of a sea cow but much larger and lives in the coast of Iloilo;
guards a large sacred bivalve (‘’taklobo’’) with a shining pearl that night
mariners mistake for a light house, causing them to drown[70]

 Kayumang – a giant crab that sometimes bites the giant eel, Kasili,
causing Kasili to wriggle and produce earthquakes from Bagobo beliefs;
there is also a similar crab named Kagang who does that same to a
different earthquake-producing eel[70]

 Tarabusar – a humungous human-like creature who lived in Mount
Matutum according to Maguindanaoan beliefs[120]

 Rabot – a ferocious half-human half-monster that could magically
turn people into rock; slew by the Bicolano epic hero Bantong using his
bolo[106]

 Bakunawa – a serpent being present in various distinct mythologies; a
beautiful sea goddess who turned into a serpent deity after her love was
spurned in Bicolano, and Panay mythologies,[33] while in Bisaya
mythology, she played and swallowed six of the seven moons, leaving only
one in the end;[8] in one myth, Bakunawa is said to have swallowed most
of the moons in anger because her sister, an ancient sea turtle, was killed
by humans;[123] another myth states that Bakunawa fell in love with a
village girl and swallowed the moon in anger because the village chief
burned the girl's house[123]

 Pah – a bird of prey as big as a house in Maguindanaon beliefs; it
spreads its wings to cause darkness on the ground; lived at Mount Bita
and the eastern parts of Lanao[120]

 Pilandok – a mischievous, cunning, and trickster human-
standing chevrotain in Molbog beliefs, who is sometimes helpful;[124] a
different Pilandok is present in Maranao beliefs; the Maranao Pilandok is
not a humanoid creature, but a human who was also a cunning and
mischievous trickster[120]

 Lakivot – a huge talking civet who can carry a person on his back;
defeated the one-eyed ogassi monsters and the garden-protecting busaw
in search for the "flower of gold"; transformed into a handsome young
man upon the shaving of his civet eyebrow[120]

 Oryol – a Bicolano demigod naga, daughter of the evil god Asuang;
fought the hero Handyong in an epic war, which ended with the two
becoming lovers due to mutual respect for each other's capabilities; aided
Handyong in defeating a race of wicked giant crocodiles that plagued
ancient Ibalon[125]

 Limokan – the bird familiar of the Manuvu god Manama; took fertile
soil from the maligned god Ogassi;[30] in Mandaya beliefs, a different

human-speaking bird with the same name is said to have laid two eggs
which hatched the first man and woman; the first egg was laid at the
mouth of river Mayo, where the woman was hatched, while the other was
laid near the source of the river[114]
 Sinogo – one of the three winged giant messengers (the other two
being Dalagan and Guidala) of the Bisaya supreme god, Kaptan, and the
favorite of the god due to his handsome face; stole Kaptan's magic shell
and was later imprisoned in modern-day Tañon Strait; due to Kaptan's
love for him, Sinogo retained a crocodile avatar, a sacred form in old
Bisaya beliefs[126]
 Tarabusaw – a huge centaur-like monster who terrorized and force-
ruled the people of mainland Mindanao in Maguindanaoan beliefs; slayed
by the epic hero Skander[120]
 Olimaw – a gigantic winged phantom dragon-serpent from Ilokano
mythology; seeks to swallow the moon[citation needed]
 Omaka-an and Maka-ogis – two dragons who terrorized the people
and were slayed by the epic hero Indara Patra (Indarapatra); Omaka-an
established lairs in Gurayen mountain range, Makaturing range, and
Mount Matutum, where Omaka-an was finally slayed; Maka-ogis was
slayed at Gurayen; there story has been heavily Islamized, although many
names mentioned retained indigenous qualities[121]
 Sawa – a huge serpent monster from Tagalog and Ati mythologies;
attempts to swallow the moon[127]
 Samal Naga – a gigantic trapped dragon in the milky way; will be
freed and devour all those not faithful to their respective deities in Samal
mythology[128]
 Mampak – a giant raptor from Sorsogon which was slayed through
the cooperation of heroes Bulusan and Casiguran; the bird's death and the
proposal of Casiguran to Aguingay, who was to be wed to Bulusan, later
caused a dispute between the two sides, leading to war, with Bulusan
being named the victor[129]
 Gaki – a gigantic crab that is said to be the causer of earthquakes in
Bontoc beliefs;[130] authorized by the god Lumawig as his overseer; can
cause the earth to flood[70]
 Pangantucan stallion – a wise white horse who saved the domain
of Pangantucan from a massacre by uprooting a bamboo and alerting the
tribesmen of the enemy's approach.

 Sibbaranguyan – a kind giantess who sheltered, fed, and aided a
lost Isnag man; she hid the man from her husband who she thought may
eat him; she afterwards told the man the direction to his home[131]

 Inlabbuut – a monster that can shapeshift into a handsome youth to
trick people from Ifugao mythology[70]

 First Ilokano owl – a mother who kept on calling out for her dead son
and was later transformed into the first owl in Ilokano mythology[70]

 Panigotlo – a loyal deer-like messenger and pet of the Aklanon
supreme god Gamhanan; alerted the people due to either an incoming
disaster or a prosperous future; killed by a lowly hunter named
Dagasanan[132]

 Galura – a gigantic bird in Higaonon beliefs which holds the sky using
its talons; its huge wings causes strong winds which acts as buffer to the
mortal world[114] a different bird with the same name is present in
Kapampangan mythology, where Galura is the winged assistant of the
god, Aring Sinukuan, and he is represented by a giant eagle and believed
to be the bringer of storms[75]

 Intumbangel – two intertwined male and female snakes who cause
earthquakes when they move, winds when they breathe, and violent
storms when they pant in Bukidnon myths[70] a similar creature is
present in Manobo beliefs, but the Manobo snake is said to "guard" the
pillar supporting the world[114]

 Sama Stingray – a gigantic stingray which pulled down the first
family of the Sama peoples; when the family re-emerged from the sea,
they were filled with vigor and all the traditional knowledge known to the
ethnic Sama-Dilaut/Bajau[70]

 Lobo – a large dog which guards the entrance to the underworld in
Ilokano mythology; the real indigenous name of Lobo has been lost in time
due to Spanish colonization[70]

 Mandaya primordial eel – a gigantic eel where the earth is believed to
sat upon; earthquakes are associated with the eel being agitated by crabs
and small animals[70]

 Walo – an eight-headed hairy giant with a thousand eyes and guards
a section of heaven where the jarred souls of all humans are located in
Maranao beliefs[70]

 Gisurab – a fire-possessing giant from Isneg mythology[70]

 Nanreben – a sea serpent from Negros; similar to the Mameleu, it has
eyes like blazing torches and horns similar to water buffalo; has long tusk
and teeth and highly resistant scales[133]

 Kalapao and Berberoca – giants who can change size at will and can
be slain through mortal means in Isneg mythology[70]

 Patakoda – a gigantic omen stallion which used to appear at
the Pulangi River; its appearances brought misfortune and calamities
upon the local people[120]

 Sulod primordial earthworm – an earthworm caught by the
primordial giant Bayi in Sulodnon mythology; the earthworm excreted
the earth which became the home of a variety of wild animals, and later,
humans[70]

 Kaunting – a magical horse who can be as small as a mouse when not
ridden and who can be kept in a box; owned by Cumucul, the eldest son
of the Tboli supreme couple deities, Kedaw La Sambad and Bulon La
Mogoaw[134]

 Batak crab – a titanic crab in the beliefs of the Batak of Palawan;
floods are said to be caused when the crab goes in and out from a huge
hole in the sea[135]

 Tandayag – a huge being from Batak mythology in Palawan; different
accounts say that the Tandayag is a whale, a giant fish, or a dragon
which closes the navel of the world called Burungan; if Burungan is left
open and Tandayag is not appeased, the whole universe will be washed
away by a furious rush of water, unless a shaman makes a spiritual
journey to Burungan to close the navel with the aid of a spirit guide in
the form of a sea turtle[135]

 Makarallig – a giant monster created by the evil Manobo god, Ogassi
(not the ogassi race from Bagobo beliefs); virtually invulnerable to any
weapons and its heart is made from stone; its body became a mass of
leeches after being defeated by the Manobo hero Batooy[135]

 Child of Makarallig – the stone child of Makarallig in the form of a
human; said to be fastened on a cliff of the Pulangi River and is nurtured
by Busaw; if released, the child is said to take on the mantle of his father
and destroy all the people of the earth[135]

 Manaul – in Tagalog mythology, some accounts say that it was
Manaul who pecked the bamboo where the first humans sprang from,
while in some accounts, the bird was Amihan, deity of peace;[114] in

Bisaya mythology, a different bird with the same name was the horrible
king of the birds who fought the wind deity Tubluck Laui; the epic war
ended when Manaul was pummeled with boulders by the Bisaya supreme
god, Kaptan;[114] in another Bisaya version, Manaul was the bird who
dropped rocks over the deities Kaptan and Maguayan to stop the two
from warring;[136] in the mythologies of Panay, a race of birds known
as manaul are considered sacred and killing one is punishable by death[137]

Mythological races[edit]

Main articles: Philippine mythical creatures and List of Philippine mythical
creatures

The upper part of a manananggal, hunting for food. The monster can be killed by
putting salt or garlic on the wound of its lower portion left on the ground. This way,
the upper part will fail to re-connect with its lower section, thus killing it once
daylight comes.

A unique sculpture of a buraq crafted by Mindanao Muslims. The belief on buraqs was
inputted by Arab traders and missionaries

Hanging coffins is a traditional practice in Sagada. The northern Kankanaey
people believe that by doing so, the spirits will be closer to heaven while joining the
community as protectors of the villages.

The Hinatuan Enchanted River is believed to be protected by supernatural beings. The
local Surigaonon people believe that certain fishes in the river cannot be caught due to
enchanted protection.

The critically endangered Philippine eagle is highly regarded by numerous ethnic
groups in the Philippines as sacred. In Bagobo Tagabawa mythology, a hero chieftain
named Banog, who founded four domains, was said to have been named after the local
name for the raptor.

Mount Banahaw is a sacred mountain home for good enchanted beings, while the
smaller Mount San Cristobal, located beside it, is said to be the home of dangerous
beings.

Among the mythical creatures of Philippine es mythology are as follow:

 angongolood – a race of swamp gorilla-like beings who jumps and
hugs victims, which are transformed into trees from Bicol beliefs; spooked
by noises made by striking the side of boats[20]

 tamahaling – a race of red-skinned earth spirits which may turn
maleficent and lives in balete trees; they are the keepers of animals in
Bagobo mythology; all of them are said to be female[70]

 mahomanay – a race of fair-skinned handsome spirits who are
beneficent to nature from Bagobo beliefs; caretakers of animals and lives
in balete trees; all of them are said to be male[70]

 malawan – a race of spirits who live in springs within deep forests in
Buhid Mangyan beliefs[107]

 taw gubat – a race of jungle men who live in the deep forests of
central Mindoro according to Buhid Mangyan beliefs[107]

 bulaw – a race of beings who live in mountain peaks in Buhid
Mangyan beliefs; fly from one peak to another and lights the path with a
torch made of human bone; their race name literally means 'shooting
star'[107]

 thalon – a race of obscure dog-like beings with human feet living in
Zamboanga Del Sur; the males, called mhenamed thalon, of the race are
simple trickster spirits, while the females, called thamad thalon, are
terrible man-eating beasts[138]

 santelmo – a race of fireball creatures originating from Visayan and
Tagalog mythologies; the term 'santelmo' was adopted from the Spanish
although indigenous names of the creatures are known in various ethnic
mythologies; called mangalayo by the Suludnon people and allawig by the
Ilokano;[citation needed] in Iloilo, it is believed that santelmos are slowly
created, in essence, when sunlight hits freshly spilled blood[70]

 manananggal – a race from Bicolano beliefs, similar to the
manananggal, but instead of a segmented body by the torso, the body is
segmented from the neck, where it leaves its body on the ground while
the head and its internal organs fly in seek for food at night[70]

 abat and awok – two similar races in Waray beliefs that are
segmenting like the manananggal, but instead of segmenting from the
torso, they can fly with their head and hands[70]

 boroko – a race of winged segmenting beings from Ilokano beliefs
similar to the manananggal, but the boroka may abduct young humans
and keep them as housekeepers, feeding the humans with flesh and liver;
can transform into a bird[70]

 caranget – a race of dwarves or earth spirits that can turn into four
forms; one of these forms is the siloit, which produces as whizzing
sound[70]

 omayan – a race of rice field-inhabiting dwarves in Mandaya
beliefs[70]

 aghoy – a race of fair-haired and handsome beings that resemble
twenty-year old well-built humans in Waray beliefs; they are friendly to
people and will guide those who are looking for something lost[70]

 annani – a race of unfriendly beings in Ibanag beliefs who, when
offended, must be offered with a fat hog, uncooked carabao head, rice
cakes, coconut milk, sugar, bibingka, basi wines, cigars, and a fee of a
dozen betel nuts[70]

 karibang – a race of short, plump, and long-haired earth spirits living
in the second layer of the earth in Maranao beliefs; possesses magical
powers and are generally invisible to mankind[70]

 amalanhig – a race of walking corpses; a dead person can turn into
an amalanhig (or amaeanhig) if its body is not claimed by a family
member; during colonization, the Spanish weaponized the belief on
amalanhig, falsely claiming that an un-baptized person will turn into an
amalanhig[70]

 gakit – a race of sacred ducks which saved a divine woman who fell
from the sky; the sacred gakits later landed the woman on Bohol, where
she became the ancestor of Boholanos[114]

 marukos – a race of crossroads demons in Ilocano mythology, known
for waylaying large travelling groups and causing them to be lost until the
entire group is drowned by flashfloods.[139] Particularly associated with
the etymological legends of Rosario, La Union.[140][141]

 umalagad – a race of sacred luck snakes which were carried by
various ethnic groups in the Visayas whenever they went into a sea
voyage[114]

 sagay – a race of dwarves from Surigao who lives in gold mines; they
exchange their gold for chicken blood and they sometimes steal children
at night[70]

 idaemonon – a race of earth spirits from Aklanon beliefs who have
long fingers which they use to poke the earth from underground every 6
in the morning and the afternoon; stepping on their poking finger will
lead to sickness[70]

 kibaan – a race of small creatures with gold teeth and backward feet;
live in bangar trees (steroulia foetida) in Ilokano beliefs; they love singing
in small groups and strumming guitar-like instruments[70]

 wakwak – a race of beings from Surigao who feeds on fetus and
drools at the sight of a pregnant woman[70]

 silagan – a race of beings from Catanduanes who attack white cloth-
wearing people; tear out a person's liver and eat it and tears the entrails
through the anus[70]

 balbal – a race in Tagbanua belief which can sail through the air like a
flying squirrel; has curved nails and a long tongue which it uses to lick and
eat a corpse like a dog[70]

 danag – a race of blood-drinking human-like beings from Isneg
beliefs[70]

 awan-ulo-na – a race of headless humanoid being from Ilokano beliefs;
has a neck-stump which bubbles and froths while it is dancing; a
shapeshifter who lives in trees[70]

 binangunan/binangenang – a race of horses in Dumagat beliefs with
fire on its back from head to tail; lives in balete trees and bring danger,
sickness, and death; old stories say that they may be sighted in Mount
Pinatubo[70]

 tulung/tuwing – a race of horse-like beings who have clawed feet,
long hair, and large testicles; lives in Mount Pinatubo according to Sambal
and Aeta beliefs[70]

 bawa – a race of centaur-like beings from Aklanon beliefs; attracted
to ueang (freshwater shrimp); stalks people but stops if the person crosses
a river or stream[70]

 tinakchi – a race of mysterious and highly respected mountain-
dwelling nature beings from Kalinga mythology; they are known as the
"people who can’t be seen" and live in the sacred Mount Kechangon of
Lubuagan; the powers of the tinakchi are mysterious even for the Kalinga
people; some accounts tell that the sacred beings can use teleportation
and invisibility at will[142]

 tulayhang – mud crab-like creatures from Suludnon beliefs; disturbing
them will causes illnesses

 mambubuno – a race of mermaids with two fish tails instead of one;
said to live within the waters of Zambales[143]

 kaperosa – female ghosts who wear flowing white robes or gowns
originating from Tagalog beliefs; called amang in Ilokano beliefs[70]

 nuno sa punso – a race of dwarves living in termite mounds in various
myths; inflict sickness to people who destroy or damage its home,[citation
needed] loves playing the siklot and sungka; a similar creature in Ilokano
mythology is the lakay[70]

 lewenri – a race of handsome and music-loving people who appear to
boys and girls by moonlight in Romblon beliefs

 mansalauan – a race of birds the size of an exceedingly large bat from
Cebu; has red jewel-like eyes, a lizard-like head, a tail covered with long
hair, large wings, a sharp tongue, feet like those of a man, and hands like
those of a monkey[70]

 popo – a race of tall and slender beings who snorts a lot; Bicolano
beliefs tells that their eyes can drain the energy of people, causing pain
and even death

 dawendi – a race of height-shifting and night-dwelling beings from
Leyte; its height depends on the tree or building it inhabits[70]

 bannog – a race of gigantic birds from Tinguian, Isneg, and Ilokano
mythologies; lives in huge trees or cliffsides; can darken the night when
they fly overhead[70]

 tigayones – a race of enchanted beings who live in Tigayon Hill in
Aklan; used to aid mankind by lending things made of gold; stopped
aiding mankind when the things they lent where not returned[70]

 agta – a race of black beings in Eastern Visayas; twice as tall as a
normal human, they live in santol trees, mangroves, and swampy places;
loves to smoke[70]

 ungo and bawo – two races from the Visayas that are similar to the
kapre; muscular men in loincloth who punish people by giving one big
latik on the head or stealing the victim's firewood or basket of clothes;
loves to smoke with large pipes[70]

 uko – a race of black creatures from Aklanon beliefs; has thick lips
that are inside out and lives in guava trees[70]

 tiyanak/Toyol – a race of playful and sometimes deadly monster
babies or children originating from Tagalog and many other
mythologies,[citation needed] called as patianak among the Mandayas, and
muntianak among the Bagobos[70]

 triburon – monster sharks or rays with wings used for flying in the
sky; in Bicolano mythology, the triburons were tamed by the epic hero
Handyong[144]

 mangalok – a race of beings from Iloilo who targets the liver of the
dead; they magically exchange a corpse with a banana stalk; perches on
top of a victim's coffin while bearers are carrying it; laughs invisibly while
nibbling on the victim's liver[70]

 biraddali – a race of angels "with the glowing beauty of a rainbow" in
Tausug and Samal mythologies[145]

 higante – a bracket term adopted from the Spanish, which literally
means 'giant'; a few of the races under this bracket term are the kapre,
ikugan, and bungisngis[131]

 sirena – a bracket term for various merfolk races in the Philippines
with fish-like lower bodies; old stories say that mermaids in the
Philippines usually have familiars in the form of golden centipedes;[70] a
few of the races under this bracket term are the mambubuno, magindara,
and ugkoy[143]

Mythological items[edit]

Mythology

 Albanian
 Arabian
 Armenian
 Australian Aboriginal
 Amazigh
 Baltic (Latvian - Lithuanian - Prussian)
 Basque
 Bantu
 Buddhist
 Catalan
 Cantabrian
 Celtic
o Breton
o Cornish
o Irish
o Scottish
o Welsh
 Chinese
 Christian

 Efik
 Egyptian
 English
 Estonian
 Finnish
 French
 Georgian
 Germanic
o Frankish
o Continental Germanic
o Norse
 Greek
 Guanche
 Hindu
 Hittite
 Hungarian
 Indonesian

 Islamic
 Japanese

 Jewish
 Korean
 Kangleicha
 Lugbara
 Lusitanian
 Maasai
Malagasy
 Maori
 Mbuti
 Melanesian
 Mesopotamian
 Micronesian
 Mongol
 Native American
o
 Algonquian
 Abenaki
 Blackfoot
o Lenape
o
 Aztec
 Californian
o
o Miwok
o Ohlone
o Chilote
o Choctaw
o Creek
o Guarani
o Haida
o Inca
o Iroquois
 Maya
o Muisca
 Pacific Northwest
 Kwakwakaʼwakw
 Plains Indians
o Ho-Chunk
 Lakota
 Pawnee
o Puebloan
o
 Hopi
 Zuni
 Selk'nam
Talamancan
Ossetian
Papuan
Persian

 Philippine
 Polynesian
 Proto-Indo-European

 Roman
 Romanian

 Slavic
 Somali
 Tibetan
 Turkic
 Uralic
 Vietnamese

 See also

 Folklore
Comparative religion
 Religion and mythology

Symbolism
Theology

List of mythologies V
T
 E



All ethnic groups in the Philippines have a variety of known mythical objects
present in their oral literature, notably in their epics and stories concerning
the deities, heroes, and mythical creatures. Some examples of these
mythological items are as follow:

 Jaru Pakal – name of a sentient kris with "a mind of its own" and
can target foes even without the presence of a wielder; used by the epic
brother-heroes of the Maranao people, Indarapatra and Sulayman[146]

 K’lung and K’filan – name of weapons used by the epic hero of
the Tboli people, Tud Bulu of Linay Mogul; K’lung is an extremely sturdy
wooden shield, while K’filan is a bolo sword which can extend to one
million lakes and seas, capable of slashing an entire army with ease[146]

 Sarimbar/Salimbal – name of a huge golden ship "which can
accommodate an entire tribe" and fly in the sky; the ship is owned by the
epic hero, Agyu, who is recorded in the Ulaging epic and the Ulahingan
epic[146]

 aswang black chick – strange black chicks used by the aswang race to
pass-on their powers on a descendant[146]

 kibaan powder – strange mystic powders possessed by the kibaan race
that will cause skin disease or other malady[147][148]

 mutya – small jewels that drops from the heart of the banana tree
during a full moon or during the midnight of Good Friday; give its wielder
mystique powers such as strength, invisibility, and youth rejuvenation[147]

 birang of Laon – a large head-cloth which can provide anything the
wielder wants; belonged to King Laon of Negros[149]

 tikbalang hair – locks of golden hair naturally present among
members of the tikbalang race; getting the lock will make a tikbalang
loyal to the wielder[150]

 biringan black rice – mystique black rice found only in the
mythical Biringan city; offered by the biringanon to guests; if a guest eats
it, he or she will be unable to leave Biringan for all of eternity[151]

 Golden Shell of Kaptan – the supreme god of the Bisaya people,
Kaptan, has a magic golden shell which allows its user to transform to
whatever or whoever he or she wants to be; the shell was intended as a
gift to Maguayen, goddess of the sea, but the god Sinogo stole it before it
was properly delivered; Sinogo was later captured by Kaptan and
imprisoned as a crocodile[152]

 monsala – magical flying scarves recorded in the Sondayo epic of
Subenen mythology; at least three scarves were known in the epic, one of
which was used by Sondayo, the Subanen's main epic hero[86]

 Takalub – the source of traditional authority in Bukid beliefs; there
are two kinds, the first is the Gilling (sacred black stick), and the second
is the Baklaw (sacred bracelet made of two boar tusks); the Takalub were
given by the hero Agyu to his child, Tuluyan; a person who has the
Takalub will have kalaki (talent and power) to settle disputes, and good
people will become a linibung (immortal)[120]

Status, recognition, protection, and promotion[edit]

Aklanon participants at the vibrant Ati-Atihan festival, which honors the Ati
people and the Aklanon since around 1200 AD. Spanish colonization used Catholic
figures to replace the festival's original roster of honorees.

This section may contain excessive or inappropriate
references to self-published sources. Please
help improve it by removing references to
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inappropriately. (September 2019) (Learn how and
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Main article: Cultural achievements of pre-colonial Philippines

At least two oral literature in the Philippines, the Hudhud and the Darangen,
and one indigenous game, Punnuk, have been inscribed in the UNESCO
Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[153] Additionally, four Philippine
paleographs (still used by the Hanunoo Mangyan, Buhid Mangyan, Tagbanwa,
and Palaw'an peoples), with the inclusion of Ambahan poetry, have been
inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, under a single
entry.[154] The José Maceda Collection inscribed in the Memory of the World
Register also contains an array of traditional music from the Philippines
containing stories from ethnic mythologies.[155]

In 2014, the international astronomical monitoring agency MPC named
asteroid 1982 XB as 3757 Anagolay, after the Tagalog goddess of lost
things, Anagolay.[156]

In accordance to the National Cultural Heritage Act, as enacted in 2010,
the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PReCUP) was established as the
national registry of the Philippine Government used to consolidate in one
record all cultural property that are deemed important to the cultural
heritage, tangible and intangible, of the Philippines. The registry safeguards a
variety of Philippine heritage elements, including oral literature, music,
dances, ethnographic materials, and sacred grounds, among many
others.[157] The National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Law, as
enacted in 1992 and expanded in 2018, also protects certain Anitist sacred
grounds in the country.[158]

Philippine mythology is seldom taught in Filipino schools, even after the
implementation of the K-12 educational system.[citation needed] Most
mythologies currently taught and approved by the Department of

Education and the Commission on Higher Education are composed of
Western mythologies, such as Greek, Roman, and Norse.[citation needed] Most
entities that promote Philippine mythology for education are artists, scholars,
television networks, publishers, and non-profit organizations. Certain stories
from Anitism, notably the mythical creatures, have also been promoted
globally in international book bazaars, films, art galleries, online games, and
educational courses. Both the National Commission for Culture and the
Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) have supported
the promotion of Philippine mythology in many occasions, although
government funding is still extremely minimal.[159][160][161]

Since 2018, there have been proposals to establish a full-fledged
Department of Culture, which would be able to protect and promote
Philippine mythologies to a wider audience, while enlarging funding for the
programs intended for their promotion and protection.[162][163][additional

citation(s) needed]

See also[edit]

 Dambana
 Indigenous Philippine folk religions
 Philippine shamans
 Philippine literature
 Philippine folk literature
 Philippine mythical creatures
 Philippine witches
 Souls in Filipino cultures
 List of Philippine mythical creatures
 Deities of Philippine mythology

References[edit]

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20. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Ancient Bicolano Pantheon of Deities and Creatures –

Philippine Mythology".

21. ^ Jump up to:a b c "VISAYAN Origin Myth: Creation of the Sun and Moon".
22. ^ Jump up to:a b "Tagalog Origin of Day & Night – Apolaki vs Mayari".
23. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Sambal Mythology – Pantheon of Deities and Beings".
24. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Formation of the World – Kapampangan Mythology".
25. ^ "Ancient Visayan Deities in Philippine Mythology".