filipino myths

KilubansaThe god of healing. He is the father of Dihas.

DihasThe goddess of medical herbs.

PasipoThe god of music.

DetinosThe god of evil.

Enemy of Bathala.

SirenhaThe goddess of fishes. The sirenas or mermaids are her

children.

OghepThe god of evil.

Enemy of Bathala.

S’dop(sodop)The goddess of gold.

DayeaThe goddess of secret.

AspeneThe shell goddess.

BayoaThe god of pacts. Invoke during blood

pacts.

PunhoThe god of tress.

KertesThe lover of Luna, killed by Sol. Born as a human, Kertes was transformed

into a god after his death.

HaspeKing of the Tamaos.

HalmistaThe god of Magic.

Highest of all the Magical gods, he is the father of Deltise and Kilawnea.

KAPALARANHE IS NOT A GOD BUT HE IS STILL CONSIDERED

AS A HIGH POWER. HE HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE DESTINY AT HIS WILL. HE IS THE

STRONGEST OF ALL ETERNAL BEINGS.

SehanaThe goddess of

love She has the power to bestow

love on any mortal or immortal being.

Most Prominent Versions

•Visayan Creation Myth•B’laan Creation Myth

•Mandaya Creation Myth•Igorot Creation Myth

Children of Lindagat and Lihangin

Licalibutan Liadlao• Libulan • Lisuga

Licalibutan – had a body of rock and was strong and brave.Liadlao – was formed of gold and was always happy.Libulan – made of copper and was weak and timid.

Lisuga – had a body of pure silver and was sweet and gentle.

- Lihangin died and left the control of the winds to his eldest son Licalibutan and soon Lidagat followed her husband, the children now grow up, were left without father or

mother.

- The attack of Licalibutan, Liadlao and Libulan to Kaptan in the sky.

- Kaptan sent three bolts of lightning to his three grandchildren.

- First struck the copper Libulan and melted him into a ball.

-Second struck the golden Liadlao and he too was melted

-third bolt struck Licalibutan and his rock body broke into many pieces and

fell into the sky

Lisuga had missed her brother and started to look for them

she went to the sky.Kaptan saw her and struck her too with lightning, and her silver body

broke into thousands of pieces

Kaptan come down from the sky and tore the sea

apart calling on Manguayan and accusing him.

Manguayan tried to calm down Kaptan, and when Kaptan lost his temper, they both wept at the lost of their grandchildren.

The Creation of mankind

Sicalac and Sicabay- the first man and woman on earth

Libo- first sonSaman- daughterPandaguan- younger son

Arion – the son of Pandaguan

The Sons and daughter

Pandaguan catch a shark and he told to the people to worship it because it’s a God.

Kaptan come out from the sky and speak to Pandaguan. But Pandaguan did not listen. So Kaptan punish the son of Sicalac and Sicabay

Arion – was taken north

Libo and Saman – was carried south

Son of Saman and daughter of Sicalac – carried east

Igorot Version

Lumawig – Great Spirit he come down from the sky and cut many reeds and the reeds become the first man and woman on earth. He tell them to marry and soon there are many people on earth. He provide everything to the people.

Mandaya Version

Limokon – a kind of dove, lives in Mounth of the Mayo River, there he laid the first egg. While the second egg farther.

The man travel to find a companionWhen the two met they got married and lived happy at the Mayo

RiverWith their children.

The first egg become a man while the other egg become a woman.

B’laan Version

In the beginning there were four beings

Melu , Fiuweigh , Diwata and Saweigh

Buswit – the bird

When buswit returned he brought

A piece of rattan

Fruits Soil

Melu took the soil and shape it and beat it with a paddle. And he made the earth. He

plant the seeds of rattan and soon bear many fruits.

And soon they made the mankind

Malakas and Maganda

Malakas and Maganda are about the orgin of how the Philippines land and

people started from two giants.

*She lived in a mountain of Laguna, called Maria Makiling.

*She has light skin, long shining black hair and twingkling eyes.

- One time, the children of a farmer got sick.

- He was given a bilao (a flat, woven container) full of ginger.

- the ginger had turned into gold!

* Maria was a great beauty.* Three of them ware very much

determined to have her.+ Captain Lara – Spanish Solder

+ Joselito – Spanish mestizo+ Juan – farmer

As the time passed, her suitor became more and more impatient demanded that Maria tell them who she loves.

So, the diwata promise:“By the night of the full moon, I will

tell you my answer.”

One day, all was surprised when a huge fire devoured the cuartel of the Spanish. Because of the fire, Captain Lara ordered many Filipinos to be captured. Secretly, Joselito helped him. Juan was among those who they imprisoned and tortured. Many prisoners did not

last long from the tortures the Spanish had inflected upon them.

- She shouted “Why did you not take care of him?”- Meanwhile Captain Lara and Joselito fled to Manila because they were afraid of Maria.- When she learned of this, she cursed the two. She also cursed those men who cannot

accept failure in love.

Mythical Creatures

in the Philippines

Diwata (Anito)

Also called Engkantada (female) or Engkanto (male); these are ageless, beautiful creatures,

much like fairies, and are said to be the guardians of natural features. They usually reside in Balete

or Acacia tress, and have magical powers.

AswangAswang are shape-shifting

vampires, human by day and transforming into any animal,

depending on the many regional lore, night. They eat bodies of the recently deceased, but are also said to enter a house to drink

human blood, and are especially fond of fetuses .

Wak-wak or Ek-ek

These creatures are bird-like vampires, and emit

ek-ek or wak-wak sound when feeding.

Manananggal

The mananaggal is an evil, vampire-like creature, in the form of a beautiful woman. At night, these creatures grow wings, develop

fangs, and have long tongues. They can separate the upper half of their body in the

search of prey.

KAPREThese are tall, hairy giants, residing in tall

tress, smoking a cigar/pipe. They are not

necessarily evil, but enjoy disorienting people.

They can make themselves invisible, and are said to be very loyal

lovers.

WHITE LADY

This is a very popular ghost in the Philippines, and every

town seems to have its own version.

Duwende

These are small creatures, much like goblins or dwarf, living underground. The may be kind or mischievous, depending

on how the person has treated them, and like to be left alone.

Santelmo

Also called as St. Elmo’s Fire, this is a form of ball lightning, reported by Filipinos since ancient times,

with mystical powers.

Dila

Dila is a spirit in the form of a tongue, which slides down

through the bamboo flooring,

and licks its victims to death.

Sirena and

SirenoThese are the

Philippine equivalents of mermaid and

mermen, respectively. Some consider them

to be the aquatic Diwatas, whilein some stories they lure sailors

to their death.

Bungisngis

This is a friendly giant with only one eye at the center of his forehead,

much like the cyclops. It is said to be very strong and has a keen sense of

hearing, but can be outwitted easily.

Mangkukulam

Mangkukulam is a witch or socerer, who controls insects and uses them to harm people. These

days she/he is also said to use dolls, influenced

by the popularity of voodoo.

Tiyanak

It is a monster in the form of a

new-born baby, and attracts its victims by its

crying.

TIKBALANG

Tikbalang is a humanoid, with head and feet of a horse. It usually lives in

the woods and if disturbed, can make a traveller move around cicles. Anggitay is said

to be a female Tikbalang.

MultoMulto is a Filipino word for ghost i.e., soul of a dead

person, which has returned to complete an unfinished task or due to improper

burial. It is sometimes used as an umbrella term for all supernatural creatures. ss