BAKUNAWA – THE MOON EATER

The Bakunawa is described as a gigantic fearsome sea serpent with a mouth the size of a
lake, a red tongue, whiskers, gills, and two pairs of wings. One of these is a large ash-gray wing,
while the other is small and located further down its elongated body. Bakunawa is a Visayan term
that literally translates to “eclipse”. The verb Binakunawa means “to cause an eclipse”.

According to the Hiligaynon people, the Bakunawa is believed to reside either in a region
between the sky and the clouds or inside an underground passage near the mouths of big rivers
called bungalog.

DEVOURER of THE SEVEN MOONS

Ancient legends have it that the world was previously illuminated by seven moons that
were created by Bathala. The Bakunawa, a terrifying giant sea serpent in the early Bicolano and
Hiligaynon folklore, who is enthralled by their beauty would rise from the ocean’s depths and
devour the moons whole. This angered the supreme god and causing them to be mortal enemies.

To prevent this, Ancient Filipinos would go forth from their homes making loud noises by
banging pots and pans to frighten the Bakunawa into spitting out the moon back into the sky.
Others thought they could lull the serpent monster into a deep slumber by playing soothing
melodies with their musical instruments and then slay it in its sleep. Aside from devouring moons,
the creature is also known to devour humans.

In an alternate re-telling, the Bakunawa was said to have fallen in love with a native
woman and when her tribe’s chieftain discovered their forbidden love, he had their house burned
down to ashes. Angered, the Bakunawa exacted his revenge by consuming all seven moons. Just
as the Bakunawa was preparing to devour the final moon Bathala prevented him and punished the
great serpent by banishing it to the sea, away from its home. From then on, the tribe attributed
eclipses to the Bakunawa trying to return to its home island and deceased family.

BAKUNAWA and THE SEA TURLE

Other versions purport that the Bakunawa had a colossal sea turtle for a sister who would
ascend from the ocean onto a particular island in the Philippines to lay its eggs. Local villagers
soon observed that the sea followed the great turtle each time she crawled ashore, steadily
reducing the island’s land mass. Fearing that their island would eventually be swallowed up by
the sea, the island villagers slew the sea turtle.

Upon learning of this, Bakunawa rose from the sea depths and ate the villagers’ sole
source of light at night, the moon, in furious retaliation. Deathly afraid of it, the people prayed to
Bathala to punish the Bakunawa but he refused and instead advised them to bang drums, pots, and
pans loudly to frighten it. Being unable to take the loud banging noises, the Bakunawa
regurgitated the moon and disappeared, never to be seen again.

THE NAGA, BAKUNAWA

There was once a beautiful sea diwata, the most powerful of the naga who was captivated
by the beauty of the seven moons and desired to possess them. She watched one of the seven
moon’s manifestations, the adolescent phase of the moon Bulan, descend to the sea to swim with
the sirenas and not take notice of her. Thinking that the foolish Bulan had ignored her beauty, she
grew jealous and enraged, transforming herself into the great ugly serpent Bakunawa and
swallowed all the moons. Upon devouring the final moon, Bathala intervened and commanded
her to spit out the last moon.

HALIYA and THE BAKUNAWA

Haliya is the masked goddess of the moon in ancient Bicolano mythology. She likes to
periodically descend to earth to bathe in the sea. One night, upon encountering the Bakunawa who
was enthralled by her ethereal beauty, it was believed she saved herself from being devoured by
making loud noises using drums and gongs which repulsed the Bakunawa.