Assignment in English

Examples of Myths in the Philippines

Submitted to: Teacher Gemma Conda

Submitted by: Elias Lucion L. Blair
Date: November 26, 2020
The Myth of Malakas and Maganda
Myth of Malakas and Maganda - this tells the story of how
men came to be. It is the Genesis story of Adam and Eve in the
Philippines. In the beginning there existed only the Sea and the
Sky and their friend Bird who flew between them. Sea and Sky
got married and gave birth to a child named Bamboo. Bird got
tired and took a rest perching on the shoot, then it heard some
voices asking it to free it. It pecked at Bamboo, effectively
killing him and broke him open, and a naked man and woman
came out, they were known as Malakas (“strong”) and
Maganda (“beautiful”). Bird offered to take them for a ride to
Lupang Hinirang, the Land of the Chosen where they would
live and start humankind.
Sarimanok
 Sarimanok is a Muslim myth telling the origin of a super bird in the Philippines that
looks like a chicken with a super rainbow tail. Sari is the traditional colorful attire of
the Muslims of the Philippines and you may also know it from India, while a Manok is
a chicken. The Sarimanok is portmanteau of these two things.
 The legend has it that the Sultan of Lanao had a beautiful daughter named Sari. One
day, they had a fiesta to celebrate her birthday, but as they were eating and having fun
a super bird with colorful feathers like a rainbow swooped in, turned into a super
handsome prince, and then he said some creepy thing like, “Sari, I’ve been watching
you since you were born. Now you’re all grown up and I will marry you!” Then he
snatches her up, turns into a bird, and flies away never to be seen again.
 Then the Sultan, struck with grief, remembers her by commissioning statues of the
Bird (and not her daughter), hence why there are lots of Sarimanok statues in the
Philippines.
Bathala
 Myth of Creation Bathala Style. This is a story from the Tagalogs who came to be the largest
ethnic group in the Philippines.
 It tells the story of three super gods, Bathala (caretaker of the Earth), Ulilang Kaluluwa (the
Orphaned Spirit) - a great serpent from the depths, and Galang Kaluluwa (Wandering Spirit), the
winged god who loves to travel around aimlessly. Bathala oversaw the barren earth, and wanted
to create mortals to share his kingdom. But he couldn’t because he was afraid that they would not
survive the in the barren wasteland.
 One day he met with Ulilang Kaluluwa by chance or destiny, and the serpent didn’t like that he
had a rival. So he fought Bathala, and Bathala killed him after three days of struggle. He buried
the serpent’s body in the earth. The Galang Kaluluwa came over and Bathala greeted him and the
two became fast friends, but one day Galang Kaluluwa got sick and died. Before he did he told
Bathala to bury him where Ulilang Kaluluwa was buried, and at their grave sprouted an tree with
two nuts, that looked like Galang’s face, but its ugly body looked like the torse of the hated
enemy, Ulilang Kaluluwa. This was the first Coconut Tree.
 Bathala then knew that his creations could survive, so he created mankind, who feasted on
coconuts.
Bakunawa and the seven moons
 Long ago there were seven moons in the sky. Each of the moons embodies a lunar deity.
One night Bakunawa saw the beauty of the moons. Captivated by their beauty he wanted to
possess them so the Bakunawa rose from his domain and flew to devour the moons.
Inordinately proud of his feat, he slunk back down to his watery domain. Unfortunately, he
soon realized the moon inside him was melting away like candle wax. He wants to take a moon
that would last; Bakunawa rose into the sky the next night and swallowed another moon. But
this one too melted away. Night after night he took another moon from the sky, and each time it
melted away inside him
Bathala also was known as Kan-Laon the creator of all saw what had happened was furious.
Rather than kill  Bakunawa, he punished him to remain in the beast for all eternity and
commanded him not to devour the last moon."
"They say Bakunawa obeys Bathala’s order… most of the time. Every now and then he tries,
yes he tries to eat the last moon, and that is why it turns red. But the people on earth raise a
loud clamour of clanging and clashing metal, screaming and wailing, all to startle him into
spitting the moon out. Others take the gentler approach, playing music to put him into a deep
sleep so that the moon will roll out of his mouth
Apolaki
 Origin: Tagalog, Pampanga
 The sun god and patron of warriors. Apolaki is arguably the counterpart of Mars in Roman
mythology. In Kapampangan mythology, he is comparable to Aring Sinukuan, god of war and
death. Other stories state that he is son of Anagolay and Dumakulem, and also the brother of
Dian Masalanta, the goddess of lovers. There are other sources that also say he is the son of
Bathala himself from a mortal woman. In this version, the mortal woman gave birth to two
children, Apolaki and Mayari. When they were born, their eyes shone so bright, they lit up the
entire world. When Bathala died, Apolaki and Mayari fought over who will take over their
father’s throne. After a long and bloody war, that culminated in Apolaki blinding one of
Mayari’s eyes, the siblings came to an agreement that they can share the rulership of the world.
Apolaki rules over day time and Mayari takes over the night, which is said to be darker because
of her blinded eye.
 During early colonial times, the people of Pangasinan were said to have been scolded by
Apolaki. The god was supposedly angry at them for welcoming the Spaniards, men with white
teeth, when it was a custom to them to blacken their teeth as a symbol of beauty. Locals
reported this to a parish priest who was expectedly perplexed.