12 MYTHICAL CREATURES IN THE PHILIPPINES
Philippines is one of the southeast asian country where mythical creatures are well known. In this article, you will see the twelve most popular mythical creatures in the Philippines. Enjoy reading and feel free to post your comment regarding this article.
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| TIYANAK |
1. TIYANAK
The Tiyanak (also Tianak or Tianac) is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that imitates the form of a child. It usually takes the form of a newborn baby and cries like one in the jungle to attract unwary travelers. Once it is picked up by the victim, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim. The tiyanak is also depicted to take malevolent delight in leading travelers astray, or in abducting children.
2. TIKBALANG
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| TIKBALANG |
The Tikbalang (/'tikba?la?/) (also Tigbalang, Tigbalan, Tikbalan, Tigbolan, or Werehorse) is a creature of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and forests of the Philippines. It is a tall, bony humanoid creature with the head and hooves of a horse and disproportionately long limbs, to the point that its knees reach above its head when it squats down. In some versions it is a transformation of an aborted fetus sent to earth from limbo.
3. SIRENA
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| SIRENA |
The Sirena is a mythological sea creature from Filipino culture. In some regions of the Philippines, particularly Bicol and Visayas, Sirenas are known as Magindara and portrayed as vicious mermaids. Unike Sirens of Greek mythology, who are portrayed as women/bird creatures, Sirenas are often portrayed as mermaid-like creatures who live under the sea. In Philippine mythology, the Sirena is a mythological aquatic creature with the head and torso of a human female and the tail of a fish. The Sirena is an Engkanto, the Filipino counterpart of English mermaids. Engkantos are classified as one of the Bantay Tubig, a Filipino term used to describe mythical guardians of the water. In addition to the Sirena, other examples of Bantay Tubig are Siyokoy, Kataw and Ugkoy. The male version of a Sirena is called a Sireno. Sometimes Sirena are paired with Siyokoy. A popular mermaid character in the Philippines is Dyesebel.
4. NUNO
A nuno or nuno sa punso ("old man of the mound") is a dwarf-like creature in Philippine mythology. It is believe
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| NUNO |
d to live in an anthill or termite mound, hence its name, literally 'Ancestor/Grandparent living in the anthill'.
Other people believe that nuno sa punso will strike you back if you destroy their home. They can even make your part of the body bigger than usual if you use it to destroy their home.
To avoid this scary happenings, you should say "tabi tabi po" everytime you pass by their home.
5. MINOKAWA
Minokawa is a giant, dragon-like bird in P
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| MINOKAWA |
hilippine legends. Early people believed this creature is so big that it can swallow (or cover) the sun to explain the occurrence of eclipses.[citation needed] It is even described as a giant bird named Minokawa that lives in outer space which can devour the sun and the moon, and would try to do the same with the earth.
6. MANGKUKULAM
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| MANGKUKULAM |
Kulam or "Pagkukulam" is a form of folk magic practiced in the Philippines. It puts emphasis on the innate power of the self and a secret knowledge of Magica Baja or low magic. Earth (soil), fire, herbs, spices, candles, oils and kitchenwares and utensils are often used for rituals, charms, spells and potions.
Mangkukulam can give physical suffering to the victims. According to the myth, pangkukulam is effective if the person who request for kulam has a great hatred in their heart. The worst thing is if the victim died in this demonic activity.
7. MANANANGGAL
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| MANANANGGAL |
The manananggal is described as scary, often hideous, usually depicted as female, and always capable of severing its upper torso and sprouting huge bat-like wings to fly into the night in search of its victims.
The word manananggal comes from the Tagalog word tanggal, which means "to remove" or "to separate", which literally translates as "remover" or "separator". In this case, "one who separates itself". The name also originates from an expression used for a severed torso.
8. KAPRE
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| KAPRE |
Kapre is a Philippine mythical creature that could be characterized as a tree giant. It is described as being a tall (7 to 9 ft), big, black, hairy, muscular creature. Kapres are normally described as having a strong smell that would attract human attention. The term kapre comes from the Arabic "kafir", meaning a non-believer in Islam. The early Arabs and the Moors used it to refer to the non-Muslim people. The term was later brought to the Philippines by the Spanish who had previous contact with the Moors. Some historians speculate that the legend was propagated by the Spanish to prevent Filipinos from assisting any escaped African slaves they sometimes imported from Latin-America. The Kapre itself holds a large Cigar, an item which originated from the ancient Mayans of Latin-America. The similar dark skin color of escaped African slaves from Latin America have caused the former to be equated with the latter.
9. BUNGISNGIS
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| BUNGISNGIS |
Bungisngis is a giant cyclops in Philippine folklore. This giant, purported to dwell in Meluz, Orion, Bataan, is described as is always laughing. The literal meaning of the name Bungingis is derived from the Tagalog word ngisi which means "to giggle".
Having a humanoid shape, it has large teeth which are always showing, and its upper lip covers its face when it is thrown back. Two long tusks project from the side of its mouth. The cyclops only eye, is found in the middle of its forehead, but this is compensated by its strong sense of hearing. It has also displays unusual strength. In the Filipino tale "The Three Friends - The Monkey, The Dog and The Carabao, The giant is able to lift the carabao and throw it with such force that it ends knee-deep in the ground. However, despite its strength, the bungisngis is easily outwitted and quickly panics. In the tale of the Three Friends, Monkey's tricks led him to his death.
10. BATIBAT
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| BATIBAT |
The Batibat or Bangungot is a vengeful demon found in Ilocano folklore. These demons were blamed as the cause of the fatal nocturnal disease called bangungot.
A batibat takes the form of a huge, old, fat woman that resides in trees. They usually come in contact with humans when the tree that they reside in is felled and made into a support post for a house. This causes them to migrate into holes found in the post. The batibat forbids humans from sleeping near its post. When a person does sleep near it, the batibat transforms to its true form and attacks that person. It sits upon the chest of its victim until he suffocates. To ward off the batibat, one should bite one's thumb or wiggle one's toes. In this way, the person will awaken from the nightmare induced by the batibat.
11. BAKUNAWA
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| BAKUNAWA |
The Bakunawa, also spelled Bakonawa, Baconaua, or Bakonaua, is a dragon in Philippine mythology that is often represented as a gigantic sea serpent. It is believed to be the cause of eclipses.
It appears as a giant sea serpent with a mouth the size of a lake, a red tongue, whiskers, gills, small wires at its sides, and two sets of wings, one is large and ash-gray while the other is small and is found further down its body.
The Visayan (Cebuano) term bakunawa is the direct translation of the word 'eclipse'. Binakunawa is a verb to mean "to cause an eclipse".
12. ASWANG
An Aswang (or Asuwang), based on the Sanskrit language Hindu concept of Asura, is a shapeshifting monster in Filipino folklore usually possessing a combination of the traits of either a vampire, a ghoul, a warlock/witch, or different species of werebeast, or even all of them together. It is the subject of a wide variety of myths and stories. Spanish colonists noted that the Aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century.
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| ASWANG |
The myth of the aswang is well known throughout the Philippines. It is especially popular in the Visayas, southern parts of Luzon, and parts of Mindanao. Other regional names for the aswang include "tik-tik", "bayot", "wak-wak", "sok-sok" and "kling-kling".
Anthropologists believe that the Aswang belief came from the mythmaking of the Spaniards to keep the population under control. Through the encomienda system, a town is arranged into easy-to-manage layers, and labeling those who lived too far away as tulisans (dissenters). To scare off the Filipinos, stories of Aswangs living in the outskirts of the forests were spread in towns to keep everyone in groups and maintain control.
