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Bakunawa
Bakunawa pommels from Visayan tenegre swords
Grouping Dragon
Region Visayas and Bicol regions of the Philippines
Philippine mythology
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Mythical beings
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Mythical animals
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The Bakunawa is a serpent-like dragon in Philippine mythology. It is believed to

be the cause of eclipses, earthquakes, rains, and wind.[1] The movements of the
Bakunawa served as a geomantic calendar system for ancient Filipinos and were
part of the shamanistic rituals of the babaylan. It is usually depicted with a
characteristic looped tail and a single horn on the nose. It was generally believed
to be a sea serpent,[2] but are also variously believed to inhabit either the sky or
the underworld.[3]
Due to increasing trade contacts with South Asia and the Indianization of
Southeast Asia, the Bakunawa later became syncretized with the Nāga, Rahu,
and Ketu of Hindu-Buddhist mythology.[2][4]
Contents
 1Etymology
 2Historical accounts
 3Related myths
 4Mythology
o 4.1Cebuano mythology
o 4.2West Visayan mythology
o 4.3Bicolano mythology
 5Literature
 6Traditional art
 7Games
o 7.1Objective
 8Pop culture
 9See also
 10References
Etymology[edit]
18th-century engraving of a karakoa warship with a Bakunawa design[5]
Bakunawa is believed to be originally a compound word meaning "bent snake",

from Proto-Western-Malayo-Polynesian *ba(ŋ)kuq ("bent", "curved")
and *sawa ("large snake", "python").[3][6][7] Spelling variants
include Vakonawa, Baconaua, or Bakonaua.[8]
Historical accounts[edit]
"No. 42. When the moon is eclipsed, the Indians of various districts generally go
out into the street or into the open fields, with bells, panastanes, etc. They strike
them with great force and violence in order that they might thereby protect the
moon which they say is being eaten or swallowed by the dragon, tiger, or
crocodile. And the worst thing is that if they wish to say "the eclipse of the moon"
it is very common in Philipinas to use this locution, saying "the dragon, tiger, or
crocodile is swallowing the moon." The Tagalogs also make use of it and
say, Linamon [ni] laho [ang] bovan [trans.: "Laho swallowed the moon"]."
Fr. Tomas Ortiz, Practica del Ministerio (1731) via Zuniga's Estadismo
(1893)[9]
Related myths[edit]
The Bakunawa is also sometimes known as Naga, from syncretization with the
Hindu-Buddhist serpent deity, Nāga.[3] It was also syncretized with the Hindu-
Buddhist navagraha pair, Rahu and Ketu, deities who were responsible for
eclipses of the sun and moon, respectively.[10]
Versions of the Bakunawa also existed in other myths in the Philippines, sharing
the common theme of being the cause of eclipses. The most similar to the
Bakunawa is the Tagalog Laho (derived from Rahu; also known as Nono or
Buaya), a serpent-like dragon that causes moon eclipses.
[10]
In Kapampangan mythology, Láwû is depicted as a bird-like dragon or serpent
that causes both solar and lunar eclipses, however, its features are closer to the
demon Rahu.[11] Both the words laho and láwû mean "eclipse" (also in modern
parlance "to disappear" or "to vanish") in the Tagalog and Kapampangan
language.
Other mythical creatures related to the Bakunawa include the Hiligaynon Bawa,
Bauta, or Olimaw; the Mandaya and Manobo Tambanakua;
the Bagobo Minokawa; and the Maranao Arimaonga.[10] However, these do not
always appear serpent-like. The Maranao Arimaonga for example, is depicted as
a lion-like dragon; while the Hiligaynon Olimaw is a winged serpent; the Bagobo
Minokawa is a dragon-like giant bird; and the Mandaya Tambanokano and
Manobo Tambanakua is a giant crab (sometimes also a giant tarantula or
scorpion).[10][12][13]
Mythology[edit]
The rotation of the Bakunawa in a year, as explained in Mansueto Porras' Signosan (1919). This

served prominently as a geomantic calendar system for ancient Filipinos, and were part of
the divination rituals of babaylan shamans.[3]
Cebuano mythology[edit]
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Tales about the Bakunawa say that it is the cause of eclipses. During ancient
times, Pre-colonial Cebuanos believe that there are seven moons created by
their supreme god to light up the sky. The Bakunawa, amazed by their beauty,
would rise from the ocean and swallow the moons whole, angering Bathala and
causing them to be mortal enemies.
To keep the moons from completely being swallowed by the Bakunawa, ancient
Filipinos would go out of their homes with pans and pots, and would make noise
in order to scare the Bakunawa into spitting out the moon back into the sky.
Some of the people in the villages would play soothing sounds with their musical
instruments, in hopes that the dragon would fall into a deep sleep. Thus, the
brave men of the village hoped that while the dragon was hypnotized by the
musical sounds they could somehow slay the dragon. Although the dragon was
known as a "moon eater" it was also known as a "man eater".
Other tales tell that the Bakunawa has a sister in the form of a sea turtle. [citation
needed]
The sea turtle would visit a certain island in the Philippines in order to lay its
eggs. However, locals soon discovered that every time the sea turtle went to
shore, the water seemed to follow her, thus reducing the island's size. Worried
that their island would eventually disappear, the locals killed the sea turtle. [citation needed]
When the Bakunawa found out about this, it arose from the sea and ate the
moon. The people were afraid so they prayed to the supreme god to punish the
creature. The god refused but instead told them to bang some pots and pans in
order to disturb the serpent. The moon is then regurgitated while the Bakunawa
disappeared, never to be seen again.
Others tell how the Bakunawa fell in love with a human girl in one of the native
tribes.[citation needed] The head of the tribe found out about their affair and had their
house burned to ashes.[citation needed] The Bakunawa, finding out about this, became
immersed in anger and tried to take revenge by eating all the 7 moons. [citation
needed]
When the Bakunawa was about to eat the last one, the supreme god took
action and punished the Bakunawa by banishing it from its home away from the
sea. It also tells that the reason of the eclipses is how the Bakunawa is trying to
come back to its home and deceased family.
Some Filipino elders believe that Bakunawa is a moving island with communities
mounted on its back, and that there are two classifications: the flying Bakunawa
and the land Bakunawa.
West Visayan mythology[edit]
A tenegre sword from Panay with a Bakunawa head hilt
The story of Bakunawa and the Seven Moons was first documented in Mga
Sugilanong Karaan 1913 by Buyser. The story gained wider recognition when
was published in 1926 as part of the Mga Sugilanong Pilinhon (Folk lore Filipino)
collection where Buyser ends with his personal experience surrounding the belief
in Bakunawa.
According to the ancient folks, when Bathala created the Moon[1], he created
seven of it so that each would illuminate one night of the week[2]. The nights
were bright and ever so beautiful because of these seven “Queens” who
continuously shone in the night sky.
But the joy of the people on earth didn't last, and the beauty of the sky was no
more when one night a terrifying creature, that coiled around

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Bakunawa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please

Region Visayas and Bicol regions of the Philippines

The Bakunawa is a serpent-like dragon in Philippine mythology. It is believed to

o 4.2West Visayan mythology

18th-century engraving of a karakoa warship with a Bakunawa design[5]

Bakunawa is believed to be originally a compound word meaning "bent snake",

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

A tenegre sword from Panay with a Bakunawa head hilt

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