Books and References on Philippine Mythology and Folklore

Books & References

*UPDATED 14 MARCH 2020*

While most, if not all, of our local myths and lore have been verbally transmitted through speech or song, historians and cultural anthropologists have been documenting these treasures as of late. Lucky for those who want to acquaint themselves with Philippine mythology, reference books have been made available. But here’s the catch: these books are hard to find. If you’re that lucky, your neighborhood National Book Store, Powerbooks, or Fully Booked branch may have a few copies. Some that still carry these titles would only have one or two in stock, most of them in such abysmal condition or probably stored in the most obscure part of the store. Such is the state of locally published books which are all lumped together under the category “Filipiniana”.

I earlier put up an article enumerating a few Philippine mythology, history, and folklore reference books and where to find them. I wasn’t expecting a deluge of comments and tips ranging from those asking if I’ve heard of certain titles to pointing me to the right direction on where to get copies. In this article, I’d like to go into more detail since I’ve stumbled upon more books that I think you’d all be interested to know more of.

If you are located abroad, I have included links to Amazon (affiliate links) and Arkipeligo Books when certain titles are available there.

 

1. Dr. Maximo Ramos books on Philippine mythology

Any local mythology enthusiast worth his salt would know that Dr. Maximo Ramos is considered the Dean of Philippine Lower Mythology. His books have been referenced by academics and fiction writers all over the country, so naturally you’d want to get your copies while supplies last. Here’s a list of his books:

Published works

The great thing about Dr. Ramos’s works is that they’re very easy to read. I’d recommend reading a few folktales, myths, and legends to kids, or maybe assigning these books to students. The descriptions aren’t graphic and there are illustrations to help visualize certain personalities and creatures in the stories.

Where to get them
Phoenix Publishing House – #927 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, Quezon City (beside Fisher Mall) used to carry copies of these titles, but has been completely sold out for a couple of years.  They will print on demand for larger orders, so feel free to contact them to find out. 

It appears the only other place to currently acquire these titles is through Amazon (Maximo Ramos Titles). Some titles are also available through Arkipeligo Books in San Francisco.

Maximo Ramos 10 Volume REALMS OF MYTH & REALITY books series.

Pro tip
Many people have had success getting xerox copies through their university library.  I have seen copies of Boyhood in Monsoon Country at Tradewinds Bookshop in Intramuros. The National Library of the Philippines, The Ortigas Foundation, and the Filipinas Heritage Library all carry some copies of these titles.

 

2. Damiana L. Eugenio’s Philippine Folk Literature series

If Dr. Ramos was the Dean of Philippine Lower Mythology, Prof. Eugenio was known as the Mother of Philippine Folklore. Her extensive research and documentation of existing myths, folklore, legends, epics, fables, and songs earned her quite a number of accolades. Prof. Eugenio’s work can only be described as thorough and professional, with all documentations backed up with sources.

Published works
Philippine Folk Literature series:

  • The Legends
  • The Epics
  • The Myths
  • The Riddles
  • The Proverbs
  • The Folktales
  • The Folk Songs
  • An Anthology
Philippine Folk Literature Series

Where to get them
Select Fully Booked shops sell these titles for 700-1200PHP each.
Mt. Cloud Bookshop – Casa Vallejo Bldg., DPS Compound Access Road, Baguio City
University of the Philippines Press – E. de los Santos Street, UP Campus Diliman, Quezon City

It appears that UP Press is currently out of stock for Volume 1 (An Anthology) and Volume 3 (The Legends). If you are located abroad, UP Press ships these titles to you, but the price tag of the book jumps to $30-$60USD. If you are located in the US or Canada,  Arkipeligo Books in San Francisco often has some of these titles in stock – including stock of THE LEGENDS, which is sold out in the Philippines.

Pro tip
Follow UP Press in their Facebook page because you’ll never know when a sale happens. The UP Press book store has promo of 30-50% discount promo on all UP titles for customers celebrating their birth month every March.

 

3. Dr. William Henry Scott books on Philippine precolonial history

Studying precolonial history is a great way to better understand and appreciate local myths and folklore. Dr. Scott is an eminent historian specializing in prehispanic and Cordillera history. His work has shed light on a lot of historical inaccuracies, the most noted of all was his debunking of the Code of Kalantiaw.

Published works

  • Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Phiippine Culture and Society
  • Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino
  • Prehispanic Source Materials For The Study Of Philippine History
  • The Discovery of the Igorots: Spanish Contacts With the Pagans of Northern Luzon
  • A Sagada Reader
  • On the Cordillera
  • Cracks in the Parchment Curtain and Other Essays in Philippine History
  • Slavery In The Spanish Philippines

Where to get them
Select Fully Booked branches
Ateneo de Manila University Press (for Barangay)
Mt. Cloud Bookshop
New Day Publishers

New Day Publishers is currently out of stock for Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino and Discovery of the Igorots. In the US, Barangay is available from Arkipeligo Books in San Francisco.Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino is often available through Amazon.

Pro tip
For people abroad, many of these titles can be found through used book sellers by searching BOOKFINDER.COM.

 

philippine-culture-history-folklore-books
Reading about Philippine precolonial culture and history can enrich your appreciation of mythology and folklore.

4. The Soul Book and The Body Book

The Soul Book, written by Francisco R. Demetrio, Gilda Cordero-Fernando, and Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita, and The Body Book, edited by Fe Maria C. Arriola, are essential titles to further understand the Filipino psyche and belief system. The Soul Book talks about prehispanic Filipino spirituality, while The Body Book, as it already says, talks about describing Filipino racial distinctions and well-being.

Where to get them
The Soul Book and The Body Book are both currently out of print. Bookmark: The Filipino Bookstore used to carry copies and had plans to republish the title, but I don’t have any current updates on the status of that.

Pro tip
Filipinas Heritage Library carries a copy of The Soul Book.

5. Books on folktales and myths

Books on folktales, myths, legends, and proverbs are great ways to introduce kids to Philippine mythology and history. Most of these books are written with prose that’s easy to understand, along with useful illustrations to facilitate teaching. Some of the books I’ve encountered include:

 

Where to get them
Cordillera Tales is available at Mt. Cloud and was published by New Day, so it might be a good thing to contact the publisher in case you can’t go to Baguio.

Treasury of Stories is available at select National Book Store branches and Fully Booked locations.

El Folklore Filipino is published by the UP Press. If you are located abroad, UP Press ships this title to you, but the price tag of the book jumps to $37.50USD. If you are located in the US or Canada,  Arkipeligo Books in San Francisco often has this title in stock.

Philippine Folk Narratives from our Forefathers Vol. 1 & 2 is available through AMAZON for $14.99 each.

PHILIPPINE Myths & Legends (Values-Oriented) by Gaudencio V. Aquino is available for $19.99 through AMAZON.

 

6. Encyclopedic references 

There are a few books that are comprehensive in terms of information on local mythology and folklore that would be great as references for those who are looking to study it in more detail. Here are some titles I was able to find:

The Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs

Where to get them
The Encyclopedia is available at Museo de Oro in Xavier University Press in Cagayan de Oro City.I can confirm that acquiring hardcover copies of the Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs by Francisco Demetrio is possible through Museo de Oro in Xavier University Press for 3000PHP.  The only caveat is that you must purchase in person, they will not ship (or even answer inquiries regarding it). Softcover copies of the Encyclopedia of Philippine Folk Beliefs and Customs are available through Amazon for $57.98. They may also be found in Filipinas Heritage Library.

Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang is published by Adarna House in Scout Torillo, Diliman, Quezon City.

The Handbook of Philippine Folklore is available at the UP Press and in Mt. Cloud. If you are located abroad, UP Press ships this title to you, but the price tag of the book jumps to $35USD.

MYTHS & SYMBOLS, Philippines is available through  AMAZONfor $24.99 and can be found in Filipinas Heritage Library and Ortigas Foundation Library.

Ancient Beliefs and Customs of the Tagalogs is available through AMAZON.

7. Other resources

I put the following books together because I couldn’t quite classify them in the aforementioned lists. Nevertheless, I’d still recommend to get these titles if you’re looking to increase your understanding of our local myths as well as appreciate history and cultural nuances.

 

WITCHCRAFT, FILIPINO STYLE
By Nid Anima

 

Where to get them
Usog, Pasma, Kulam is out of stock, but A History of the Philippines is available at the UP Press.

Outline of Philippine Mythology is available through most libraries in the Philippines and through the AMAZON website.

Witchcraft, Filipino Style is available through AMAZON, and can be found in the Filipinas Heritage Library.

The Lost Journal, where its writers and illustrators were earlier featured in this website,  is available in most major book stores, although The Lost Journal is becoming harder to find, but the Black Bestiary seems readily available in most bookstores in the Philippines.

Isabelo’s Archive is published through Anvil Publishing, but is currently sold out. They did reprint it in 2019, so keep checking their website for a new printing.

Way of the Ancient Healer: Sacred Teachings from the Philippine Ancestral Traditions can be found on AMAZON for $13.49 and cheaper for Kindle.

You Shall Be As Gods and The Boxer Codex can be found in the Philippines in many Fully Booked locations and ordered through Vibal Foundation. Arkipeligo Books  carries these titles for US and CANADA buyers but are currently sold out.

Filipino Tattoos: Ancient to Modern is available through AMAZONstarting as low as $23.16

 

8. Pre-Colonial Feminism

Where to get them

Centennial Crossings: Readings on Babaylan Feminism in the Philippines is currently available on eBay.  It is published through C&E Publishing in the Philippines, but their stores are currently sold out.

Back from the Crocodile’s Belly: Philippine Babaylan Studies and the Struggle for Indigenous Memoryis published through the University of Santo Tomas Press and I have seen it on the shelf in some National Book Store locations.  It is also available on AMAZON as a hard copy or Kindle edition.

Explorations in Philippine Folkloreis published through Ateneo Press but it is no longer available through their website.  Used copies can be found on AMAZON starting at $26.94.

 

This list may not be as extensive as there are a lot of books on Philippine mythology out there and I’ve barely touched the online references. But here’s another tip: visit the National Library. They have a great collection of books, some of which I wasn’t able to provide in this article. All you have to do is to apply for a library card onsite (for a fee of Php 100), and you can browse and read to your heart’s content. Filipinas Heritage Library and Ortigas Foundation Library also carry many of these titles. You can also access online book distributors like Project Gutenberg for free ebooks on this subject, or in Amazon if you want to purchase titles for your own collection.

Don’t forget to comment and let us know of any books or references not included in this list. Happy book hunting!

 

Other Options Besides Buying

If you are located in the Philippines, your university library should carry some of these titles.  The National Library of the Philippines carries many of the titles listed above.  The Filipinas Heritage Library at the Ayala Museum and The Oritigas Foundation have an excellent collection, including many of these titles.  Whole day library access at Filipina Heritage Library is Php 100, discounted to Php 50 for senior citizens and students.  If you are not located in the Philippines, check WorldCat to see if a library near you carries some of the titles. WorldCat.org lets you search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands more around the world.

Ad for Maximo Ramos books at Amazon. 10 volume realm of myth and reality.