Mariang Sinukuan is the diwata, or mountain goddess, associated with Mount Arayat in Pampanga, Philippines, and is a prominent example of the mountain-goddess motif in Philippine
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Magindara, Guardian Sirena or Cannibal of the Sea?
Bikolano myths paint the Magindara in extremes; they are either said to be guardian deities of Bikolano fishermen, or “aswang ng dagat” who will eat
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Nangangatok, Who’s Knocking At Your Door?
The Nangangatok are usually invisible spirits that are harbingers of terrible things to come. People are advised to peek through the window first when someone knocks
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TIBURONES: The Flying Sharks of Philippine Folklore
The Tiburones are said to be flying sharks, with razor sharp teeth, crushing jaws, and able to circle their prey from the air. ‘Tiburon’ is
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The Way of the Juramentado: To Kill and To Die
Even the gun toting Spaniards feared the berserker swordsmen of the Philippines, the Juramentado. Assassins and Holy Avengers Not to be mistaken with people who have
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VISAYAN Origin Myth: Creation of the Sun and Moon
The Visayans are a Philippine ethnic group native to the whole Visayas, to the southernmost islands of Luzon and to most parts of Mindanao. They comprise
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NEGRITO Origin Myth: Creation of the World
The Negrito are several ethnic groups who inhabit isolated parts of Southeast Asia. Their current populations include Andamanese peoples of the Andaman Islands, Semang peoples of
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IGOROT Origin Myths: The Creation
Igorot, or Cordillerans, is the collective name of several Austronesian ethnic groups in The Philippines, who inhabit the mountains of Luzon. “I shall mention chiefly
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MINDANAO Origin Myths: The Earth and its Inhabitants
“The interior of Mindanao is occupied by some ten tribes, the most ‘important’ being the Manóbos, Mandayas, Atás, Bagóbos, Biláns, Tirurais, and Subánuns. These tribes are
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IFUGAO Origin Myth: The First Man & Woman
The Ifugao call themselves as i-pugao or “inhabitants of the known earth”; other variations of the name are Ifugaw, Ipugao, and Yfugao. They live primarily
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