AMOMONGO – (Western Visayas) The term amomongo has not only been used to describe a gorilla in traditional Visayan folktales, such as “Amomongo and Iput-Iput
Read moreCategory: Visayan Mythologies & Beliefs
Articles about the mythologies and beliefs from the Visayan region of the Philippines. You may visit a specific region by clicking the links below, or navigating the menu.
WESTERN VISAYAS – Panay, Negros
CENTRAL VISAYAS – Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor
EASTERN VISAYAS – Leyte, and Samar.
Examining the ‘First Man & Woman From Bamboo’ Philippine Myths
Some Asian cultures believe that humanity emerged from a bamboo stem. Malaysian legends have a similar story that describes a man who dreams of a
Read moreBAKUNAWA and the SEVEN MOONS: The Original Bisaya Story (with translation and annotations)
Most of the recent literary interpretations of Bakunawa can be sourced to renowned folklorist Damiana Eugenio’s re-telling of the myth in her collected compilation “Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths“. This, however,
Read moreWitches and Witchcraft in Leyte and Samar
The Visayan Islands are, in Philippine folk belief, the home of witches. Whatever might have led to this “distinction,” investigation showed that the belief in
Read moreThe Courts of the Ancient Bisaya Pantheon in Philippine Mythology
The ideas of how things began and the explanations of natural phenomenon are diverse among the inhabitants of the pre-hispanic Philippines. They lived in many
Read moreDeath Beliefs and Practices Among the Sulod of Central Panay
The Suludnon, also known as the Tumandok, Panay-Bukidnon, or Panayanon Sulud, are an indigenous Visayan group of people who reside in the Capiz-Lambunao mountainous area of Panay in the Visayan islands of the Philippines. They are the only culturally indigenous
Read moreBINUKOT: Women Secluded and Veiled in Philippine History
“A very select group of women existed in indigenous Philippine society which has hardly merited any account in history. These women were daughters of datus
Read moreLegend of the AGTA | The Eastern Visayan Tree-Dweller
One of the many joys I have in running The Aswang Project blog is reading the messages and emails I receives from curious minds. These
Read moreLegends of Mount Kanlaon, Negros Island | Negrense Mythology
The terrible mad dragon of pagan days in the Philippines has returned to Great King mountain, where his tortures and moaning demand of the people
Read moreWhy People Die: A Look at the Bisayan Tale of Immortality Lost
There is no shortage of tales about immortality. Call it a age long human obsession or a divine mission that carries our minds from magic
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