Ancient

Gods and Goddesses

of the
Early Filipinos.
 Bathala
Also known as Abba, this highest-
ranking deity was described as “may
kapal sa lahat,” or the creator of
everything. His origin is unknown but
his name suggests Hindu influences.
According to William Henry Scott,
Bathala was derived from the Sanskrit
bhattara which means “noble lord.”
 Idianale
If Bathala was the highest, the other
lesser deities who lived with him in
the sky were his assistants. Each of
these lower-ranking gods and goddesses
had specific responsibilities. One of
them was Idianale, the goddess of labor
and good deeds.
 Dumangan
He was the Tagalog sky-god of god
harvest, the husband of Idianale, and
father to Dumakulem and Anitun Tabu.
 Anitun Tabu
Among ancient Tagalogs, she was known
as the “fickle-minded goddess of the
wind and rain.” She’s one of the two
children of Dumangan and Idianale.
 Dumakulem
He was the son of Idianale and Dumangan,
and brother of wind goddess Anitun Tabu.
The ancient Tagalogs revered him as the
guardian of the mountains. He is often
depicted as a strong and skillful hunter.

This Tagalog sky-god later tied the knot

with another major deity, Anagolay, known
as the goddess of lost things. The marriage
produced two children: Apolaki, the sun
god, and Dian Masalanta, the goddess of
lovers.
 Lakapati
Probably one of the most intriguing
deities of Philippine mythology, she was
the Tagalog goddess of fertility. F. Landa
Jocano described her as the “goddess of
the cultivated land” and the “benevolent
giver of food and prosperity.”
In William Henry Scott’s “Baranggay,”
Lakapati is described as a major fertility
deity represented by a “hermaphrodite
image with both male and female parts.”
 Mapulon
In Tagalog mythology, Mapulon was the
god of seasons. F. Landa Jocano, in
the book “Outline of Philippine
Mythology,” described Mapulon as one
of the lesser divinities assisting
Bathala.
 Anagolay
Pre-colonial Tagalogs who were hopelessly
looking for their missing stuff prayed to
Anagolay, the goddess of lost things. She was
the daughter of two major Tagalog deities–
Ikapati and Mapulon.

When she reached the right age, she married

the hunter Dumakulem and gave birth to two
more deities: Apolaki and Dian Masalanta, the
ancient gods of sun and lovers, respectively.
 Apolaki
The sun god as well as patron of the
warriors. He shares almost the same qualities
with the Kapampangan sun god of war and
death, Aring Sinukuan.
In a book by William Henry Scott, the name of
this deity is said to have originated from
apo, which means “lord,” and laki, which
means “male” or “virile.” Jocano’s Outline of
Philippine Mythology details how Apolaki came
to be: He was the son of Anagolay and
Dumakulem, and also the brother of Dian
Masalanta, the goddess of lovers.
Dian Masalanta
If the Greeks had Aphrodite, our
Tagalog ancestors had Dian
Masalanta. The patron goddess of
lovers and childbirth, this deity
was the brother of the sun god
Apolaki to parents Anagolay and
Dumakulem.
Demi Gods
Once upon a time, Bathala fell in love
with a mortal woman. She died after
giving birth to three beautiful
daughters.

Mayari- goddess of the moon.

Hanan - goddess of the morning.
Tala - goddess of the stars.
 Anito
LAKAN BAKOD was the “lord of fences,” a
protector of crops powerful enough to keep
animals out of farmlands. Hence, he was invoked
and offered eels when fencing a plot of land.
LAKAMBINI -god of purity.
LAKAN DANUM- was known as the water god
depicted as a serpent-like mermaid (naga).
Before the Spaniards arrived, they would often
throw livestock to the river as a peace
offering for Lakandanum. Failure to do so
resulted in long periods of drought.
Haliya and the Bakunawa
Haliya is the moon goddess of Bicolano
mythology who periodically comes down to
earth to bathe in its waters.

Legend has it that the world used to be

illuminated by seven moons. The gigantic
sea serpent called bakunawa, a mythical
creature found in the early Bicolano and
Hiligaynon culture, devoured all but one
of these moons.
 Sitan
He was the god of the lower world. In a way,
our Tagalog ancestors already believed in the
afterlife even before the colonizers introduced
us to their Bible.

The Kasanaan is a place of punishment ruled by

Sitan, which shares striking similarities with
Christianity’s ultimate villain, Satan.
However, Jocano said that Sitan was most likely
derived from the Islamic ruler of the
underworld named Saitan (or Shaitan).
https://filipiknow.net/philippine-mythology-gods-and-goddesses/#8_Anagolay