By Martine Corpus
Have you ever seen an eclipse? In Filipino mythology, this phenomenon of darkness is said to be caused by the Bakunawa, a sea serpent living in the depths of the ocean. Granted the name "Moon-eater," the dragon is characterized by its long red tongue, horns on its nose, and mouth the size of a great lake. Eclipses are said to be caused by the dragon's attempts to devour the moon.
According to the legends, there were once seven moons to illuminate the earth. The Bakunawa was bewitched by the brilliance of the moons and obsessed with their presence. The dragon yearned to have them in its possession. Rising from the depths of the waters, it swallowed the moons one by one. Each moon swallowed would bring fear and panic to the world as darkness enveloped the land. This inspired the people to rally with pots, pans, and drums, creating thundering noises and forcing the Bakunawa to retreat to its underwater cave.
Other legends speak of Bakunawa falling in love with a human girl in one of the native tribes. Upon finding out, the head of the girl's tribe burned her house to ashes. Bakunawa, in anger, decides to take revenge by devouring the seven moons. Just as the Bakunawa was about to eat the last one, the supreme god Bathala banished him from the sea, its home. In this belief, eclipses are said to be caused by the Bakunawa wanting to return home.Â
The Bakunawa is said to have been rooted in pre-colonial beliefs, with documentation as early as 1731 of ancient Filipino people taking to the streets and open fields with pots, pans, and bells, making lots of noise to protect their moon. Ever since the Bakunawa has impacted Filipino culture, decorating ancient sword hilts, appearing in pop culture, and even inspiring the legends behind Tanglawa in HALO HALO's Zodiac!
Catch the Bakunawa in stories like The Mask of Haliya from Kwento Comics, and Digmaan Saga: Bulan by Alfred Ismael Galaroza, both available on HALO HALO’s mobile app!
