Filipino Folklore
As a Filipino American, I am both curious and inspired by the rich folklore and legendary characters from my cultural heritage. I hope to introduce children to the beauty and complexity of Filipino fables and myths in order to foster a sense of wonder and appreciation for different traditions among young readers worldwide.
Duwende
Duwende (du-wen-de) are elf or dwarflike creatures that look like small old men with long beards, sharp, pointy ears, big hats and bony fingers. Because they are believed to be the offspring of Anitun Tabu, the Goddess of Wind, and Agtayab, the God of Forest and Mountains, they are nature’s guardians. Duwende can be found living in trees, anthills, mounds, underground and sometimes in houses.They can be mischievous or helpful depending on how they are treated. If you show respect to them, they can bring you riches and good fortune. However, if mistreated they will bring chaos and harm. Filipinos often show respect to duwendes by saying "Tabi tabi po" which is "please step aside" when entering forests or passing by old trees.
Bakunawa
Long ago there were seven radiant moons, one for each day of the week. Bakunawa (ba-koo-NAH-wa), the giant sea serpent was jealous of their beauty and wanted to possess each one. So, when night fell, he would fly from his ocean cave and swallow each moon. The people were so upset to lose their beautiful moons that when Bakunawa tried to swallow the 7th, they began banging pots and pans and shouting loudly to scare the serpent away. It is still believed today that Bakunawa is the cause for eclipses and when the moon disappears people still shout and bang their pots and pans until it reappears.
Batibat
The Batibat (buh-TEE-bah-tuhs) is a vengeful, obese tree dwelling female spirit. She usually comes into contact with humans if her tree is felled and used for house posts. The Batibat then becomes homeless and has to move or live in what is left of her tree. If a person happens to fall asleep near her post, her true form will emerge and she will attack by sitting on their chests and suffocating them. She can also invade their dream space, causing sleep paralysis and waking nightmares. The Batibat’s revenge is swift and merciless.
Santelmo
A Santelmo (san-TEL-mo) is a wandering soul of a deceased person who has not yet found peace. Some believe it is the spirit of a person that died near a river, lake or ocean because the Santelmo are found near bodies of water. It is depicted as a ball of fire in fields and swamps and bounces along and rolls away. At night, travelers and fishermen will follow the bright ball of light and walk and walk until they are so tired they cannot find their way home. They wander until they become insane.