#phillipine mythology

[creatureofclouds]

Day 31: Death Angel

Thank you so much to everyone who supported me and helped me finish my first Inktober!

[combodactyl]

"Man I shouldn't have taken that detour, I know this place like the back of my hand, why is that tree so weird looking. They cackle making fun of your predicament. Your trip home was going so well but they are at fault. What did your grandparents say again, something about your shirt? Nah that would be dumb. You gaze upon the balete tree it rustles to life. Three of the creatures jump out laughing in all to familiar voice. You're stuck here with them.... forever"

And that's supposed Day 4. This monster is based on the Phillipine legend of the Tikbalang a monster that gets you lost. For our next post we travel back to Africa into an unknown cave. Anyway until my next post stay safe as we wander our way into the next #inktober monster.

[alpaca-clouds]

About the international vampires (that are not really vampires)

You know what? Based on the rant I posted last week about the James Somerton video, let me vent about this one specific thing that I have seen around since basically forever. The thing even I believed, because the non-fiction books on vampire mythology I read as a teen claimed this as well. The claim that there are vampires all around the world, that basically every culture has a vampire myth. And that... it is just bullshit. And not only bullshit, but colonial bullshit.

Let me ask you one thing: What do you think of, when I say "vampire"?

I would guess your thoughts are:

Undead (and hence probably immortal)

Drinks blood or maybe consumes human life energy

Probably some sexually charged stuff

And, well... Those things are only really a thing with some of the vampires we find in Eastern European Mythology, which later spread into other parts of Europe (especially England). There is one of the wanna-be international vampires, that kinda fit the deal - though only through more modern interpretation. And that is the Aswang from the Phillipines. But even here, this is not part of the original myth but more came to be through mixing of the myths of the culture with Western mythology.

And that... is actually the big issue here.

See, vampire mythology as we know it is mostly a thing from Victorian England. While we will find some of the ideas in the Eastern European mythology that Victorian England based their ideas on, most things we associate with it come from England. And you know what England did over the years? Yeah, that is right, they colonized most of the fucking world.

And that is where the issue comes in.

See, as someone who is very much into comparative mythology I can tell you: Yes, there are certain ideas in different mythologies that repeat. Showing up in myths around the world. (One of my favorites is the "magic tree connected to knowledge".)

But a big issue with comparative mythology is, that some parts of it are also Western researchers (or people who wanna be such) looking for imagery that confirms their preconscieved notions. And as such they want to find those creatures and gods and patterns that are "just like this thing from our mythology". It is a big thing that happened with Campbell.

And that... kinda has just happened with vampires as well. If you look into the claimed to be vampires all around the world, you will find, that most of them are not vampires at all. At times they do not consume blood, are not undead and also do not have anything about themselves that could really be considered vampiric. Or they are undead, but if we were honest, if anything they are more like zombies than vampires (the hungry dead of Chinese mythology are a good example of this).

And, yeah... I am sorry, but that is just colonial bullshit. It is taking a Western thing and pressing international mythology through this one specific lense. That is not how any of this works.

It is disrespectful towards those other cultures and their mythology. Those creatures are not vampires, they are their own fucking thing.

Now, by all means. If you wanna put other European creatures through the vampire lense... Fine. But don't go around and claim that stuff from other cultures is actually "totally like this one European thing". It is... just horrible.

And yes, I am looking angrily at fucking World of Darkness here, too. Because boy howdy, do they like to do that with their rulebooks, too. (For heaven's sake, White Wolf, just hire people from other cultures. I am begging you!)

[lurinoodle]

Final Concepts for my original species Amihan– which is inspired by the Phillipine mythology of the same name!

[godsofhumanity]

While we are in the subject of Phillipine Mythology, What do you think of the love story between Sidapa and bulan?

never heard of it... but i read up about it here: site link

i was thinking elements of this story sound a LOT like hades x persephone... i find it interesting that people like portraying death gods as extreme/jealous lovers... like they're always like that. hades, veles, now this sidapa guy etc.

but the most interesting thing is---- apparently this myth isn't even real. it's not true. someone just wrote fanfiction on the net and people believed them?????????? so what's real? is this a true myth?

[edwardtulane01]

Myths are reflections of the societies they originate from. By reading these myths, we learn what they valued and what they feared. They also serve as tales of morality, differentiating between good and bad. Some myths explain how cultural traditions came to be or what they signify. The oral passing of the myths keeps traditions alive. 

Myths also served as explanations for natural phenomena. In Norse Mythology, the Northern Lights are caused by light reflecting off Valkyrie armor. In Phillipine mythology, night comes when the morning goddess descends into the underworld to visit her father, then emerges, bringing morning with her.

Myths often serve as the foundation of narratives today. One of the biggest film franchises around today, Marvel, features Thor as a main character, with many of his movies featuring elements from Norse mythology, placed in contemporary society. Something that otherwise would not have reached such a wide audience is now a household name.

[vanwolffen]

I just got into reading the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

I really like the anime, Mappa's animators are incredible.

Buy I never really got into the manta because I don't enjoy the style. I don't even enjoy the story that much.

And I just got to chapter 136, where it says that Japan's is the only nation capable of training cursed users and energy.

And I hate it.

1, it goes against what is stated at the beginning of the manga, saying that cursed users are every day less and less.

And

2, it just shows the lack of research and understanding of the world.

The Caribbean, many countries in Africa, India, countries in South America, Mexico, Phillipines and many other countries on South East Asia. All of this are, to this day, are culturally rich, not only for traditions, but the rituals and mythologies they interweave into their mysticism.

The Loa and their curses that go from New Orleans and all the Caribbean. The Santeria used in Mexico and Latin America.

Magic and protection spells, curses. Necromancy. Monsters and creatures.

And the mangaka just says Middle East and America.

Wtf?

Shaman King showed way more respect than that.

Maybe this is a result of Japan becoming increasingly isolationist.

It is a true shame, when an author crafts a nice magic system, and it just says. "Oh, it only works here because we are special."

It reminds me of one particular someone in the United Kindgom.

[daphnaea]

tagalog mythology: anagolay

goddess of lost things

Requested by @harayaan-mo-sila

[dragoncreator312]

[mecthology]

The Tiyanak from Phillipine mythology.

Once it is picked up by an unfortunate passerby, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim. The tiyanak is also depicted to take malevolent delight in leading travelers astray, or in abducting children.

While various legends have slightly different versions of the tiyanak folklore, the stories all agree on its ability to mimic an infant, able to imitate an infant's cries for luring victims.

There are various stories on how tiyanaks came to be. The Mandaya people of Mindanao claim that the tiyanak is the spirit of a child whose mother died before giving birth. This caused it to be "born in the ground", thus gaining its current state.

With the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in the 16th century, the tiyanak myth was integrated into Catholicism. The tiyanak in the Catholic version were supposedly the souls of infants that died before being baptized.

It is also said that Tiyanak cannot go to the afterlife because of not having a name. This causes them to be Earth-bound creatures which wander around searching for someone to give them names.

In local belief, various countermeasures are supposedly effective against the tiyanak. Those that were led astray by the creature's cries are believed to be able to break the enchantment by turning their clothes inside out. The tiyanak finds the method humorous enough to let go of the traveler and go back to the jungles. Loud noises such as a New Year's celebration are also thought to be enough to drive the tiyanak away from the vicinity. Objects like garlic and the rosary, are also commonly believed to be effective against the tiyanak. It is also believed that giving a name to these lost souls will bring them peace, and offering a white candle will help guide its spirit to afterlife.

Follow @mecthology for more myths and lore. DM for pic credit or removal. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZUliaRPW_E/?utm_medium=tumblr

[lady-of-lyon]

Part 2 of my 20 goddess project. I hate to do this to you but tumblr is sucky with links, so if you want in-depth descriptions of the goddesses they're in my highlights on my insta, @lyon_ofthe_lounge. Check 'em out there!

[moontruffles]

The Ramenanggal

Why is Filipino mythology full of scary monsters?! Haha, I actually love the idea of manananggals because of how over-the-top freaky they are, but since I don’t draw bloody/gory stuff I wanted to put a cute twist on the idea. And since I’m always craving ramen, I figured this would be a fun mash-up!

[oliverdemersartist]

-Concept Sketch_2019_Berberoka-

With these, I picked a theme, and then worked on that theme to make character designs. This one based on Berberoka, a creature in Philippine mythology, also known by it's unofficial name "human trapper" and "master at hide and seek."

[angiyonglibulan]

SIDAPA X LIBULAN (Speedpaint)

Watch here: https://youtu.be/bm5oopy168Q

[littleshopofmysteries]

Marin: Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast

Tarzan - How did the place your muse grew up in affect them?

Living in the ocean with all its beautiful creatures and underwater flora, Marin was raised to appreciate and defend the waters that were her home. For her people, the Bayan Tubig, that was their purpose; and sirenas are the fierce warriors that are tasked to eliminate those who threaten it.

Thus, Marin was trained to be ruthless; to not hesitate to kill any who dared to encroach on the territory of her clan. At the same time, she was raised to the belief that humans are never to be trusted.

Unfortunately, she failed to adhere to that belief and was ousted from her clan - deemed a traitor and a disgrace and was left to die. This event has made Marin less devout to the her people's "divine purpose", but the teachings, especially in combat, still remain ingrained in her being. A part of her will forever care for the ocean that is... was her home; and her instincts in a fight are always kept sharp.

And though it is somewhat useless now that she lives among them , Marin bears a great deal of mistrust to humans - less so from the teachings of her people, but more from having been betrayed by one and seeing some truth to what she grew up with.

Beauty and the Beast - How has your muse changed as a person over their life? Have they changed for the better or for worse?

Marin believes she's fallen quite far from who she used to be. Disgraced, exiled, abandoned - she is no longer the proud sirena she was a year ago, and it burns. Before, she was rather calm and collected in her thoughts - able to handle herself well in stressful situations.

Now? Anything and everything sets her off. She is angry at her clan for abandoning her, at humanity for being so stubborn and selfish and naive, at herself for being so stupid. A part of her wishes she hadn't been saved by Rosie... but another (the part that actually is beginning to enjoy his new life; this second chance and opportunity to see and learn more of the world that lurked outside of the water) is grateful.