#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.

[dollelujah]

"I may not know anything about the Phillipines, or their mythology, or monster high, but I do know one thing: talking out of my ass"

[theblasianwitch]

!!Happy Appreciate a Dragon Day!!

For my post on a summary of dragons please click here Dragons around the world: Part 1 and Part 2

Now, let's appreciate some dragons!!

My Top 10

Aido-Hwedo: Rainbow Serpent of West Africa

2. Apophis of Egypt

3. Kukulkan or Quetzalcoatl of Mesoamerica

4. Ryujin of Japan

5. Vritra of India

6. Nidhogg of Norse Mythology

7. La Tarasque of France

8. Ninka Nanka of the West African swamps

9. Boitata of Brazil

10. Bakunaua of the Phillipines

!!Happy Appreciate a Dragon Day!!

[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!)

[kindhearted-healer]

Speaking of fairytales- you sorta remind of the Panigotlo (White deer from philippine mythology)

Basically, they're messengers from the gods and a pet of the supreme god Gamhanan. In one of the stories, they lured hunters away from the forest animals using themselves as bait! Fits you quite well, huh?

Oh, what a nice tale!

Phillipine mythology… I imagine there are more stories than this, right? I wish the library had some books I could read to learn more.

I really like the Panigotlo!

I hope I can protect everyone else like them, too.

[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.

[daphnaea]

tagalog mythology: anagolay

goddess of lost things

Requested by @harayaan-mo-sila

[dragoncreator312]

[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."

[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.