Bakunawa
The Bakunawa is a serpent-like dragon in Philippine mythology. It is believed to be the cause of eclipses, earthquakes, rains, and wind. The movements of the Bakunawa served as a geomantic calendar system for ancient Filipinos and were part of the rituals of the babaylan priestess. It is usually depicted with a characteristic looped tail and a single horn on the nose. It was generally believed to be a sea serpent, but is also variously believed to inhabit either the sky or the underworld.
Bakunawa pommels from Visayan tenegre swords | |
Grouping | Dragon |
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Similar entities | Sea serpent Phaya Naga Nāga Dragon (Asian) |
Region | Visayas and Bicol regions of the Philippines |
Philippines portal |
Due to increasing trade contacts with South Asia and the Indianization of Southeast Asia, the Bakunawa later became syncretized with the Nāga, Rahu, and Ketu of Hindu-Buddhist mythology.
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