Courtesy of SkySoft Entertainment
by Daniel Andrade
With the recent announcement of SkySoft’s first feature film being developed, many were excited about the potential for Mayari. But did you know that Mayari is named after an actual goddess from Filipino mythology? While many of us may be familiar with the mythology of ancient Egypt (like Anubis), ancient Greece (Zeus and Athena, for example), and even Norse mythology (thanks to fan-favorite Avenger Thor and his father Odin), the deities of the Philippines are not as well known. With that in mind, I thought it would be a great idea to do a crash-course in these fascinating gods and goddesses to prepare us for what to expect in Mayari.
Before moving on, it’s important to note one thing. Due to the nature of folklore, it’s not uncommon for these stories to have slight alterations or distinctions depending on the region where they are coming from. And even within one region itself, there are still sometimes variations within the story. In particular, when researching the mythology of the Philippines, I discovered different versions of these stories from the Tagalog, Kapampangan, Sambal, and Visayan people, just to name a few. Please note that for the majority of this analysis, we’ll be looking at the Tagalog version of these stories. But it is certainly worth looking into the various versions of the stories of these deities and noting what makes each region’s version unique.
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Let’s start at the beginning. According to Tagalog religious beliefs, the universe was created by the supreme deity Bathala, also known as Bathala the Creator or Bathala the Almighty. Thus, he is considered “the grand conserver of the universe - the caretaker of nature and the creatures of the Earth.” He is generally considered a kind and loving god, even going so far as spoiling humanity by providing them with everything they need and more. This caring and affectionate personality extended to his children, whom he was very fond of. In particular, he loved his children that were born of a mortal woman (not much is known unfortunately about who this woman is): his son, Apolaki, and his three daughters, Tala, Hana (also known as Hanan), and Mayari.
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In Tagalog mythology, Tala is considered the goddess of the evening star. She is also credited with the creation of the traditional Tagalog constellations and used the stars to help guide boats to safety at night. Her sister Hana is known as the goddess of the morning or dawn. This has been interpolated to mean the dawn of a new chapter in life, like the birth of a child, entering adulthood, the beginning of the harvest season, and other such occasions. As a result, Hana is often presented with prayers and offerings in hopes that these occasions will be bountiful and successful.
As for Mayari, she is the goddess of the moon and has often been described as the most beautiful deity in Bathala’s court. She is also known as the goddess of combat, war, revolution, hunt, weaponry, beauty, strength, and night; with such a diverse and powerful reputation like that, it’s no wonder she was chosen as the namesake for this film! Along with her brother Apolaki, it is said that she was born with eyes so bright that they served as a light for the world.
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When Bathala eventually died, both Apolaki and Mayari wanted to rule the world in his place. Apolaki believed that as a man, he had the rightful claim to the world. Mayari was insulted by such a statement and told him “I am no less my father’s child than you. I will succeed him to his throne!” Eventually, they fought each other fiercely with clubs, which led to Apolaki hitting Mayari in the face so hard that she became completely blind in one eye. When Apolaki saw what he had done, he was shocked and full of guilt and apologized to his sister. They then decided they would rule the world together, though at different times. Thus, Apolaki is known as the god of the sun who reigns over the world in the day, bathing the Earth with bright and warm light with his two eyes, and as previously stated, Mayari is the goddess of the moon, and can only provide half the light and warmth due to her having only one good eye.
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One final god worth talking about is Sitan, the god of Kasanaan (the underworld) and keeper of its souls. You might notice that his name is reminiscent of Satan, which also shares a name with the Muslim word for demon or devil, “shayatin” or “shaitan.” While he may be the god of the underworld, he is not a being of pure evil and has actually aided mankind before, though admittedly it was for selfish reasons, since if mankind was annihilated, he would no longer serve a purpose. Interestingly, Sitan is often never cited alone, and there is mention of four mortal agents that do his dirty work on Earth. They are Manggagaway (the healer and killer and cause of disease), Mansisilat (the homewrecker), Mangkukulam (a powerful witch and bringer of fire), and finally Hukluban (an incredibly powerful shape-shifter).
Much like the incredibly epic stories found in ancient Greek and Egyptian folklore, the mythology of the Philippines is rich and varied and full of fascinating stories that deserve to be shared. The deities mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg, and there is much more to dive into! I highly recommend you all read more about the many other gods cited in the sources used for this article, and to also dig into the mythology and folklore of other cultures because it provides a captivating look into the way our ancestors viewed and understood the world.
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