BAKUNAWA

 


BAKUNAWA 


The legend of Bakunawa comes from ancient Philippine mythology, especially among the Visayan people. Bakunawa is described as a gigantic serpent or dragon that lived in the sea. Long ago, the moon was said to be very beautiful and there were originally seven moons in the sky.


Bakunawa became fascinated and jealous of their brightness. Because of this envy, the dragon rose from the ocean and swallowed six of the seven moons. The people were terrified as darkness covered the earth each time a moon disappeared. When Bakunawa tried to swallow the last remaining moon, the villagers worked together. They made loud noises by beating drums, pots, and bamboo to scare the dragon away.


The noise frightened Bakunawa, causing it to release the moon back into the sky. This belief became the explanation for eclipses—whenever an eclipse happened, people would say that Bakunawa was trying to swallow the moon again.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS


The story of Bakunawa reflects how early Filipinos explained natural phenomena such as eclipses through mythology. Before scientific knowledge about astronomy, communities created symbolic stories to make sense of what they observed in the sky.


Bakunawa represents destructive emotions like jealousy and greed. Its desire to own the moons led to darkness and fear. This can be interpreted as a moral lesson warning people about the dangers of envy.


Another important theme is unity. The villagers were able to save the last moon because they worked together. This highlights the Filipino value of cooperation and bayanihan.


Overall, the legend of Bakunawa is more than just a fantasy tale. It shows creativity in explaining nature, teaches moral lessons, and reflects cultural values that remain important even today.

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