Diwata
In Filipino mythology , a Diwata or Lambana is a being that can be compared to a fairy or nymph . The Diwata is mostly female, but can also be male.
properties
The Diwata are said to inhabit large trees, such as acacias or baletas . They are the guardians of nature, who bring blessings or curses on those who do good or harm to forests and mountains. They are described as perfect, god-like creatures who protect and maintain the territory for which they feel responsible.
The term is a Filipino way of speaking for the word devadha from Sanskrit , which in turn is derived from the word deva and means something like divine being .
It is said that if they are interested in a person, they would also get involved with mortal people at times. You draw their attention to yourself by bringing them food, which, however, must not be salted. If you like someone, take them with you and offer them a variety of foods. However, those who try it will never return to their world.
species
A male Diwata is also known as Engkanto (sometimes also pronounced Encanto or Encantado ) and lives mostly in the sea. It is customary for Filipino fishermen to offer them meat and other delicacies after a successful catch by sinking them into the sea.
In other parts of the Philippines the Diwata are deities who, according to Greek mythology , are hierarchically structured in a world of gods. Some of these deities are:
- Bathala (also known by the names Kabunian, Malayari, Apo and Lumawi ) is the ruler of heaven,
- Amanikable , the ruler of the sea,
- Dian Masalanta , the god of love,
- Apolake (or Adlaw ), god of the sun ,
- Mayari (or Bulan in other areas), the deity of the moon ,
- Tala , deity of the stars and
- Anitan , guardian of lightning.
Well-known Diwata
- Maria Makiling - the guardian of Mount Makiling in Laguna Province . It is the most famous diwata in the Philippines. She protects the mountain and everything that is on it. The nearby Laguna de Bay is also said to be part of their sanctuary, as some people believe they protect the fish in this lake.
It is said before her that she is very graceful, has olive skin, long black hair and a white flowing dress. She is connected to the fog that surrounds the mountain. The inhabitants of this area say that the mountain itself resembles Maria and when a man disappears into the woods of the mountain, it is said that Maria fell in love with him and made him her husband.
- Maria Sinukuan - the deity of Mount Arayat in Pampanga Province . Like Maria Makiling, she keeps an eye on everything that lives and grows on her mountain. She guards the forest, the animals, plants and fields. Her appearance is also very similar to that of Maria Makiling. It is said that she has black but curly hair, beautiful, flawless skin and a graceful face. She also wears a long, wise robe and is inextricably linked to the volcanic mountain and its surroundings.
- Maria Cacao - Another deity associated with a mountain is Maria Cacao. Together with her husband Mangao, she is connected to Mount Lantoy on Cebu. According to myth, she lives with her husband in a cave with a coconut field in front of their entrance. A nearby river on the mountain is used by the two to travel their fields on golden ships. If they are on their way, this can be recognized by the fact that the river is flooding.
Modern representations
- In a comic by Gener Pedrina for Sanduguan Universe, the heroine is a diwata named Maria Klarissa Valiente, half human and half encantada.
- In the Filipino fantasy television series Encantadia and Mulawin from the Filipino production company GMA Network, Diwatas are a group of people with supernatural abilities who inhabit a dimension above the human world.
- Maria Cacao, Ang Diwata ng Cebu (Maria Cacao, the fairy of Cebu) is a children's book by Rene O. Villanueva, with illustrations by Joaquin Hernandez, about the saga of the fairy of Argao, Cebu, written in Tagalog and English. Published by Lampara Publishing House, Manila. ISBN 9715180302 .
- In the youth novel series: "Diwata Licht & Schatten" by Lexy v. Golden, Diwatas are described as "beings of light" with magical superpowers, which form the opposite pole to the "shadow masters", the Aswang.