10 Filipino Gods You Should Know

Short on time? Here are ten Filipino gods in one place. Most come from Tagalog tradition, with a few from the Visayas, since each region had its own beliefs.

• Bathala (Tagalog): the supreme creator god

• Apolaki (Tagalog): god of the sun and war

• Mayari (Tagalog): goddess of the moon

• Tala (Tagalog): goddess of the stars

• Aman Sinaya (Tagalog): goddess of the sea and protector of fishermen

• Amihan (Tagalog): the gentle northeast wind, often pictured as a bird

• Lakapati (Tagalog): deity of fertility and agriculture

• Kaptan (Visayan): god of the sky

• Magwayen (Visayan): goddess of the sea and the souls of the dead

• Sidapa (Visayan): god of death

Where to go next

Each of these figures has its own stories, rivalries and symbols. The Visayan legend of the Bakunawa, the serpent who swallowed the moons, is a great place to start.

Wear the story

See these legends as wearable art. Shop the Bakunawa designs. UGAT means roots. Know yours.