Lakan Bakod: The Tagalog Lord of Fences
Every farmer knows a field is only as safe as its fence. The early Tagalogs gave that job a guardian: Lakan Bakod, whose name literally means "lord of the fence."
Who Is Lakan Bakod?
Lakan Bakod (also written Lakambakod) appears in Pedro de San Buenaventura's 1613 Tagalog dictionary as a protector of planted fields. Offerings, including eels according to the dictionary entry summarized by historian William Henry Scott, were made to him when new swidden fields were fenced, so his fences would be the strongest.
Why He Matters
Lakan Bakod shows how practical Tagalog spirituality was. Deities were tied to real work like clearing, planting and protecting crops from animals. The title lakan was also used for high-ranking Tagalog nobles, so his name carries a sense of authority.
Fact, Legend and Modern Retellings
Lakan Bakod is one of the better-documented minor Tagalog deities because he comes from a dictionary entry rather than a modern retelling. Elaborate family trees attached to him online are not found in the early sources.
Explore More Tagalog Deities
New to Philippine mythology? Start with our guide, Filipino Mythology for Beginners.
Sources
Pedro de San Buenaventura, Vocabulario de lengua tagala (1613)
William Henry Scott, Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society (Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1994)
The Aswang Project (aswangproject.com), source comparisons for Philippine deities
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