The Mythology of Bathala
The supreme deity of the precolonial Tagalogs
Bathala is the supreme deity of the early Tagalogs. It has been suggested that the word “Bathala” may have had Sanskrit origins (bhattra: venerable) or even Islamic origins (Bata-Allah: child of Allah).1 It is said that the phrase bahala na comes from Bathala. This is a phrase that refers to surrendering to the divine.2 “Bahala” consists of the syllables BA (babae, woman), HA (hangin, wind, spirit), and LA (lalaki, man), implying that God not only contains the range of human expression but they also transcend gendered limitations.3 In the Boxer Codex, early Tagalog priests were men in women’s clothing, described as “swishy” and almost indistinguishable from women.45 According to early Tagalog mythology, in the beginning, the sky was so low and Bathala was so large that the sun was right in his face. It burnt too brightly that he was forced to poke one of the sun’s eyes out to dim its light. And so when the world finally cooled, Bathala was able to push the sky to its current height.6 Bathala may have been further mythologized as Infinito Dios in folk Christian mythology, being the first god of the universe. They are represented by a cloaked eye and wings, floating in the heavens.7
Hislop, S.K. (1971). Anitism: A survey of religious beliefs native to the Philippines. Asian Studies, 9(2), 144-156.
Obusan, T. (2008). Obusan, T. (2008). Mystic or mistake: Exploring Filipino mysticism in Quiapo. Institute of Spirituality in Asia. Quezon City.
Donoso, I. (Ed.), García, M.L. (Trans.), Quirino, C. (Trans.), & García, M. (Trans.) (2022). Account of the pagan rites and ceremonies of the [Tagalog] indios of the Philippine islands. In Boxer Codex (2nd ed.). Vibal Foundation.
I had shared this with an organizer in the local queer community, who thought for a moment and reflected on its implications in reclaiming the term bakla (often considered a derogatory term for members of the LGBTQ community). As in BA (babae), KA (soul connection—two wavy lines, HA, connected by a line), and LA (lalaki). I think this is interesting, but the discourse continues, and we’re always open to hearing critical thoughts. Personally, I’ve never considered myself fully “straight”, and I am personally and intimately aware that love and beauty transcend a gender binary. Of course, I am not the best person to talk about this, and it’s hard to make concrete conclusions based on very limited pre-colonial resources.
Demetrio, F.R., Cordero-Fernando, G., & Zialcita, F.N. (1991). The soul book. GCF Books.
Villegas, D.S. (2017). You shall be as gods: Anting-anting and the Filipino quest for mystical power. Vibal.
This year, I came to know about the Yoruba religion, practiced in Africa. One of the Orisha’s (deities) is named Obatala - who was tasked to create the Earth. It’s interesting to see the similarities here as well.