Bakunawa

Evil-doer
Full Name	Bakunawa
Alias	Vakonawa Baconaua Bakonaua (all spelling variations) The Dragon That Swallows The Moon The Moon Eater The Moon Dragon The Dragon Philippine Moon-Eating Dragon Philippine Moon Dragon Moon-Eating Dragon Rahu (indirectly; due to the Indianization of the Philippines) Satan (indirectly; due to the Christianization of the Philippines)
Origin	Filipino mythology
Occupation	God Adversary of the Gods Devourer of the Moons (all dependent on region)
Powers / Skills	Giant monster physiology Giant dragon physiology Giant snake physiology Titanic size Infinite stomach capacity Supernatural durability Immortality Flight Size manipulation Island mimicry (both dependent on version)Intimidation
Goals	Devour the Seven Moons (succeeded with the first six; failed with the last one)
Crimes	Reckless endangerment Criminal damage Disturbing the peace Public nuisance
Type of Villain	Symbolic Devourer

The Bakunawa, known for being the Moon Eater or The Dragon That Swallows The Moon, is one of the main antagonists of Filipino mythology.

An incredibly Visayan "god" (according to some), the Bakunawa was a celestial, dragon-like serpent believed to be so large that it could devour entire moons, causing eclipses in the process. Its 4 supposed movements were said to have marked certain periods of the year, with each one representing a set of 3 months out of the total 12; these were used as a geomantic calendar by ancient Filipinos, with babaylan shamans utilizing them as part of their rituals, too.

Due to the Philippines' already diverse culture experiencing the influence of both neighboring and distant nations, the Bakunawa legend has had many variations over the years, with some even syncretizing the mythical beast with entities such as the Indian Rahu, Ketu, or the Tagalog Laho.

History

Origins

It's believed that the Bakunawa as a belief came into existence around the time before or during the Vedic period as a result of indigenous mythopoeia and/or Indian influences on the culture and folklore of the Philippine archipelago. From the Indianization angle, some believe that native Filipinos adopted the idea of Rahu and Ketu from foreign trade partners, causing it to evolve into the Bakunawa. From the indigenous mythopoeia perspective, however, it's believed that the Austronesian peoples (who serve as ancestors to modern Filipinos) simply brought their conceptions of moon-eating serpents that could be warded off by sound from whence they came.

Nevertheless, it's still worth noting that experts, to this day, debate upon which origin story is the bonafide, ultimate truth, though most agree that a mixture of both is the simplest answer.

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