The Gods Must Be Crazy: A Philippine Mythology Podcast

49: HE WILL ROCK  YOU | Bernardo Carpio, the Lost Hero of the Tagalogs In this seismic episode, we're cracking open the legend of Bernardo Carpio, the mythical giant (or man-sized hero, depending on who you ask) whose shrugs supposedly cause earthquakes. From his tangled roots in forbidden love to his epic showdowns, Carpio's story is more than just a tale – it's a tectonic narrative o...

48: CACAO ME MAYBE | Maria Cacao, the Golden Ship-bourne Goddess of Mount Lantoy  In the last of our “Walang Kamatayan” Series, we take a delicious detour into the land of chocolate with Maria Cacao.  Brace yourselves for a mystical ride with Maria Cacao, the goddess with a penchant for golden ships and chocolatey ventures. This episode sails through the legend of Maria Cacao – from her curious Sp...

47: MARRY MY DEAD BODY | Ghost Marriage Practices Around the World We’ve all heard stories of love living on after death, but is it possible for love to BEGIN after death? In this episode, we veer slightly off the beaten path and explore the little-known practice of Ghost Marriage. Finding its roots in ancient China and India, you would be surprised to learn that the practice still lives on in var...

46: UNDER THE SEA | Magwayen, the Hiligaynon Goddess of the Underworld and of the Sea Talk about a career shift!  How does a Goddess who co-created humanity (the first ever collab) end up being a psychopomp and ruler of the underworld?  What in pre-colonial Visayan belief would make you end up in the “good place,” and what do crocodiles have to do with it? In this episode, we learn about Magwayen’...

45: MY EYES ARE UP HERE | Mebuyan, Bagobo Goddess of Death & Chief of the Underworld She’s more than just a pretty face… and a body covered in breasts. In this episode, we make our first foray into the deep and rich mythology of the Bagobo people. In another installment of our Walang Kamatayang Mini-Season, we cover Mebuyan, the Goddess of Death, and Chief of the Bagobo underworld. She is the bein...

KOZY KWENTO EP 2: My Son-in-Law, The Devil | Philippine Folktale Retelling What do you do when the devil himself wants your daughter’s hand for marriage? Enter a protective mother, a vagabond with gambling problems, a princess with the strongest migraine (but without any speaking lines), and hijinks ensue. In this Kozy Kwento episode, we cover the Kapampangan folktal of “The Devil and the Guanchin...

44: NOT TODAY, SITAN | Sitan, The Tagalog God of Death in Philippine Folklore At the moment of death, where did the pre-colonial Tagalogs think they would go, who would decide where they would go, what kind of reptilian psychopomp would ferry them there, and who will rule in their village of rest (or grief)?   These and many other questions will be answered in this week’s episode.  This October, w...

43: KNOCK KNOCK | ANG KUMAKATOK, The Death Messengers of Philippine Folklore What do you do when there’s a mysterious set of knocks on your door in the middle of the night? Don’t answer it, for it may just be a portent of death.  This October, we’re covering the different beings and entities representing Death in Philippine mythology, folklore, and urban legends. In this first episode, we’re cover...

As we gear up for the spooky season, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes. Here's one where we learn about the death & burial practices of our pre-colonial ancestors in Visayas and Mindanao, and how your social class could impact your fate after death. Enjoy! --- EPISODE 13: MUMMY MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN (PART 2) | Death, Burial and the Afterlife in Pre-Colonial Philippines  As...

As we gear up for the spooky season, we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes. Here's one where we learn about the Philippine's own 'The Mummy Returns', the beliefs behind the manunggul jars and why the hanging coffins of Sagada exist. Enjoy! --- In this episode (Part 1 of 2!) we jump back in time and learn about how our pre-colonial ancestors practiced their beliefs arou...

42: TRUE LIES | The Modern Myth of the Tasaday Tribe What happens when sinister forces try their hand at modern mythmaking?  In this episode, we learn about the Tasaday tribe – the stone-age tribe that was “discovered” in the 70s that put the Philippines on the map as one of the last undiscovered ancient societies.   Learn about what journalists, anthropologists, and gossip mongerers of the day di...

41: SIZE DOESN’T MATTER | The Duwende & Nuno sa Punso - PART 2 (Philippine Dwarfs or Earth Goblins) We love our short kings. In this two-part feature, we finally get to cover the much-requested duwende and nuno sa punso, or the dwarfs & earth goblins of Philippine folklore. Known as guardians of the earth and its liminal spaces, their diminutive stature does not take away from the fear &am...

40: TALKING TO THE MOON | Mayari, Goddess of the Moon (Tagalog and Kapampangan) Once in a blue moon, we post about our Filipino Gods and Goddesses.   In this episode, we talk about Mayari, the most beautiful and fierce goddess of the moon, her origins, the legend of why the moon rules the night with a slightly dimmer glow, and why you really can’t trust siblings to fight it out.  Also, learn along...

39: SHORT KINGS | The Duwende & Nuno sa Punso (Philippine Dwarfs or Earth Goblins) We love our short kings. In this two-part feature, we finally get to cover the much-requested duwende and nuno sa punso, or the dwarfs & earth goblins of Philippine folklore. Known as guardians of the earth and its liminal spaces, their diminutive stature does not take away from the fear & respect they c...

KOZY KWENTO EP 1: How the Crocodile Learned to Hunt | Philippine Folktale Retelling In this short but sweet first episode of our Kozy Kwento series, learn about how the crocodile learned to hunt (plus a bonus mini-story!). Note: As this is oral tradition, some details may not be consistent with all the different versions of the tale. If there’s a different version of the story you know, please do...

38: TAAL TALES | The Legends and Stories of Taal, the World’s Smallest Active Volcano Did you know that the world’s smallest active volcano is found in the heart of the Philippines?  Learn about the different myths of Taal Volcano, about its recent volcanic activity, and the many mystical reasons folks flock to view it over and over and over again.    In this shorty, we delve into not just the tal...

37: DARK HORSE | The Tikbalang: Half-Man, Half-Horse How did a country with no indigenous horses end up with a mythical half-man half-horse cryptid as a central character in its mythology? In this episode, we discuss the Tikbalang, one of the major characters in Filipino mythology and horror pop culture. Find out why it is essential to know how to quickly flip your outfit in the middle of the fore...

36: TELENOVELA AS OLD AS TIME | Part 2 of 2 - The Adventures of Humadapnon (A Suludnon Epic) Beware the island of a thousand beautiful maidens! In this two-part episode, we follow the adventures of Humadapnon, another epic from the island of Panay. Who comes to Humadapnon’s rescue? None other than the beautiful Binukot - Nagmalitong Yawa. In the second part of this journey, we cover: a wedding, an...

35: DON’T THREATEN ME WITH A GOOD TIME | Part 1 of 2 - The Adventures of Humadapnon (A Suludnon Epic) Beware the island of a thousand beautiful maidens! In this two-part episode, we follow the adventures of Humadapnon, another epic from the island of Panay.  Follow along as we recount Humadapnon’s Odyssey-like journey: from the travails of life as a lonely bachelor, the brutal way he trains his br...

34: KEEP IT IN YOUR BAHAG | The Hinilawod (The Three Brothers of Panay - Suludnon Epic) In this episode, we cover the longest recorded epic in the Philippines: the much-requested epic tale called the Hinilawod, which recounts the adventures of The Three Brothers of Panay. Join us as we recount the story of how the epic was discovered and recorded in the hidden mountain villages of the Sulod in Pan...

33: I WHALE ALWAYS LOVE YOU | The Butanding (Philippine Whaleshark) In this episode, we learn about the ancestor of all sea life, the gentle giant, the largest fish in the whole world, and one of our very favorite animals – the whaleshark.  A frequent visitor to the Philippines, the whaleshark has inspired legends from all around the world and we tackle some of them here.  Learn about random whale...

32: THE GODS MUST BE FIGHTING | Sinukuan & the Gods of Kapampangan Mythology, Part 2 In this episode, we learn about the creation myths of the early Kapampangans, the pantheon of Kapampangan gods, and dive into theories of who exactly Sinukuan could have been in Luzon’s pre-hispanic history. Find out how a conference of gods that couldn’t stick to their agenda led to the creation of the earth,...

31: NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP | Sinukuan & the Gods of Kapampangan Mythology, Part 1 In this episode, we learn about Sinukuan, the Sun God of War and Death for the Kapampangan people and how the whims and follies of gods can (literally) move mountains. We also learn about the origins and legends surrounding Mount Arayat, a mystical mountain in the heart of Pampanga, and what could possibly connect i...

This CNY eve, we’re revisiting the super fun episode where we talked about Filipino-Chinese beliefs around the Lunar New Year. We hope you get rich!! 🤑 —- EPISODE 17: I HOPE YOU GET RICH | Filipino-Chinese New Year Beliefs, Practices & Superstitions In this (semi-cross-over) episode, we discuss the fascinating practices and beliefs of the huge Filipino-Chinese community, especially during the Chi...

30: THE ANTI-HERO | The Babaylan Part 3 of 3 Uncover the powerful history of the Babaylan, the ancient Filipino tribal figure who served as a bridge to the spirit world, herbalist, and healer. Join us as we explore the qualifications of becoming a Babaylan, why they were typically women and sometimes trans women, and their societal roles. And most especially how these roles changed from Hero to An...