Manaul

The Manaul bird is a fascinating creature from Philippine folklore. Stories about Manaul have been passed down through generations, capturing the imagination of many people in the Philippines. There are at least four different tales that tell of this mysterious bird.

Besides its place in folklore, the name "Manaul" is also used for two large and impressive eagle species found in the Philippines. These are the majestic Philippine eagle and the white-bellied sea eagle. Both birds are known for their powerful presence and are important symbols in the natural world of the Philippines.

Panay Manaul

A Manaul bird was mentioned in the Code of Kalantiaw, a sacred code from the island of Panay. According to this document, the killing of this bird was very serious and not allowed. People believed this idea came from a time when the Confederation of Madja-as was in charge.

Mangyan Manaul

In Mangyan and Negrito folklore, Manaul was a wrathful king who was once imprisoned by King Tubluck Lawi. After escaping, he revolted against all gods and spirits. He was punished by Kaptan, who threw rocks at him. The rocks missed Manaul and created islands where he rested and lived in peace.

Tagalog Manaul

In Tagalog folklore, the bird named "Manaul" was sent by the god Bathala. This bird, also called a tigmamanukan, pecked on a piece of bamboo. When it pecked, the bamboo split open and out came the first man, Malakas, and the first woman, Maganda. After this, Manaul flew again from right to left, which was seen as a good sign that it was safe to continue. Some stories say that Manaul was the bird form of Amihan, the deity of peace.

Bisaya Manaul

In Bisaya folklore, Manaul is a king who guided destinies. He once made the earth and sky fight in a big war. When he got tired of the war, he grabbed rocks from the deep ocean and threw them onto the sea, creating islands.