Manilatown Heritage Foundation presents…
Philippine Mythology
The Cultural Beliefs & Mythology of Pre-Colonial Philippines:
The Myths, The Magic, The Legends & The Creatures
Drawings by Jeanette Gandionco Lazam
This free guide is made possible through our Manilatown Archives, a program that stewards San Francisco's Manilatown community and the 1977 International Hotel Eviction legacy.
An Introduction to this Philippine Mythology Guide
Mythology piques a unique interest in all of us. Here at Manilatown, we want to welcome you into our stories of ancient deities, mystical creatures, and folk legends through the incredible work of International Hotel tenant Jeanette Gandionco Lazam.
In her artist statement, she shares, “In pre-colonial times and even decades after, the Philippine population in its entirety can be considered Indigenous with varying belief systems, languages, and customs that still thrive today.”
Jeanette goes on to share these insights, “Philippine Mythology also ties in with how and why the Filipino population during pre-colonial, colonial, and present-day understandings, endeavored to explain natural phenomena such as typhoons, floods, drought, sweltering heat waves, and the mystical creatures such as the Aswang, Mumu, Bakunawa, and Agta that scared little children and even adults.”
“I hope that everyone who visits the Philippine Mythology exhibit will walk away with more questions and a yearning to uncover how and why Philippine Mythology shaped Filipino history and belief systems.”
This Philippine mythology guide is a peek into our culture’s complex lore, sharing profound insights into our values and identity. You’ll not only see how our Indigenous myths shaped our ancestors’ worldview, but also how we represent the shared human experience through mythology. From rage to love to jealousy, these creatures, deities, and myths tell our cultural stories. We hope you enjoy it!
This is a small version of our complete art exhibition, with 54 stories, creatures, gods, and more. Download the full version here.
In our full Philippine mythology guide, you can learn about the other regions’ Indigenous practices, types of spirits and creatures, and a deeper exploration into the impacts of colonization. Your purchase of the full guide will also help us continue to steward Philippine culture here in San Francisco.
About Manilatown Heritage Foundation
Our three pillars of cultural stewardship, preservation, and celebration:
Manilatown Archives
This pillar highlights our educational programs, including our I-Hotel Historic Walking Tour and Annual Commemoration; our Manilatown Ancestral hands-on pre-colonial Philippine music, dance, crafts, language and culture workshops and classes; and Manilatown Ancestral Communities of Practice.
Manilatown Academy
It’s thanks to this pillar that this guide and the original exhibition exist! This part of our foundation includes all of our community commemorations; musical, theatrical, and spoken word performances; our popular Club Mandalay jazz nights; and visual art exhibitions.
Manilatown ArTs
As the stewards of San Francisco's Manilatown community and the 1977 International Hotel Eviction legacy, our organization maintains and makes accessible the Manilatown Archives of artifacts, media, documentation, and oral histories related to both historic Manilatown and today's Filipino community.
How to support us
Want to help preserve the legacy of Filipino culture in San Francisco—from intriguing mythology exhibits to our long-lasting fight for tenant and family rights? Here’s how to support our organization:
Thank you to the contributing artist, Jeanette Gandionco Lazam, our museum sponsors, the Aswang Project, and donors, who have all made this guide and our work possible.