Alunsina

ALUNSINA
VIRGIN GODDESS OF THE EASTERN SKIES

A prominent goddess in the Panay Pantheon of Gods, Alunsina also called “ Laun-Sina” is considered to be

Alunsina portrayed by Crystal Maria Esmero-Oliva
Hinilawod Play 2010
Photo Credit Chito Zubiri, MD
http://hinilawod.com/

the virgin goddess of the eastern skies and the wife of Tungkung Langit (“Pillar of Heaven”). In a version of the Creation Myth found in the Panay Island of the Visayas. Alunsina’s name has been translated as the “Unmarried One”, “ The One from Foreign skies” and “ One who is Foreign”, these names connotes her title as a goddess of the heavens, as she is considered as a foreigner who came from the east (some say northern direction) before the world came into being.
Alunsina was believed to be also a goddess of astounding beauty, but she was also presented to be quite lazy, and would prefer combing her long, silky, black tresses than do any actual work in the creation myth.

In Hinilawod, a Visayan epic poem from the

Alunsina as portrayed by Joyce Ching
GMA Network's Indio, 2013
Photo Credit: Dencio Isungga

Suludnon tribe of Panay, Alunsina is believed to be the virgin goddess who came from Kaptan, a sister of Lihangin born after his demise, and was cared for by the Sky God so much that he protected her chastity from wandering eyes until she reached adulthood. Many gods sought the beautiful goddess, the most aggressive of the suitors was Maklium-sa-t’wan, the earthly god of the plains, Alunsina however, fell in love and chose a human husband named Datu Paubari.

GODDESS OF THE EASTERN SKIES
Despite her conflicting origins, Alunsina was worshipped as one of the major deities in the Panayanon pantheon. She was regarded as the goddess of the eastern skies that brings in the light of the sun and cool winds during hot days of the dry season, she was also said to be a guardian against strong typhoons and of beauty and marriage, it was also said that she was the patron goddess of women especially single women and virgins, lovers, housewives and brides.
She was mostly venerated by young girls entering womanhood, due to her part in myths as being a virgin goddess herself before she was married, and they pray to her that she may help them find the right husband for them when they are of age to marry. In ancient Ilonggo housewives, Alunsina was a symbol or marital fidelity and a patroness against hidden affairs, and wives would pray to her that she will keep their husbands faithful and avoid them from straying or going away with other women in secret. There was an ancient belief among ancient Ilonggo farmers that when a wife would feed the husband’s beast of burden, usually a carabao, with grass blessed by the babaylan in her name, the creature will lead the wife to where her husband and his hidden mistress have built their lovenest.

Alunsina in GMA Network's Indio, 2013
Sketch artist: James/Squeegool
http://squeegool.deviantart.com/

EVOLUTION OF IMPORTANCE THROUGH SPANISH INFLUENCE
Alunsina’s popularity dwindled with the coming of the Spanish to the island of Panay, her worship and veneration was replaced by the veneration of the Holy Mother Mary of Catholic Christians and many Panayanons were baptized to the religion. However, unlike most gods of the Visayan pantheons, her fame and worship did not dissolve completely, since there are still some Sulodnon living in the mountains, untouched by modern civilization and religious reformation,therefore they continue on with their culture and customs. Thus Alunsina was saved and preserved not only through the mythical stories of yore, but also in the pantheon worshipped by Sulodnon families of Panay, who until now, continue the fight against modernism and Western influence.

Alunsina with Tungkung Langit
adapted by F. Landa Jocano in Outline of Philippine Mythology
 (Manila: Centro Escolar University Research and Development Center, 1969).
http://kalisnglawin.blogspot.com/2009/10/myth-of-creation-panay-visayas.html

Creation Myth Variant 1: Tunkung Langit and Alunsina

The Story of Tunkung Langit and Alunsina  

(a folklore from Panay)

Once upon a time when the earth was but a shapeless, formless void appeared the god called Tungkung Langit (“ Pillar of Heaven”) and the virgin goddess of the eastern skies, Alunsina (“ The Unmarried One”).
The old Visayan folklore states that Tungkung Langit fell in love with Alunsina. After he had courted her for many years, they married and made their home in the highest part of heaven. There the water was always warm and the breeze was forever cool, not a bad weather was in sight, and the couple was happy. In this place in the heavens, order and regularity began.

Tungkung Langit was a loving, hard-working god. He wanted to impose order over the confused world. He decided to arrange the world so that the heavenly bodies would move regularly. On the other hand, Alunsina was a lazy, jealous, selfish goddess. She sat at the window of their home all day doing nothing but brush her long beautiful hair. Sometimes she would leave her home, sit down by a pool near the door, and comb her long, jet-black hair all day long. One day Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would be away for some time. He said he must make time go on smoothly and arrange everything in the world and did not return for a long time. Alunsina thought he was off to see a lover, so she summoned the breeze to spy on Tungkung Langit. Tungkung Langit caught the spying breeze and he became very angry with Alunsina. After he returned home, he told her that it was ungodly of her to be jealous since there were no other gods in the world except the two of them.
Alunsina resented this reproach, and they quarreled all day. In his anger, Tungkung Langit drove his wife away. And with that, Alunsina suddenly disappeared, without a word or a trace to where she went. A few days passed, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely and longed for his wife. He realized that he should not have lost his temper. But it was too late, Alunsina is gone.  Their home which was once vibrant with Alunsina's sweet voice, his home became cold and desolate. In the morning when he woke up, he would find himself alone. In the afternoon when he came home, he would feel loneliness creeping deep within him.

For months Tungkung Langit lived in utter desolation. Try as he did he could not find Alunsina. And so in his desperation, he decided to do something to forget his sorrow and win back his wife’s favor. So he came down to earth and planted trees and flowers that she may notice it, but she still didn’t come home. Then in desperation, he took his wife's jewels and scattered them in the sky. He hoped that when Alunsina should see them she might be induced to return home.
Alunsina's necklace became the stars, her comb the moon, and her crown the sun. But in spite of all his efforts, Alunsina did not return home. Until now, as the story goes, Tungkung Langit lives alone in his palace in the skies and sometimes, he would cry out for Alunsina and his tears would fall down upon the earth as rain and his loud voice, calling out for his wife, was believed to be the thunder during storms, begging for her to come back to their heavenly palace once more.