Bululakaw - a Southeast Asian deity?

Abstract

Bululakaw is now regarded by Filipinos as a mythical bird, but in the past Bululakaw was worshipped as a god and not only by the people of the Philippines. There is a tradition told by the old people of Panay that Bululakaw was a god of the early Malay settlers of the islands. This tradition is corroborated by the Maragtas accounts as recorded by Father Tomas Santaren and Pedro Monteclaro.

According to the Maragtas of Santaren and Monteclaro, soon after the Borneans had acquired the island of Panay by barter from Marikudo, their leader, Datu Puti, told their priest Bangotbanwa to make an offering to their god Bululakaw and inquire from the god whether it was wise for them to stay in Sinogbohan or to move to another place. Bangotbanwa made the offering and after the ceremony he reported to Datu Puti that it was the wish of Bululakaw that they should establish their settlement in another place to the west of Sinogbuhan.

Accordingly, Datu Puti designated Datu Sumakwel to lead the job of exploration for this new place. Sumakwel took some companions on his biniday and sailed westward. They rounded the southern tip of Panay then sailed north-ward along the coast until they reached the mouth of a big river.