Ancient Filipinos have a special connection to nature. They believe that everything around them, as well as the seasons and time itself, are connected by a supernatural force.
A good example of this were the Tausug who believed that people can foretell the future based on natural events such as earthquakes, lunar or solar eclipse, comets and even the shape of the rainbow.
There were also the Tagalog who considered birds, lizards and snakes as divine messengers. The collective term they used for these animals was manuk. They believe that it is an omen if they crossed paths with these animals while on a journey. Salubong is the term they use for such encounters.
One particular omen bird of the Tagalog was called tigmamanukan. They say that if this bird flew from right to left when they are about to go on a journey, it was giving them a sign that they will be successful in whatever they are about to do. However, when the tigmamanukan flew from left to right, it was a warning that they would never return. When this happens, the Tagalog people will not continue their journey.
Ancient Filipinos also believed that even when they don’t directly see their Gods and Goddesses, these deities leave signs of their existence in nature. Every time people need to do a decision or every time they want to predict what will happen soon, they ask for the help of baylans and other mortals blessed with supernatural powers.
There are different methods used by these people to predict the future. The oldest and the most common was by reading the stars in the sky. Fortunetelling by reading the lines in the palm of the hand has also been practiced since the early times. Moreover, they had a method called Luknit, in which the Baylan uses four crocodile teeth or a boar’s tusks. The Manobo tribe, meanwhile, had what they call ‘egg divination’ in which a fresh egg is broken in two and the contents gently emptied into a plate or bowl. The future is said to be favorable if the white and the yolk remained separated. If they mixed or if the egg was rotten, the omen is believed to be evil to the extreme.
On the other hand, people of the early time without special abilities had different ways to do predictions. This is by observing the omen spirits, animals that were believed to be messengers of Gods and Goddesses. In numerous folktales and urban legends, the omen spirits appear as a type of bird that gives warning for an impending danger, tragedy and even death.
The ancient people of Bontok, for example, believed that when a flock of paong (white heron) appears, it means that a heavy storm is coming. In Ifugao, when a person meets in the road a pitpit (a small bird with black and white feathers) he was required to stop and tell the bird his destination and why he was going there. It was a good sign if the pitpit flies away to one side or in a forward direction. But if it flies backwards along the path and emitting a sharp cry, it is a very bad omen. When this happens the person will probably return home and postpone his journey for another day.
In Kalinga there is something called Idaw, which means ‘omen calls’. This is the term used for the sounds coming from omen spirits. This has the same concept as the Mandaya omen bird called Limokon. If this sacred bird coos ahead of someone about to leave the house, it means that the Limokon is warning the person of the danger that awaits him. There is also a bird in folktales called Pahaw, that warns people when it was about to rain by singing.
It is noticeable how most omen birds give warning about natural disasters and change in season. However, there are omen birds that ancient people feared. These omen spirits bring terrifying premonitions. In Davao Del Norte, when the bird pilik-pilik, makes a sound at night, it means something bad is happening such as a killing or a violent fight. In Cagayan de Oro City a sound coming from the bird Pungaw is a sign that a death will happen. In Bukidnon, it was believed that meeting a crow is bad. Worst if there is a flock of crows flying from patayan (location of death) to another. It predicts that very soon a dead from another barrio will pass the town on its way to its home barrio.
In today’s Philippines very few people still practice or even believe in the ancient ways of foretelling the future. Not only that but most of the omen birds mentioned in urban legends from different provinces cannot be seen in present time anymore. Still it is very interesting to learn about how our forefathers commune with nature. It might give us inspiration and motivation to love and take care of the natural word the Creator made even before the first man appeared on earth.