62: BREAKING DAWN | Hanan, the Tagalog Goddess of the Dawn

It’s a new day, a new episode, and finally time to talk about Hanan, the long-overdue Tagalog goddess of dawn! She’s been there all along, ushering in the sunrise, bringing in the harvest, and very recently being recruited as the unofficial goddess of the New Year. But why do we know so little about her?

Join us as we uncover Hanan’s origins, from her celestial family (yes, she’s sisters with Mayari and Tala) to her often-overlooked role in Philippine mythology. We take a deep dive into the myth where she blinds the Bakunawa in a cosmic battle to save the moon, a tale that somehow feels like The Nutcracker meets True Blood. 

We also discuss how modern Filipinos have unofficially assigned her the job of goddess of fresh starts, why her PR team (if she had one) is seriously slacking, and how this forgotten dawn deity deserves a Sailor Moon-style transformation sequence (artists, we need you on this). 

✨ Start your day with us, a quiz, and a whole lot of mythological nerding out.

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The Gods Must Be Crazy is a podcast on Philippine Mythology hosted by friends Anama Dimapilis and Ice Lacsamana, avid mythology nerds and semi-professional gossips. Follow us over at @godsmustbecrazy.pod on Instagram and Facebook for more good stuff. We welcome any suggestions on future topics or episodes.  You can also join us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thegodsmustbecrazypodcast.

You can also find us on Youtube – Gods Must Be Crazy Podcast channel, where we post some of our episodes and interviews. For other inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

The intro and outro music is by Brian O’Reilly (@dendriform on Instagram).

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Sources:

"Exploring the Tagalog Story of Hanan in Philippine Mythology." Wars and History. 

"Hanan: The Morning Goddess." Mythlok. "Hanan." Treasury of Tagalog. Accessed January 23, 2025. URL: https://tagalogmyth.wixsite.com/treasuryoftagalog/hanan. 

"Hanan, Tagalog Goddess of Dawn + Full Moon in Scorpio." Hella Pinay.  

"Hanan (goddess)." EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki.  

"Philippine Mythology Gods and Goddesses: An Ultimate Guide." FilipiKnow.  

"Exploring Philippine Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of Tagalog Pantheon." Yodisphere.  

"Hanan | Facts, Information, and Mythology." Pantheon.org. URL: https://pantheon.org/articles/h/hanan.html. 

"Ancient Philippines: Rituals for Land, Weather and Sailing." The Aswang Project. URL: https://www.aswangproject.com/ancient-philippines-rituals/. 

"Religious Experiences and Spirituality: Indigenous Religions in Pre-colonial Philippines." Slideshare.net. URL: https://www.slideshare.net/indigenous-religions-philippines. 

"PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD: Philippine History." StudyLib. URL:  https://studylib.net/doc/pre-colonial-period-philippine-history. 

"Indigenous Religions of the Philippines: Preserving Ancient Beliefs." Pinas Culture. Accessed January 23, 2025. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapurna_(goddess) 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanan_(given_name)  

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27929190/#:~:text=Inspired%20by%20Philippine%20mythology%2C%20the,create%20ripples%20throughout%20the%20universe.