Adlao: The Jovial Golden god and the Radiant Sun

Adlao, the Bicolano god of the sun, is a primordial deity associated with sunlight, heat, and good harvest in Ibalong. Representing vitality and life-giving energy from the sun, In the Sky world he is decpited as having body of gold but whenever he descends to earth Adlao is described as exceptionally able-bodied and handsome, with golden bronzed skin—a common trait among sun gods in various ancient cultures. Adlao is revered for his role as the source of light, warmth, and life, symbolizing divine qualities.

Culturally significant, Adlao plays a central role in Bicolano beliefs, embodying the life-giving and nurturing aspects of the sun crucial for agriculture and sustenance. Festivals and rituals dedicated to Adlao are celebrated during key points in the agricultural calendar, seeking blessings for abundant harvests. The sun god's attributes influence Bicolano societal norms, reflecting warm, friendly, and hospitable characteristics.

Adlao's celestial interactions with his brother Bulan, the moon, narrate a tale of their eternal chase, symbolizing the timeless cycle of day and night. The cosmic dance unfolds as Adlao persistently pursues his younger brother Bulan, impacting the brilliance of their celestial glow.

Despite Adlao's positive demeanor, he becomes entangled in his brother Daga's ambitious schemes, illustrating themes of loyalty, familial bonds, and the challenges of diverging paths. The cosmic expedition leads to the tragic transformation of Adlao's golden body, marking the end of his celestial existence.

The demigod Sunlight, also known as Oragon, Uragon, or Oratihon, is introduced as Adlao's son. His impulsive nature causes great fire in Ibalong, leading to his banishment and the creation of hot springs from his tears.

The legend of Oratihon's ill-fated love for the maiden Sapaga in Tiwi highlights the consequences of his fiery presence, resulting in destruction and sorrow. Oratihon's tears, absorbed by the earth, become the hot springs, symbolizing a tragic but transformative event in Bicolano mythology.

 Adlao

Adlao the god of the sun in Bicolano mythology

Adlao is the primodial god of the sun and heat in Ibalong.  The god assosiacted Sunlight and heat and good harvest. He represents the vitality and life giving energy that we receive from the sun. Descried as exedingly able bodied handsome with golden brozed skin.This is a common trait of Sun Gods throughout all ancient cultures the world over. The reason for this is because the symbolic principles of the sun reflect personality traits of warm loving man. 

Adlao  is the personification of the sun and is often revered as a deity. Adlao is considered the source of light, warmth, and life. The sun's energy is seen as a representation of the divine, and Adlao is worshipped for vitality, health, 

Adlao, as a sun deity, revered for the connection between the divine and the life-giving properties of sunlight. Bicolanos may have associated Adlao with qualities such as fertility, abundance, and prosperity, viewing the deity as a benevolent force that brings blessings to their agricultural endeavors and daily lives.

Cultural Significance of Adlao:

Adlao, the sun god, occupied a central role in the belief system of the Bicolanos. His golden skin symbolized the life-giving and nurturing qualities of the sun, which was essential for agriculture and the sustenance of life. The Bicolanos, primarily engaged in agrarian pursuits, recognized the vital role of the sun in ensuring successful harvests and abundant fertility of the land. Adlao, with his strength and bravery, was perceived as the guardian of the agricultural cycle, ensuring prosperity and abundance for the people.

Moreover, Adlao's kindness was reflected in the warmth and light he provided. The sun, rising every day without fail, became a symbol of reliability and constancy for the Bicolanos. It served as a source of inspiration for their daily lives, fostering a sense of community and unity as they depended on the sun for sustenance and guidance.

Agricultural Calendar and Rituals:

Endowed with rich flatlands, Ibalong's  old economy relies heavily on agriculture up to this day present Bicol. The worship of Adlao was intricately woven into the agricultural calendar of the Bicolanos aka planting season. As an agrarian society, their lives were deeply connected to the cycles of planting, growing, and harvesting. Festivals and rituals dedicated to Adlao were celebrated at key points in the agricultural calendar, seeking blessings for a bountiful harvest. These rituals not only served as a form of gratitude to the sun god but also provided a communal space for social bonding and cultural expression.

Spiritual and Religious Beliefs:

Many ancient cultures, including those in the Philippines, incorporated solar and lunar worship into their spiritual and religious practices. The celestial bodies were often considered manifestations of divine power. Rituals, ceremonies, and temples dedicated to sun and moon deities were ways for communities to express their reverence and seek favor from the divine for various aspects of life.

The sun has always been recognized as a primary source of light, warmth, and energy. In agrarian societies like ancient Philippines, the sun was crucial for agriculture. Its energy facilitated the growth of crops, and the regular rising and setting of the sun marked the passing of days and seasons. The life-giving properties of the sun made it a natural focal point for reverence.

The symbolism of Adlao extended beyond agriculture, influencing various aspects of Bicolano life. The sun was often associated with masculine energy, and Adlao, as the sun god, represented the embodiment of strength and power. Strong but gentle, powerful but kind. This symbolism played a role in shaping societal norms, reflecting the broader cultural values of the Bicolanos being warm,friendly and hospitable. modern day Bicolanos radiate these charactheristics. the contemporary Bicolanos are also friendly and sweet. This is manifested during social celebrations and local fiestas. One way of their means to socialization is through drinking which establishes discussions with lesser inhibitions and formality. This earned them the reputation of being hospitable.

Adlao and Bulan

In a land where the sun and moon held celestial court, Adlao, the mighty and radiant sun god, reveled in playful frolics with his brother, Bulan, the fair and luminous moon. As they danced in the heavens, Adlao's patience wore thin, stirred by the mischievous playfulness of his brother. The spirited play escalated until the two celestial beings clashed in a celestial confrontation.

Adlao and Bulan

In the heat of their disagreement, Adlao's sturdy club struck one of Bulan's eyes, dimming its once radiant gleam. Now, only one eye remained capable of emitting light. In contrast, Adlao retained both his radiant eyes, shimmering more brightly than Bulan. Thus, the enchanting feud unfolded, explaining why the moon's glow became more subdued compared to the sun's radiant brilliance.

The tale continues with Adlao persistently pursuing Bulan, his less agile strides echoing through the celestial expanse. Despite Adlao's muscular build making him a less skillful runner, his pursuit of the slender and agile Bulan endured. The celestial chase continues to this day, with Adlao, the sun, tirelessly chasing after Bulan, the moon.

As Adlao passes over the flattened cut arm of Bulan, he chuckles with celestial amusement. On the other hand, when Bulan traverses Adlao's cut, flattened arm, he laments the injury but cannot halt, fearing Adlao's capture.

The cosmic chase, a timeless spectacle, symbolizes the eternal cycle of day and night. Daytime graces the world as Adlao passes overhead, while night descends when Bulan glides over us, and Adlao takes his leave. Perhaps their celestial dance will only conclude when weariness or fate catches up with them, bringing a magical end to their enduring pursuit.

The Golden Attributes of Adlao:

As the jolly fellow with a body made of gold, Adlao embodied an aura of happiness and positivity. His presence among the divine siblings brought joy and brightness, a reflection of his own golden nature. Unlike his ambitious brother Daga, Adlao's disposition was noticeably happy, and his optimism became a defining trait in the divine family.

Reluctance and Loyalty:

Despite Adlao's inherently optimistic nature, he found himself caught in the web of his elder brother Daga's ambitious schemes. Adlao, reluctant to partake in the aggressive pursuit of power, loved Daga deeply and couldn't bring himself to oppose his brother's plans. This inner conflict underscores the complex relationships within the divine family, portraying themes of loyalty, familial bonds, and the challenges of diverging paths.

The Cosmic Expedition:

As preparations were made for the ill-fated expedition to attack the gates of the sky, Adlao joined his brothers Bulan and Daga in support of Daga's ambitions. Their journey, fueled by a desire for power, led to the destruction of the gates and a confrontation with the enraged god Languit, resulting in the siblings being struck by lightning. Adlao's golden body, like his brothers' copper and rock bodies, met a transformative fate.

Following the siblings' defeat, Adlao's golden body melted into a ball, signifying the end of his celestial existence. Their sister Bitoon, in her attempt to locate her missing brothers, met a similarly tragic fate, being struck by another bolt of lightning that shattered her body into pieces.

Divine Regret and the Birth of Humanity:

In the aftermath of the tragic events, Languit and Tubigan, grieving over the loss of their grandchildren, couldn't revive them. As a symbolic gesture, they bestowed each sibling's body with a light. Tubigan planted a seed that grew into a bamboo tree, and from its branch emerged the first man and woman, marking the birth of humanity.

Aldao and his sunlight

Ang Alamat ng Maiinit na Bukal ng Tiwi

The demigod Sunlight was the son of Adlao, in most stories he is unmaned. Some stories call him Oragon, Uragon, Oratihon/Uratihon is the demigod of the sun, fire, and warmth, described as handsome and lean with golden brown skin, good hearted but is extremely impulsive and rides a golden boat. Son of Adlaw he is known to be the cause of a great fire in Ibalong and his tears turned into Hotsprings  

Long ago when the populace of Ibalong was slowly spreading into their lands, they have built their colony and called it Tigbi(Tiwi). One day the son of the Sun deity named Oratíhon was over the colony and marveled at the beauty of its young maidens.
From his golden boat above the clouds, he saw the most beautiful maiden. He was smitten. He returned to their domain and to his father the sun. He told his father about the beautiful maiden and of how he felt for her. The sun god said to his son, that he is still too young, and that he can not yet fall in love or go near the maiden. For his body was still young and hot and would burn her. If you truly love her you would keep your distance.
The son of Adlao did not heed his father's warnings. The next day he put on his golden diadem, and dressed in his best robes his golden boat and came down to Tiwi. He was so excited to see the young maiden.

When his feet touched the ground. the houses of Tiwi burst into flames. He saw that the people were running away, He walked in search of the beautiful maiden, as he walked he left a trail of fire and destruction. The trees, the houses burned as he passes by. Finally, he saw the girl he desires. His body became hotter. He ran to hold the girl but she burst into flames, then crumbles to dust. Oratihon knelt in front of the ashes of the young maiden and wept. His hot tears fell on the ground. He was about to explode with anguish and would burn the whole Ibalong. From the heavens the gods Haliya and Bulan saw what was happening. Haliya wanted to comedown and smite the demigod to stop him from burning Ibalong but Bulan stopped her, instead he ordered the wind people to go down and try to subdue the demigod. Swiftly the wind people rushed and circled the demigod, containing his flames. Some of the wind people went to Gugurang, the supreme deity went and absorbed all the fire and heat until it was no more.  Oratihon was punished, and forbidden to ever returning to Ibalong nor never go down to earth again. 

Years later the burned lands of Tiwi became green again and no signs of the disaster that what had happened remained, except for the tears of the young lunar deity. His warm tears became the hot springs of Tiwi.

Adlao and his son 

Tagalog variant

Ang Bukal ng Tiwi ay isa sa magaganda at natatanging pook sa Pilipinas. Ito ay may layong higit-kumulang na apatnapung kilometro sa Lunsod ng Legaspi sa Bikol.  Ang Bukal ng Tiwi ay pinagdarayo ng ating kababayang Pilipino at mga dayuhang turista dahil sa mainit na tubig na sinasabing gamot sa iba't-ibang karamdaman.

Noong unang panahon raw, ang Tiwi ay isang magandang nayon.  Bukod dito, nakilala rin ang Tiwi dahil sa magagandang dalaga sa pook na ito.  Nabalitaan raw ito ng anak ng Haring Araw.  At isang araw, sakay sa kanyang karuwahe ay namasyal ang binata sa Tiwi.  Magaganda ang mga dalagang kanyang nakita.  Nabighani kaagad siya sa ganda ni Aila, ang pinakamaganda sa lahat ng dalaga sa Tiwi.  Mabilis na bumalik ang binata kay Haring Araw at ibinalita niya ang napakagandang dalaga na nakita niya.  Sinabi niya sa hari na iniibig niya ang dalaga at ibig niya itong maging asawa.

Malungkot na umiling ang hari at ipinaliwanag sa binata na hindi maaaring mag-asawa ang katulad niya sa mga karaniwang tao.

Nalungkot ang binata sa sagot ng ama kaya hindi na siya namasyal nang sumunod na mga araw.  Ang kanyang karuwahe, kasuotan at mata na nagbibigay liwanag ay hindi na nakita ng mga tao.  Dahil dito nagdilim ang mundo.

Naisip ni Haring Araw na kaawa-awa ang mga tao.  Kinausap niya ang binata upang muling magliwanag ang daigdig.  Pumayag ang binata.  Binalak niyang bumalik sa Tiwi at pakasalan ang magandang si Aila na lingid sa kaalaman ni Haring Araw.

Mabilis na nagbihis ang binata at masiglang sumakay sa kanyang karuwahe.  Dahil dito muling lumiwanag ang paligid.  Kaagad niyang pinuntahan ang Nayon ng Tiwi upang magpahayag ng pag-ibig sa magandang si Aila.  Ngunit nang malapit na siya sa nayon ay sumiklab ang apoy.  Nakita niya na nagtatakbuhan ang mga tao upang iligtas ang kanilang sarili.  At nakita ng binata ang magandang si Aila kaya mabilis siyang bumaba upang iligtas ang dalaga.

Natupok ang buong nayon at ang lahat ng tao roon.  Kinalong ng binata ang natupok na dalaga.  Sa isang iglap ay naging abo ang katawan ng magandang si Aila.  Biglang sumaisip ng binata na sadyang magsisiklab ang anumang bagay na mapapalapit sa kanyang karuwahe at kasuotan, gayundin kung matitigan ng kanyang mga mata.  Naalala rin niya ang paliwanag ng kanyang Amang Araw na hindi maaaring mag-asawa sa karaniwang tao ang katulad nila.  Malunkot na sumakay na muli sa kanyang karuwahe ang binata.  Bumalik siya kay Haring Araw upang ibalita ang masamang bunga ng pag-ibig niya sa isang magandang dalaga.

Sa paglipas ng panahon, nakita ng mga tao ang pagbabagong bihis ng natupok na Nayon ng Tiwi.  May bumukal na tubig sa gitna ng natupok na pook at muling naging lunti ang paligid.  Mula na noon hanggang sa ngayon, pinagdarayo ng mga tao ang bukal ng Tiwi dahil sa mainit na tubig na bumabalong sa bukal na namumuti sa singaw ng init ng araw.

The worship of the sun and the sun deity Adlao among the Bicolanos can be traced to the cultural and agricultural significance attributed to these celestial elements. The sun, as a powerful symbol, represents not only the source of light and warmth but also plays a crucial role in the agricultural cycles. Its energy influences the growth of crops and the overall well-being of the community.

The worship of the sun and Adlao, therefore, reflects the Bicolanos' deep-rooted connection to the natural world and their acknowledgment of the sun's vital role in sustaining life. It also underscores their cultural practices and spiritual beliefs that seek harmony with natural elements, emphasizing the cyclical nature of existence and the interdependence between humans and the environment.

Adlao's character in Bicolano mythology adds depth to the cosmic narrative, showcasing the interplay of optimism, loyalty, and tragedy within the divine family. As the golden man and the radiant sun,  Adlao's legacy lives on in the cultural beliefs and storytelling traditions of the Bicolano people, serving as a reminder of the intricate relationships between gods and the cyclical nature of creation.

Adlao's sun the unnmaed demigod of the sun story aka the unnamed sungod of bikol

In the bygone era, as the people of Ibalong were gradually settling into their lands, they established a colony known as Tigbi (Tiwi). One day, the son of the Sun deity soared over the colony in his golden boat, high above the clouds. There, he beheld the captivating beauty of the young maidens of Tigbi.

Enchanted by the sight, he returned to his celestial domain and spoke to his father, the sun. The son confessed his admiration for the most beautiful maiden he had seen and the feelings that stirred within him. The sun god, wise and cautious, cautioned his son that he was still too young and fiery, and approaching the maiden would bring harm. If he truly loved her, he must maintain a safe distance.

However, the son of Adlao, the demigod was headstrong and did not heed his father's counsel. The following day, adorned in his golden diadem and dressed in regal robes, he descended to Tiwi in his golden boat, eager to see the enchanting maiden.

As his feet touched the ground, disaster struck. The houses of Tiwi erupted in flames, and panic ensued as people fled. Ignoring the warnings, Oratihon walked in search of the beautiful maiden, leaving behind a trail of fire and destruction. Trees and houses burned in his wake until he finally found the girl he desired. His proximity intensified the heat, and as he reached out to hold her, she burst into flames and crumbled to dust. Oratihon knelt in front of the ashes, weeping bitterly, his hot tears falling on the scorched earth.

Witnessing the catastrophe from the heavens, the gods Haliya and Bulan intervened. While Haliya wished to descend and confront the demigod, Bulan, the wise lunar deity, ordered the wind people to subdue Oratihon. Swiftly, the wind people encircled the demigod, containing his flames. Some approached Gugurang, the supreme deity, who absorbed all the fire and heat until none remained.

the demigod faced divine punishment, forever barred from returning to Ibalong or descending to earth again. Years later, the once-burned lands of Tiwi transformed into lush greenery, bearing no signs of the calamity, except for the warm tears of the young lunar deity. These tears became the hot springs of Tiwi, a testament to a tale of love, recklessness, and divine intervention.

ADLAO IN TAGALOG MYTHOLOGY 

In Tagalog mythology they refuse to use his name Adlao, instead they just call him the sungod. The Unnamed God: a sun god who fell in love with the mortal, Rosa; refused to light the world until his father consented to their marriage; he afterwards visited Rosa, but forgetting to remove his powers over fire, he accidentally burned Rosa's whole village until nothing but hot springs remained. 

ADLAO IN TAGALOG MYTHOLOGY BASED FROM BICOL MYTHOLOGY

In one myth an unnamed sun god’s son fell in love with the mortal woman, Rosa. He refused to light the world until his father consented to their marriage. But he forgot to remove his powers over fire when visiting Rosa, her whole village and her was set on fire until nothing but hot springs remained. 

REMINDER

The orally transmitted mythology of the Philippines is intended for sharing and understanding, not for appropriation, commercial exploitation, or the promotion of foreigners and foreign products. It is a dynamic narrative tradition that evolves over time, distinct from the standardized mythologies found in Western and European cultures. Unlike these established mythologies, the Philippine government has not mandated standardized versions of stories and legends.

Orally transmitted stories undergo variations and evolve over time, resulting in numerous different versions. There are many different version told by Filipinos,and retold by Filipinos.