In Filipino mythology, Bakunawa is the dragon-like serpent said to swallow the Moon.
Bakunawa is a huge sea serpent or dragon in traditions from the Philippines, especially in the Visayan region. Folklore explains lunar eclipses as the creature attempting to devour the Moon. Communities were traditionally said to make loud noises, such as banging objects or shouting, to frighten Bakunawa away and restore the Moon’s light.
Different regional accounts give the creature varying motives. Some stories describe Bakunawa as admiring the beauty of several moons and becoming jealous when humans hid them, while others portray it as a dangerous underworld or ocean being. These variations reflect the diversity of Philippine oral traditions.
Bakunawa is sometimes confused with Minokawa, another Philippine eclipse creature associated with Mindanao traditions. Both are giant cosmic animals, but Bakunawa is most strongly identified with the moon-swallowing serpent motif.