Magwayan
The goddess of the sea and the underworld | Group: Visayan
An illustration of Magwayan created by Kathryn Wadel.
Artist Statement by Kathryn Wadel
The day after the devastating Lapu Lapu Day tragedy, a pod of orcas were sighted off the coast of Vancouver. Believed to guide souls to their final resting place, Indigenous elders noted the sacred significance of their presence in the aftermath of this tragedy. I imagine these orcas guiding our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues to Magwayan, goddess of the underworld. Together in kapwa, they board Magwayan’s balangay. Navigating tumultuous tides, she carries our loved ones safely to their final resting place.
In this digital illustration I depicted the Visayan goddess Magwayan as the vast ocean, guiding souls to the underworld in her balangay. At the confluence of life and death, she guides them through monstrous tides, crashing waves, and times of uncertainty. Painted in monochromatic hues of blue, contrasting light and dark shades speak to the range of emotions we hold while navigating grief. Magwayan, ferry-woman, leads with a sense of unwavering momentum and the strength of Bayanihan.
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Written by Nathalie DLS
Magwayen, or Maguayan, is a goddess in Visayan mythology. She was created by Kanlaon to balance Kaptan, the Sky God. Magwayen is the goddess of the sea and the underworld.
Magwayen is depicted as a vast ocean whose waters reach all lands, including underground rivers and the spirit world. She carries a budyong or a conch shell in her hand and is sometimes accompanied by another sea goddess, Lidagat, who many believe to be her daughter. Lidagat died of a broken heart, and Magwayen followed her daughter’s soul to purgatory. She took up the role of ferry-woman of souls in her balangay, so she could visit her daughter.
Magwayen played a role in the creation of the first man and woman. After their marriage, Kaptan planted a seed in the sea and Magwayen cared for the plant until one day the plant, a very big bamboo plant, split open. From it emerged Sikalak and Sikabay, the first man and woman.
