At the begining of this Sanghabi to the Diwatang Makapatag and Malaon, we have watched first the Traditional Dance performed by the Waray waray people.

The Dance was a Courting Ritual which shows man and woman dancing in circle. Though this dance was inspired by the Mexican La Cucaracha dance that features a Flamenco like movements. Though to some they call this as a cockroach dance or Chicken mating ritual dance. As this invokes the presence of the Diwatang Malaon and Makapatag.

Diwatang Malaon is a Creator God known among the Waray Waray People who is a Female and Amiable disposition. In our own understanding Laon is a Visayan word that means Old and Wise. Thus the name malaon means old and wise that also rules time. This Diwata is also known as Laon , Lalahon and seen as the Goddess of Harvest, Guardians of the Volcano and protector against natural calamities and disaster. She is associated to Mount Kanlaon which is an active strato volcano which is located in Negros Occidental and Oriental.

Diwatang Makapatag is the Male Aspect of Diwatang Malaon who is known to be a Diwata of Divine Justice, the leveler who renders everything Equal. With these, we see the nature of our Ancient Deities which are Non Binary and Gender Queer or having in their personality of 2 genders of male and female.

In one of my devotion as I meditate on the personality of God as Creator, the Spirit have shown me that as Creator who is omnipotent supreme, though many of us see them as one being, their aspect needed to be of male and female. As there is no birth without the union of the cell of man and woman. And Malaon/Makapatag is the embodiment of that union of power.

Other Diwata of the Waray Waray Tribe

• Diwatang Makaubos which is with no End and lives on a very high mountain peak from which he surveyed all creation and determined when it was someone’s time to Die. (This Diwata reminds me of Diwatang Sidapa which is a Bisayan-Bicolano Diwata of Death which also lives on a Mountain highest peak.)
• Yawa was his minister of death who caused everyone to die by drowning, whether they were in water or not.
• Badadum or “the happy one” was the divine creator of wealth and happiness; he was also the lord of the afterlife. He is also the Guide of the Dead who gathers the souls of the newly dead to meet their relatives at the mouth of a river in the lower world.
• Hamorawan which is a Diwata of the Spring in Borongan that bless the waters with a healing properties.

Religious Practices

• Paganito are religious rituals invoking the Diwata.
• Larawan are curved images of the Diwata using Gold, Ivory, Stone or Wood.
• Babaylan or Daitan are Religious Ritual Leader who conduct pagaanito.