Sakawayan

History and Legends
It is believed that the northern part of Kandaya was once beneath the water. Within these waters resided the ancient spirit, Sakawayan, who found wonder and beauty in the sea. Over time, the land rose, and the waters receded until all that remained of Sakawayan’s domain was the lake in the center of the new land. Instead of leaving its waters, the spirit chose to stay and became trapped in the lake, cut off from the sea which it loved. As time passed, it began to forget the sea and in doing so became bitter and angry. It would search the lake for anything left of its beloved domain and consume whatever it found in order to remember. When the last of its trinkets were devoured, Sakawayan cried in rage, the salt of its tears being the last it had of the sea.

After the first trees took root and the southern lands of the island formed, the first settlers sought freshwater and found that the springs were tainted with salt. They discovered the lake in their search for drinkable water, and in doing so they uncovered the ancient and bitter Sakawayan. Believing the spirit to control the waters of the lake, they asked it for fresh water so that they might sustain themselves. Sakawayan refused, unable to control its rage and having only salt to remember the sea. Upon learning the reason behind the spirit’s anger, the settlers decided they needed to offer it something else to consume. They journeyed to the coast and collected whatever they could that might hold the memory of the sea: shells, sand, remnants of coral, the bones of sea creatures, and fragments of sea rock made up their collection of trinkets to offer to Sakawayan.

They returned to the lake, cast the objects into the water, and told Sakawayan that they had brought it gifts from the sea. The spirit took to devouring the offerings, the likes of which it had not seen for so very long. Lost in its memory, its tears of rage stopped, and the salt slowly left the waters of the lake and springs to which it connected.

All was well until a year later when the waters were again becoming poisoned with salt. The settlements once again took the gifts of the sea to the lake and Sakawayan was calmed. This would begin the ‘Festival of Exchange’, where each year people bring offerings from the sea to keep Sakawayan lost in its memories, preventing its rage from poisoning the water they relied on. The story of the lake and its spirit have been passed down ever since, and the festival is still honored today.

Relationship with the Islanders
The islanders in the north believe that Sakawayan is responsible for keeping the groundwater that flows from the lake fresh. They consider Sakawayan an ancient and angry spirit. If they do not keep up with the Festival of Exchange, they believe its tears of rage will once again make the water undrinkable. Rather than worshiping the spirit as they do others on the island, they instead seek to appease it with trinkets from the sea.

The lake itself is considered dangerous and is mostly unexplored beneath the surface of the water. Many believe that attempting to discover the extent of its depths would make Sakawayan wrathful, as it might think that they had come to take the objects it devours to remember its time with the wonders of the sea.

While there is no direct worship of Sakawayan, some settlements choose to keep shells or other sea trinkets in their wells and freshwater springs. Though Sakawayan cannot escape the lake, the superstitious act still persists; though, none of these offerings have ever been known to be devoured by the spirit.

Across the ages, some Babaylan have considered finding a way to free Sakawayan and return the spirit to the sea from where it once came.. However, no one can be sure of how this will affect the lake or the groundwater, so no actual attempts to free it have ever been made.

Important Festivals
The Festival of Exchange is the only celebration concerning Sakawayan. This is a yearly festival that takes place during Habagat, where some settlements move inland away from the coast.

Throughout the year, coastal settlements will collect trinkets from the sea, such as shells, sand, sea rock and coral for this festival. When they move inland, these collections will be brought to the lake to offer to Sakawayan. This celebration keeps the spirit calm and prevents its rage from poisoning the water.

The ceremony begins with a congregation along the shores of the lake. There is no particular area along the shore that the festival takes place. The Babaylan present will usually commune with Sakawayan to judge its emotion to ensure the gifts they have brought are enough. Afterwards, those present sing of the sea while casting their offerings into the water for Sakawayan to devour. Once all the gifts have been cast into the lake, the singing stops and silence is observed to allow the spirit to begin its remembrance again. Once the Babaylan are content that Sakawayan is satisfied, the festival is over and the spirit is left to reminisce about the sea in peace until the next year.