Philippine Mythology

Goddess # 2

(Not to be confused with goddess # 1)

This goddess has a similar name to Ikapati. Her name is Lakapati (La-ka-pa-tee).

So, before explaining why they get mixed up and all the confusion about that, let's establish things we are actually sure of. (A least, a bit sure)

First is that Lakapati is a hermaphrodite, which means that she possesses both male and female genitalia. In simpler words, she has both a dick and a pussy. I've never seen one with my own two eyes so I'll leave that to your imagination. Some researchers say that she's transgender, but personally I don't think it fits with all the other more reliable sources. Sorry! Her being a hermaphrodite apparently represented the balance of everything, especially male and female parts. An early stage of equal rights, I suppose.

Next is that she's considered as the most important fertility deity. She's often associated with Ikapati (I'll explain), which is why the agricultural thing. Several accounts say that she's heavily praised in order not to starve. An special event recalls that mothers lift up their babies and praise Lakapati so that them and their children don't go hungry.

Another is that she's apparently also the most important feminine figure in Kaluwalhatian. But I thought she's a hermaphrodite, you ask? Well, despite that, she's also known for her feminine stature, feminine bodily expressions, and feminine body language. Which is also why I chose to call her a goddess and refer to her as she/her.

Lastly, we also sure that her emblems are either an unhusked rice grain, or a hermaphroditic idol. Here comes the unsure (and probably confusing) part.

Some say that she's either married to or had sex with or somehow in a relationship with Bathala, which is unbelievable because there are only, what, two sources that say that? There's not much clear information regarding both Lakapati and Ikapati because of the confusion between them. I only chose to include this because that relationship represented the mutual bond between deities (and subsequently humans) regardless of their gender. Platonic love! Does this mean that Bathala's pansexual?! Oh my--

And now for the part where I attempt to clarify the confusion between Lakapati and Ikapati (in which I'm sure I'll miserably fail!)

So, the both of them are associated with land, agriculture, harvests, crops, and all of that. That's reason number one. Reason number two is that their name sounds the same. What a reason right? Well, I mean this was hella ancient! Myths are passed by tongue back then. Let's put it like this:

Mythology, in any place available to the Earth, is kind of like a giant n-dimensional game of telephone. The actual thing you're trying to research is the starting person. Then the primary sources are all the people right next to the starting thing who probably heard it pretty clearly. But then there are other sources that are further down the line where you're starting to get garbled interpretations of interpretations and maybe somebody along the way started actively messing with the other players by not actually repeating what they heard in the first place. IT'S A MESS! (You could also use this for researching on history) But really, for the sake of your own sanity (especially mine) you've gotta accept that you'll never be able to find a clear and unvarnished truth on the thing/topic.

So maybe someone fucked up and Lakapati turned into Ikapati and now we have this garbled mess. But here's one thing for sure: Lakapati is more ancient than Ikapati.

Along with that praise where no one goes hungry, the tribes also pray to Ikapati and Dumakulem, the god of good harvests.

Did you get this? No? I don't either. Moving on...