Into the Light of Kadaw La Sambad

Today, August 10, 2025- in the Full Moon of the Night, we honor Kadaw La Sambad, Sun God of the T’boli Tribe of the Southern Part of Mindanao specially in South Cotabato Province, Sarangani Province, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and Davao Del Sur.

Our Temple have invoked him from the Council of the Diwata and came to us on July 24,2025 and Offer our prayers to him as our Guide.

PRAYER TO KADAW LA SAMBAD IN TBOLI LANGUAGE

Kadaw La Sambad, Lemlunay ne Kemokul,

Lemfuwas ne Kilom ne kemuyung.

Fintuwas ne kayu, ne danum, ne lemlunay.

T’deng ne kemuyung, ne kemokul.

S’la lemefuwas, s’la lemelem.

Fintuwas ne t’nawa, ne kemuyung.

Lemlunay ne T’boli lemefuwas lem.

Lemfuwas ne T’deng.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Kadaw La Sambad Light of Heavens

Source of Strength, of Wisdom

You created the trees, the waters , the skies.

You shine with wisdom and power

You are the giver, you are the Guide

Creator of the Soul and Spirit.

Bless T’boli, Bless all Life.

Lemfuwas ne T’deng. Let it be done!

With this prayer we may honor Diwatang Kadaw La Sambad in our Life. And this prayer alone is a powerful statement of knowing Kadaw La Sambad greatness. It is like his ID or identification. But there is a short prayer which we have to know and that is a Prayer of Praise on which we could always utter like an orasyon or mantra of power and that is:

Fintuwas ne lem Kadaw La Sambad
which means Praise to you Kadaw La Sambad.

So, as a devotee, what does it benefit us in Praising Kadaw La Sambad?

Well, as a devotee, I see many benefits of praising Kadaw La Sambad and other names of the Diwata as it build within me a strong connection with them, So, see the spiritual benefits of Praising Kadaw La Sambad through the following:

Connection to the Divine
Kadaw La Sambad is considered the creator and ruler of the universe, residing in the seventh heaven with his wife, Bulon La Mogoaw, the moon goddess. Praising him is a way for the Tboli to honor their origins and maintain a spiritual connection with their supreme deity1.
Appeasement and Protection
The Tboli believe that spirits influence daily life—good spirits bring blessings, while bad ones cause illness or misfortune. Praising Kadaw La Sambad is seen as a way to invite protection and favor from the divine realm2.
Harmony with Nature
Tboli spirituality is deeply tied to nature. Kadaw La Sambad, as the sun god, symbolizes life, growth, and energy. Praising him aligns the community with the natural cycles and promotes agricultural success, especially in their swidden farming practices2.

🎵 Cultural and Social Benefits

Preservation of Tradition
Rituals, songs, and dances that praise Kadaw La Sambad are part of the Tboli’s oral tradition. These practices help preserve their identity and pass down ancestral wisdom to younger generations1.
Community Unity
Ceremonies and festivals that honor Kadaw La Sambad bring people together, reinforcing social bonds and tribal solidarity.
Guidance and Moral Order
The myths surrounding Kadaw La Sambad and his divine family serve as moral lessons and guiding principles for behavior, relationships, and justice within the tribe3.

But before we get deeper in invoking the Blessings of Kadaw La Sambad, let us get to know him first.

So, Kadaw La Sambad is a Supreme Diwata which is a Sun God, wife of Bulan La Mogoaw which is a Moon Goddess that has 7 Children and lives on the 7th Heaven honored by the T’boli People of Southern Mindanao.

The name Kadaw La Sambad means according to the Tboli people is this:

Kadaw-which refers to the Sun or daylight, representing illunmination, life and divine authority.
La Sambad- is a honorific title that means, the one who shines or the radiant one which refers to him as a supreme being and ruler that emphasizes his status as the Highest God in the Tboli Panteon.

Kadaw La Sambad is the origin of light, life and Divine Power. He is associated with the sun’s life-giving force, and he also creates the Divine Lineage and the Cosmic Order.

Kadaw La Sambad bring into existence the Divine Offspring which he had a seven sons and daughters with Bulan La Mogoaw as the origin of the Divine Lineage. Their Children are:

Cumucul (Eldest) married to Boi Kafil. Was given fire, a sword (tok), and a magickal horse named kauting.
S’Fedat married to Bong Libun on which their union produced no children that he sacrificed himself and his body became the earth.
D’wata which married to Sedek We and Hyu We. D;wata have descended to Earth and fathered many children including the God of Thunder, Life, Death and Nature.
Blatik married to S’lel.
Mule married to B’lomi
Loos Klangan married to La Fun
Datu B’noling which remained bachelor that later married to Bong Libun.

Through them, Kadaw La Sambad brings to existence the Cosmic Heirarcy. on which their existence:

1. Explains the Order of the Universe

Cosmic hierarchy helps the Tboli people understand how the universe is structured—from the supreme deities like Kadaw La Sambad and Bulon La Mogoaw, down to their divine children and spirits. This hierarchy reflects the natural and spiritual order, giving meaning to life, death, nature, and human existence.

🧬 2. Preserves Cultural Identity

By maintaining a structured pantheon of gods and spirits, the Tboli preserve their ancestral stories, rituals, and values. Each deity has a role, and their relationships mirror the social and familial structures of the tribe.

🙏 3. Guides Rituals and Worship

Knowing the hierarchy helps determine which deity to invoke for specific needs—like healing, protection, agriculture, or guidance. For example:

Kadaw La Sambad is praised for light and life.
Litik is invoked during storms or for strength.
Fun Bulol is honored in mountain-related rituals.

⚖️ 4. Promotes Harmony and Balance

The hierarchy teaches that balance among divine forces is essential. Just as the gods are paired and organized, humans must also live in harmony—with nature, spirits, and each other.

🧠 5. Provides Moral and Ethical Framework

The stories of the gods often contain lessons about behavior, justice, and relationships. The hierarchy reinforces respect for elders, leaders, and spiritual guides, mirroring the tribe’s values.

Kadaw La Sambad also brought to existence Spiritual Order on which him being the highest deity, he represents the source of light, life and divine authority maintaining balance between heaven and earth. This balance provides:

1. Spiritual Harmony

In Tboli belief, heaven (the realm of gods and spirits) and earth (the realm of humans and nature) are deeply interconnected. Balance ensures that divine energy flows properly, bringing blessings, guidance, and protection to the people.

🌱 2. Sustaining Life and Nature

The gods, especially Kadaw La Sambad, are seen as givers of life, light, and growth. When harmony exists between heaven and earth, nature thrives—crops grow, animals flourish, and people remain healthy.

🙏 3. Respect for the Sacred

Maintaining balance means honoring the gods through rituals, prayers, and ethical living. It reflects the Tboli people’s respect for the sacred and their role as stewards of the earth.

⚖️ 4. Avoiding Misfortune

Imbalance—caused by disrespect, neglect of rituals, or harmful actions—can lead to illness, natural disasters, or spiritual unrest. The Tboli believe that maintaining balance helps prevent these misfortunes.

🧬 5. Cultural Continuity

Balance between heaven and earth preserves the cosmic order passed down through generations. It keeps the myths, values, and traditions alive, ensuring that the community stays connected to its roots.

Now, the Spiritual Order that Kadaw La Sambad brings to existence reflects balance, harmony and Divine Hierarchy which governs cosmos, nature and human life that is embedded in Tboli myths, rituals and world view.

Cosmic Hierarchy is composed of the seventh (7th) heaven whic is the highest realms, where Kadaw La Sambad and Bulan La Mogoaw resides. The lower heavens and earth are the realms inhabited by their children and spirits.
- Cumucul remains in the sky.
- D’wata descends from the sky to live on earth and become the land.
- Children of D’wata such as Litik (God of Thunder), Blanga (God of stones), and others are associated with natural elements and forces suggesting they reside in the realms connected to their domains- possibly between heaven and the earth.
The seventh heaven is the Divine realms of the supreme Gods while the lower heavens can be interpreted as the intermediary spiritual realms or symbolic domains where their children govern the aspect of nature and life.

The Intermediary Realm or Symbolic Domains

Cumucul- Sky realms/ fire domain which symbolizes warrior energy, light and celestial authority. close to the 7th heaven.
S’fedat- Earth realm/Vegetation domain. Represents sacrifice, fertility and foundation of life.
D’wata-Earthly real/Creator domain.
- builds house and creates humans from clay.
- His domain is the human world where he acts as a culture hero and life giver.

CHILDREN OF DWATA AND THEIR SYMBOLIC DOMAIN

LITIK- God of Thunderstorm- associated with storms and sky.
Blanga- God of Stones-Stone realms and tied to earths solidity.
Temelus- God of Wild beast- realms of wild beast, linked to forest and wilderness.
T’dolok- God of Death realm, ruler over the spirit world or after life.
Ginton- God of metallurgy- metal domain connected to craftmanship and transformation.
Lmugot mangay- God of Life and vegetation which rules the domain of life, fertility, vegetation and growth and agriculture.
Fun bulol- God of the Mountain ruler of the domains of the mountains and highlands represents strength, mystery and sacredness of mountainous region.

These domains reflect the Tboli world view where each Divine figure governs a part of nature or human experiences forming a spiritual ecosystem. The hierarchy reflets Divine governance with Kadaw La Sambad stand as the supreme source of light, order and authority,

Another Spiritual order that Kadaw La Sambad establish is the creation and sacrifice on which Sfedat who became the Earth and Dwata who created life. Kadaw La Sambad initiates the sacred cycle of creation, death and rebirth.This reflects to a spiritual law that sacrifice leads to life and Divine will manifest through Nature,

THE SACRED CYCLE OF CREATION. DEATH AND REBIRTH

DIVINE ORIGIN AND EARTHLY LIFE

Kadaw La Sambad and his wife Bulan La Mogoaw the moon Goddess resides in the 7th heaven which is the highest of the celestial realms. The give birth to 7 sons and daughters who marry each other and become the progenitors of various Divine and Earthly domains. One of their sons, Dwata descend to Earth with his wives and children to begin the creation of Human Life. He molds humans from clay, and his wives attempt to shape them leading to symbolic imperfections that are later corrected.

The placement of this clay figures on Banana plant by Sedek We symbolizes fertility and mortality while Dwata breathe life on them, completing the act of creation.

DEATH: SACRIFICE AND TRANSFORMATION

Sfedat which is another son of Kadaw La Sambad experience sorrow due to childless marriage to Bong Libun his sister. In a profound act of sacrificial death, Sfedat asks Bong Libon to kill him. His body becomes the Earth from which plants and trees grows. This Transformation signifies death is not the end but a gateway to life. His body nourishes the world becoming the foundation for all.

REBIRTH: LIFE FROM DEATH AND COSMIC RENEWAL

The rebirth aspect is seen on how life emerges from Sfedat’ death. His sacrifice gives rise to the land and vegetation, which supports human and animal life. Dwata and his descendants continue this cycle by populating the earth, building homes and shaping human culture. The placement of Humans on banana plants also symbolizes fertility and regeneration, as banana reproduce rapidly and abundantly, reflecting the continuity of life.

SYMBOLIC THEMES IN THE CYCLE

Creation is divine and intentional shaped by the celestial being.
Death is not tragic but transformative enabling new life.
Rebirth is natural and spiritual renewal ensuring the cycle continues.

This sacred cycle mirrors the Tboli animist belief that everything has a spirit and that life, death and nature are deeply interconnected.

Offerings, rituals and respect for the spirits are ways the Tboli maintains harmony with the cosmic Order.

SACRED PAIRING AND BALANCE

Another spiritual order that Kadaw La Sambad established is the sacred pairing and balance on which his children marry each other, symbolizing cosmic balance-male and female, sun and moon, fire and water, light and darkness. This mirrors the Tboli value of harmony in relationship with nature and society.

The concept of sacred pairing and cosmic balance symbolizes the interconnectedness of Divine Forces, the Duality of nature and the harmonious structure of the cosmos.

SUPREME PAIRING OF KADAW LA SAMBAD AND BULAN LA MOGOAW

represents primordial balance of light and darkness, musculine and feminine, day and night.
Their union in the 7th heaven is the source of the Divine order and from them come the seven sons and daughters who embody various aspects of the Universe

SACRED PAIRINGS AMONG THEIR CHILDREN

The children of Kadaw La Sambad and Bulan La Mogoaw marry each other forming Divine couples that symbolizes:

Elemental Harmony (e.g. Fire and Water, Earth and Sky)
Spiritual Roles (e.g. Creation, Destruction, Transformation)
Cosmic Functions (e.g. Fertility, Death, Thunder, Mountains)

These pairings reflect the Tboli belief in dualism and complementarily, where each force or deity has a counterpart that balance and complete it.

SACRIFICE AND RENEWAL OF SFEDAT AND BONG LIBUN

Sfedat who marries his sister Bong Libun represents a tragic but sacred union. Their Childless marriage leads to Sfedat’s sacrificial death, transforming his body into the Earth. This act is a powerful symbol of death leading to life and the rebirth of nature through Divine sacrifice.

DWATA WIVES: SEDEK WE AND HYU WE

Dwata another son of Kadaw La Sambad marries two sisters, Sedek We and Hyu We. He descends to Earth and populate it with their children, each governing a natural or spiritual domain ( e.g. thunder, stones, wild beast, death). These union represents the manifestation of the Divine Balance in the human and natural world.

COSMIC BALANCE IN TBOLI’S THOUGHTS

The Tboli spiritual system emphasizes:

Duality: Male and Female; Light and Darkness; Life and Death.
Complementarily: Each force is incomplete without its counterpart.
Harmony: Sacred pairing ensures the stability of cosmos and the continuity of life.

This beliefs is reflected not only in mythology but also in music, rituals, and social customs where balance and respect for spiritual forces are central.

DREAMS AS DIVINE COMMUNICATION

Kadaw La Sambad spiritual order includes the realms of dreams on which Fun Dalu is the Goddess of Dreams and Abaca. Fun Dalu is the guardian spirit of abaca and the source of dream guided inspiration for the sacred Tnalak cloth.

Tboli women receive weaving patterns through dreams, which are believed to be Divine Messages from Fun Dalu. These patterns are never copied and are considered spiritually unique. The acts of weaving Tnalak is not just artistic– it is a ritual, a spiritual connectionand communication with Fun Dalu. The weaver becomes the vessel for Goddess Vision.

Fun Dalu presence affirms the sacredness of dreams, where dreams are not just a personal experience but a portal to Divine Wisdom.

PRAYER TO FUN DALU

Fun Dalu, Lemfuwas ne T’nalak

Lemlunay ne kemeyung, ne T’nawa.

S’la lemelem ne kayu, ne danum, ne kilum.

Fintuwas ne kemuyung, ne, lemefuwas.

Lemfuwas ne melem, ne fiyu, ne fital.

T’deng ne lem, lemelem ne Tboli.

Lemlunay ne melem, Fun Dalu, S’la lemefuwas.

English Translation

Fun Dalu, creator of the sacred Tnalak

Spirit of Wisdom and Soul.

You guide the hands through trees, water and sky.

You inspire with your vision and grace.

Weaver of dreams of light and life.

With your will Tboli are guided.

Spirit of Dreams, Fun Dalu, we honor your gifts.

ANIMISM AND THE SPIRIT WORLD

This is the last spiritual order that Kadaw La Sambad have established that all things, trees, rivers, animals are believed to have spirits. Kadaw La Sambad light animates and sustain these Spirits forming a web of sacred interconnection.

Templong Anituhan