Babaylan
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The babaylan was a prominent figure in pre-colonial Philippine society, sometimes described as a priestess or shaman. Babaylans acted as healers, prophets and mediums, curing illnesses and exorcising evil spirits from objects or people. The babayalan would often be called when the community was experiencing difficulties that could not be resolved by physical means. They would perform a ritual through chants or prayers to pacify the spirits that caused chaos in the community.
The position of babaylan is usually associated with women. Men who were babaylans were usually considered to have feminine traits.
Becoming a babaylan
There were two ways to become a babaylan. First was through a mystical source and second was to inherit from a relative.
A prospective babaylan could experience a sacred call ("rukut") by a supernatural being, usually in the form of dreams, or they might go through a trance state experience called "sinasapian" (spirit possession). Assisted by a "surog" (spirit guide), she would be submitted to a spiritual journey, an intense religious encounter through which a successful navigation is pivotal to her physical and mental aptitude. This ritual involves the departure of the soul from the body, where it undergoes either a celestial or netherworld journey. At the destination, the soul communes with deceased ancestral spirits. When this trance-like state is overcome, the person is considered equipped to deal with psychic or supernatural forces.
The responsibility may also be passed on to a descendant or relative who might start to behave strangely and isolate herself from the family and the community. She may either become thin or may develop muscles and extraordinary strength.
A babaylan would go through training under the guidance of a practicing babaylan. She would usually be charged a fee such as money or cavans of rice. The apprentice was trained in the basics of herbal medicine, ritual dancing, chants and magical formulas and potions. After mastering the techniques, she would go to a cave to get charms and amulets ("pangalap") as her source of power and magic.
Rituals
Spiritual interventions that pay homage to ancestral spirits were the usual rituals of babaylans. The rituals could be preventative or curative, and were designed to counteract the ill intent of the causative spirit. The rites were meant to empower the ill person against their affliction. As a preventative measure, the ritual can be seen as easing anxiety regarding any future attempts. As a curative measure, the ritual functions in much the same way: the ill person may feel relieved that actions are being taken to heal in a prompt and efficient manner. In these cases, the rites act as mental relief which increases the overall well being of the ill.
The following is a Hanggab chant to cure various illnesses which is performed by a babaylan in Hiligaynon society:
Luhod na kamo saragudon
Luhod na kamo halaywan
Saka sa hagdanan
Indi mo na pagsawion sa hagdanan
Indi mo ron pagsawion sa pulongkoan
Diin ka na uris nga babaylan
Diin ka na uris nga dalongdongan
Dali-dali ginalawag kamo
Sunod na sa tupad ko
Luhod kamo sa tupad ko
Hamboy kamo sa abaga ko
Hay nalakat ko ron ang suba
Hay ako na si dagan-dagan
Bisan pa ang bukid natingadon
Parapit don kamo saragudon
Magkilala kamo kay _________ (name of patient)
Ang tanan nga baratyagon sa kalawasan
Bul-on mo ron ang hirab kang surok-surok
Bul-on mo ron and lingin kang ulo
Bul-on mo ron ang yami kang kalawasan
Ginalawag ta ron kamo sa kalag
Lingkod don kamo sa lingkuran
Magkilala don kamo sa natungdan
Indi don kamo kang paghinakiti
Basi nahinakitan kang tawo sa talon
Panghuksa ninyo ron
Magkilala kamo kang hitsura
Panghuksa, panglubda ang tanan nga baratyagon sa kalawasan
Laton don sa tulos
Laton sa bunang
Laton sa kalawag
Kay ako naghanggab don sa haranggaban
Basi kon natabuan sa hulot
Hay saragudon, haraywon
Bawion don ang kasakit
Bawion mo ang atay
Bawion don sa ampis nga itom
Laton don sa bunang
Laton don sa kalawag
Hay mabulos don ang kaupod
Ang akon iba indi ninyo ron pagyao-yauhan
Indi ninyo pagsundon
Indi ninyo pagbugnohon
Hay akon saragudon
Indi mo ron pagsindaon
Hay basi kon nalahog-lahogan ka ron sa laraywon
Hay kon nalahog-lahogan ka ron sang saragudon
Bawion mo ron saragudon
Bawion mo ron haraywon
Indi don kamo maghinakit
Basi ginsinda sa pagpanaog
Basi ginsinda sa pagparigos
Basi ginsinda sa paglagaw-lagaw
Basi ginsinda sa pagpamintana
Basi ginsinda ikaw kang tawo sa sidlangan
Basi ginsinda ikaw kang tawo sa seringan
Basi ginsinda ikaw kang babaylan
Hay ko ron ang kabangdanan
Hay indi ninyo ron pagpiriton
Ginahimo don ang kabangdanan
Ginsinda ang sinindaan
O, sinda, sinda
O, sinda, sinda
Laton don sa binuik
Laton don sa kalawag
Laton don sa ampis nga itom
Basi ginsinda ikaw sa surok-surok
O, sinda, sinda
O, sinda, sinda
Laton don sa pangalap
Kag dian kamo magpinitik-pitik
Saragudon, haraywon, bawion mo ang sinda kag aswang sa balay
Basi ginsinda ikaw kang diwata
Basi ginsinda ikaw sang aswang sa balay
O, maputi nga dalaga sa burotlakan kang adlaw kari ka
Bawion ang sinda kag tawo sa balay
Bawion ang tanan nga masakit nga balatyagon
Naghalay don ako kang patadyong
Tanda sang pakamatuod kon ano ang kabangdanan
Kon nabugnohan kang kalag
Pakaaydon don ninyo si _________ (name of patient) kon amo ang kabangdanan.
External link
References
- Babaylan. (accessed on July 11, 2008).
- Lexipahnic. (accessed on July 14, 2008).
- Isis Women. (accessed on July 14, 2008).
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