VISAYAS

BABAYLAN also known as DAILAN, the BABAYALN was mediator between the gods and the people and healer of the body and spirit. Mostly played by women, the BABAYLAN’S role bordered on the political as well, being a close advisor to the date in almost all matters concerning religion, medicine, natural phenomena, etc. The term BABAYLAN is most used on Panay, Negros and other areas of Central and Western Visayas. The Hiligaynon, BABAYI for women shows a close relation to the term BABAYLAN. In Kinaray-a, an ancient language still being spoken in Antique and some interior towns of Iloilo, BAYI and BAY/AN are the terms used. In Kinaray-a, BAYI is also used to refer to one’s female grand elders. BABAYLAN then implies an age-old tradition embodied in the concepts basic to the culture and society of Panay.

MA-ARAM (Panay) - the MA—ARAM practice of Panay among the Karat-a is a phenomena referred to as BINABAYLAN by non practitioners as well as those less sympathetic to the practice. In Barrio Marit where this phenomena exists, practitioners prefer to be called MA-ARAM due to the prejorative connotation attached to the term BABAYLAN by non-BINABAYLAN believers. While this practice is the same role as the historical BABAYLAN, in modern times it is mostly male practitioners.

ASOG (Leyte & Samar) - The ASOG considered themselves more like women than like men in their manner of living, or going about, or even in their occupations. Some of them applied themselves to traditional women’s tasks. In dress, although they did not wear petticoats (these were not worn by women in ancient times either) they did wear some Lambon. It is a kind of long skirt down to the feet, so that they were recognized even by their dress. Unlike female shamans, they neither needed to be chosen nor did they undergo initiation rites. However, not all ASOG, trained to become shamans.

Spanish colonization, since the indigenous of Cebu had direct contact with the Portuguese explorer, Magellan, and on-going indigenous practices before colonization. The PANAMBALS cover natural and supernatural illnesses using a wide range of methods. Two common methods used are herbal medicine and orasyon, healing prayers deriving from bible equivalency called LIBRITO.

MANANAMBALS treat major and minor ailments. These ailments include but are not limited to: headache, fever, cold, toothache, dengue fever, wounds, infection, cancer, intellectual impairment, and other illnesses thought to be caused by supernatural creatures.

DIWATERO and MAMUMUHAT are the ones who cure illnesses specifically caused by supernatural beings and buyable. They are a medium who acts as intercessor between humans and spirits.

TAMBALAN (herb doctor or medicine man) is, even in ern Philippine society, a respectable Personality. Among the lower class the TAMBLAN is more trusted than the district health inspector who regularly visits their places. In folk-belief, the TAMBALAN is believed to have supernatural powers to contact and control the spirits. Since it is believed that the healing power of the TAMBALAN a is supernatural gift which might be lost if money is taken for the services rendered, the medicine used by them is cheap and is often without charge.

MANG HIHILOT & MANUG LUY-A (Negros Occidental) are considered traditional healers. People usually come to these healers if they are experiencing illness.

MANUGLUY-A is very familiar with rituals, modalities of diagnose and healing, prayers, whisper (bulging) and roasting, and the use of herbal medicinal plants. They are familiar with the different spirits causing Illness, which are dwarfs and nunos.

Other names for healers in the Visayas, including Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, and among Bisaya speakers in Northern Mindanao are:

BAYLAN (also BAYLAN, bailable, bailie a, BAYLAN)
KATOORAN ( also catooran)
MAKINAADNANIN, ANITERA (also anitero)
MANANAMBAL (healer)
HIMAGAN (healer)
SURUHANO (herbalist)
MANGHUHULA or MANGHIHILA (Devi ER)
MANANABANG (midwife)
CORDILLERAS
MAMBUNONG, MANSIPOK, MANKUTOM (IBALOY & KANKANA-EY)

This office is usually held by wise old men experienced in the life and ways of their people. The MAMBUNONG (the maker of prayers) presides in all the feasts requiring the recitation of bunong or prayers. Anyone can become a MAMBUNONG as long as he learned the correct procedures sufficiently well to approach the deities and spirits for them to grant his intercessions or to effect a cure and good fortune. One learns the procedures and prayers associated with each ceremony through constant listening and observing, or through direct instruction of a MAMBUNONG.

These priests are generally classified into two classes. One class is composed for most part of women, performs rituals reserved for special ceremonies; and the other, composed of older and experienced MAMBUNONG, performs familiar rituals. The latter are called MANBAHI and usually preside in special feasts afforded only by the BAKNANG.

MUNAGAO & MUMBINI (Ifugao)
Women priests are called MUNGAO, while male priests are called MUMBINI. Oftentimes a person becomes a priest through inheritance from a father priest, or through a near relative who teaches the rites during the instruction period, as well as during the consecration of a new Priest. In Morse modern times, an Ifugao MUMBAKI is a kind of religious specialist who can perform various healing rituals as well as engage in spiritual practices. This is why they are occasionally called witch doctors. Nowadays, such shamans practice alternative medicine such as chiropractic, homeopathy, and also faith healing.

DORARKIT(Isneg)
The Isneg shaman or DORARKIT(sometimes called ANITOWAN) is always a woman. The functions of the DORARKIT are numerous and varied. She determines, chooses, collects, and distributes the tan in or amulets, which play such an important role in the life of an Isneg, although not all of these come under the jurisdiction of a single shaman. She is the universally accepted physician and surgeon in all kinds of sickness.

The position of the shaman is not hereditary among the Isneg. To be considered a DORARKIT, it is sufficient for a woman to have been consecrated by another shaman, but such consecration is absolutely required.

ALOPOGAN (Tingguian)
The superior beings talk with mortals through the aid of the ALOPOGAN, known individually and collectively as ALOPOGAN. (She who covers her face). These are generally women past middle life, though men are not barred from the profession, who, when chosen, are made aware of the fact by having trembling fits when they are not cold, by warnings in dreams, or by being informed by other ALOPOGAN that they are desired by the spirits.

MANGALISIG, MANGANITO, MANDADWAK (Kalinga)

The priesthood is almost entirely in the hands of women. Entry into it always in answer to a “call”, and is in a sense, compulsory; the woman begins to sleep badly, has many dreams, grows thin, lacks appetite, believes that her soul has married an ANITU and that she can extricate herself from the condition only by becoming a priestess (MANGAALISIG). Or she may become conscious of the call from getting stomach upset after she has eaten foods that are taboo to priestesses: eel, dog, certain fish, meat of a cow (not carabao). She is said to be taught the rituals by the gods themselves, not by the older priestesses.

The medium, healer or priestess also goes by the names MANGANITO or MANDADAWAK.

MABAKI (Ikalhans)
Among the Ikalhans, the MABAKI takes care of all the ritual proceedings. It is he who invokes invitations to the ancestors and spirits (ampahit) to join the celebration and bring blessings.

INSUP-OK ( Bontoc)
Every individual or household has the power and knowledge to intercede with the ANITO, although often times, the seer or medium (INSUP-OK) is called to heal afflictions caused by malevolent spirits. In every ceremony the spirits are invited to take part in the animal sacrifice through Kapya, a prayer composed extemporaneously by the presiding INSUP-OK.