Statistically speaking, about 86 % of the Philippine population is composed of Catholics (Miller). Undoubtedly, it is the dominating religion in the country as a result of the 400 years rule of the Spaniards over the lands. Contrary to the common perception that our ancestors had no religion before 16th century, our forefathers had already an idea of one supreme God and creator of all called Bathala. Its difference from Christianity was the worship on less powerful Gods like Agni (God of Fire), deities and spirits of the ancestors which they believed to be living in nature. The title of babaylan was commonly given to women but there were occasions that men also possessed the position. Their core role in the community was to keep the peace and was considered as one of the four main pillars pf the community along with the datu (political leader), bagani (warrior) and panday (craftsmen) based on Alice Gaborro's article 'Filipino Women Power'. They were recognized as spiritual leader, traditional doctor and scientists, had the ability to travel to the world of the spirits and become a medium between them[spirits] and the living. “Literally, she had the power of life and death in the village”

1. Frauline C. Tadle
September 27, 2012
Eng 10: THY2
Exercise: Concept Paper
From Priestess to Monsters:
The Babaylan Before and During the Spaniards Colonization
With her Eurotel-sponsored signage, Nanay Alice is one of the living practitioners of Filipino
traditional method– hilot. Her prowess in this custom has reached far through conversations of people
who have tested her abilities. Believing that the ability to heal is a blessing given by Nuestra Senora de
Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies) in Malato, Nanay Alice gives her service specially for the poor and
never asked for payment, except for small donations given by some of her patients (Robillos). Hilot is not
a product of contemporary time. Its history can be traced back thousands of years ago and was one of the
primary methods of healing by Filipinos even before the Spanish colonization. It was mainly practiced by
one of the most important institution then – the babaylan.
Statistically speaking, about 86 % of the Philippine population is composed of Catholics (Miller).
Undoubtedly, it is the dominating religion in the country as a result of the 400 years rule of the Spaniards
over the lands. Contrary to the common perception that our ancestors had no religion before 16th
century,
our forefathers had already an idea of one supreme God and creator of all called Bathala. Its difference
from Christianity was the worship on less powerful Gods like Agni (God of Fire), deities and spirits of the
ancestors which they believed to be living in nature.
Their religion is classified as animism – the act of believing that there were 'non-human' existence
that are living in nature like mountains, trees and rocks and could affect the human. These unseen entities,
just like humans were believed to have the energy of their own. An equilibrium between the energy from
nature (or universe) and from the human body is a major requirement to have harmonious life.
Maintaining this equilibrium was the foremost role played by the babaylan as they were believed to have
had the capacity to communicate with the spirits.
Babaylan is the Visayan and most well-known term for the indigenous 'priestess' or 'shaman'' of
the Philippine ethnic groups before the arrival of Spaniards in the 16th
century. They were called

2. differently by various indigenous groups in the country like Katalonan (Tagalog), Mombaki (Ifugao),
Mabalian (Bagobo), Daetan (Samareños), Mabunong (Benguet), Mensip-ok (Sagada), Baglan
(Pangasinan, Ilocos), Mamallyan (Pampanga) and Kapandaian (Lanao) (Mangahas 24). According to
Leny Mendoza Strobel, the word 'babaylan' literally means 'one who serves' (Mabanglo-Mayor). Nick
Carbo wrote in an introduction that when Magellan came, they called these women pintadas because of
the tattoos on their arms called batuk (vii).
The title of babaylan was commonly given to women but there were occasions that men also
possessed the position. Their core role in the community was to keep the peace and was considered as one
of the four main pillars pf the community along with the datu (political leader), bagani (warrior) and
panday (craftsmen) based on Alice Gaborro's article 'Filipino Women Power'. They were recognized as
spiritual leader, traditional doctor and scientists, had the ability to travel to the world of the spirits and
become a medium between them[spirits] and the living.
Salazar considered them as the proto-scientists of the archipelago because of their knowledge on
astronomy and natural phenomena (6). They also showed prowess on the community' s literature as they
were one of those who had mastered the epics, legends, myths, songs and chants which they usually used
to teach values and in their rituals. Because of these vast knowledge on literature, they can also be
distinguished as historians since epics and legends often tells about the history of a certain group.
Babaylan were usually chosen either by inheriting it from an elder babaylan or by calling from a
spirit through summoning dreams called rukut (Gaborro). In some Lumad communities of Mindanao like
Matigsalom, the capability of resolving the community's problem as well as to defend it from enemies
through sword were major requirements of becoming a babaylan. It was a lifetime and complex process
that's why before they could become full-fledge, they had already reached their mature age or menopausal
age for women (Villariba). This part of societal system of early Filipinos was really important to undergo
such a complex process.
The institution of babaylan was formed in order to understand the untamed environment where
our ancestros dwelled. Because they believe of powerful souls and entities within their surroundings,

3. people need someone to act as medium between them and the humans. They relied on babaylan to do the
communication. To seek the advise from the spirits, to appease them when enraged and to give honors
and thanks to the blessings the community had received, rituals were usually done. Thses rituals involved
chanting of prayers while dancing and finally, killing a boar and could only be done by the babaylan as
they possessed the sole authority to do so and were considered as sacred.
In the GMA's television series, Amaya, when Rajah Mangubat and his troupes were in the midst
of their pangangayaw or slave-raiding in a neighboring tribe, the chief babaylan of that tribe was
possessed by a spirit to warn the cruel Rajah of the coming of a child that would eventually kill him.
From here, we can see that babaylan were not only a medium between humankind and spirits but also a
vehicle of the deities to communicate with the living. They were also blessed with the capacity of making
the anting-anting through chanting of prayers onto powerful objects like tooth of a crocodile. These
mystical ornaments were said to have had the ability of giving its possessor great powers. As the spiritual
chief, she also led the community ritual for agriculture, marriage, baptism, victory of war or raid, blessed
weather and death (Scott 84). The belief on life after death was already present during their time and its
the babaylan who presided ceremonies to accompany the spirit in its journey across the new world.
As someone who had been endowed with spiritual powers, the babaylan also have the capability
of healing illnesses through their healing rituals. They had mastered understanding the intricate balance of
katawan (human body), kaluluwa (spirit) at ginhawa (comfort) which form an individual's pagkatao. As
the kaluluwa bears within it all psychological aspects of a human such as konsensya, unawa, budhi,
kalooban at damdamin, Salazar believed that aside from being chief healer, they are also the head
psychologist of the community (14). This is the reason why the babaylan ensures that nothing can get the
kaluluwa within the katawan hurt (15). Hurting the kaluluwa would inflict a person pain and if not lifted,
would cause his/her death. According to Scott, there were three main ways a babaylan can use to help the
spirit:
“The babaylan's healing prowess was described in dramatic terms: agaw, to carry off by force,
was to snatch pain from the suffrer; tawag, to call someone out, was to summon the spirit that
had kidnapped the soul; and bawi, to rescue, was to free the invalid from the grip of the

4. afflicting spirit (85).”
The principle of a state of equilibrium between the energy from the sanlibutan (universe) and the energy
from the body was also an important aspect of their traditional healing method. This intricate balance also
affects the social relationship of an individual to his surroundings (Maraňa and Galvez-Tan 8).
Another role of the babaylan which was considered as fundamental was their service as a political
adviser to the datu. In every move that a datu planned to do should be consulted with the babaylan first.
Because of this, other writers claimed that the power and respect of the people for the babaylan was
greater than that of the datu. Based on a speech delivered by Dr. Jose M. Vergara of School of Theology
in Australian Catholic University during a talk at Sonoma University, the town people can plan revolt
against the datu but can never doubt nor question the power of the babaylan. The very thought of
opposing the babaylan was unthinkable for the people because it's like going against the spirits too. Using
Vergara's exact words, “Literally, she had the power of life and death in the village”.
The babaylan also helped the datu in managing the fields through her knowledge in astronomy.
They were the one who could tell when to start the slash-and-burn procedure. They would also be the one
who could dictate when to harvest and do the headhunting ritual (Salazar 6). This process was called
pangangayaw and was an integral part of their beliefs. This practice was the actualization of the idea of a
three- leveled santinakpan composed of the worlds of kalangitan, lupa at kailaliman which should be
connected to have a fruitful harvest. The head of a man was believed to be way to connect these three (7).
The babaylan can be recognized as the most powerful and respected group in the society of the early
Filipino because of their immense connection with the gods and the spirits.
Upon the coming of Spaniards in 16th
century, the power of the babaylan began to deteriorate.
Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of Ferdinand Magellan branded them as brujas (Mangahas 34). Antonio de
Morga, a Spanish historian chronicled the babaylan or catalonan as amateur sorcerers who deceive their
people through the evil-inspired prayers and rituals (Magos 8). With the combination of their Catholic
religion, the belief that it is the one, true religion, their patriarchal system and their forceful conversion of
the natives, the babaylan got stripped of their power almost instantaneously. The friars degraded their

5. image to the Filipino from someone who were connected with the spirits and who could guide them in
their daily living to 'monstrous feminine' whose powers originally were inclined with evil entities. They
were able to inject into the locals' mind that they were fraudulent vessel to harmony. The babaylans were
not only sacked from their position along with their faith and become monsters in the perspective of their
own people, they were also physically abused and tortured. As they were seen as evil-doers and
hindrances for the religion they were spreading, historian Mila Guerrero also accounted that some
babaylans were literally mutilated, chopped and were fed to crocodiles (Gaborro).
The abrupt and unjust eradication of their rights and powers led some of the babaylan to start the
first uprising against the colonizers, especially the friars. Most of the babaylan who went berserk against
the foreigners said that they had received premonition from the spirits regarding the bad effects the new
comers would bring into the land. As a matter of fact, as early as 1609 a babaylan in Bohol named
Cariapa amazed the Jesuits when while dancing, she chanted this:
Bayabarico ha nagbanua
Balunco ha bagcabayon;
Maga capucane ang cubayon;
Mabual agra qui ring lunson,
Mabuen cagra quing cubayon (Mangahas 36).
This land will be changed,
other people will possess it,
with another culture, other practices;
This townis to be utterly destroyed.
This province with the rest of the islands
are to be subjugated (Mangahas 36).
Before Rizal and Bonifacio, the babaylans should be recognized as the first leaders of the
uprisings against the Spaniards. Their objective could've been more personal but it can not change the fact
that they were early enough to see the possible outcome of the colonization. They were one of the first
who protected their people from the oppression of the Western colonizers.
Most of their traditional practice could have died along with the swarming of new influences from
other culture, especially from North America. Yet, some of their practices are still practiced today and
even honored by the Catholic Church and Scientific community. The present day babaylan can be seen
through the herbolarios and hilot just like Nanay Alice. They are still using, practicing and reserving
anting-anting, chants, rituals and the balance of energy. One of the few remaining Sama baylan named
Teresita urged us to continue learning the 'art of knowing' which can make us utilize our pakiramdam to

6. determine the right medication as well as when to show our combined will to defend (Miclat-Cacayan
66). Up to this day, we have kept on practicing the tradition of the babaylan without us noticing it. This
proves that they never cease to exist but rather, they are pushed into our subconsciousness through time.
Some said that it's been so long since the institution of babaylan have perished. Others still say
that it is not. It is just creeping with veins of every Filipinos, aching for their time to come and be
unleashed. We neither need to communicate with the spirits, read the stars nor revive their rituals. We just
need to understand the nature of their spirit: strong-willed, independent, intelligent, courageous and does
not hesitate to fight for the country. All we have to do is to give a living embodiment to the spirit of
babaylan that lives in all of us.

7. WORKS CITED
Carbo, Nick. Introduction to Babaylan: An Anthology of Filipina and Filipinas American Writers Eds.
By Nick Carbo and Eileen Tabios. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books, 2000.
______ “The Other Half of the Sky” Introduction. Babaylan: An Anthology of Filipina and Filipina
American Writers.
Gaborro, Alice. “Filipino Women Power.” Babaylan Files. Blogspot.com., 17 June 2009. Retrieved from
http://babaylanfiles.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-news-filipino-women-power.html. 31 August 2012.
Mabanglo-Mayor, Rebecca. “Defining Babaylan.” Babaylan Files. Babaylanfiles, 2 February 2009.
Web. Retrieved from .http://babaylanfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/defining-babaylan-tradition-of-
womens.html 29 August 2012.
Magos, Alicia. The Enduring Ma-aram Tradition: an Ethnography of a Kinaray-a Village in Antique.
Quezon City: New Day, 1992.
Mangahas, Fe. “The Babaylan: Historico-Cultural Context.” Centennial Crosssings: Readings on
Babaylan feminism in the Philippines. Quezon City: C& E Publishing, Inc., 2006. 21-46.
Maraňa, Ma Rebecca and Galvez Tan, Jaime. Hiloy: The Filipino Traditional Massage. Quezon City:
Creative Concoction, Inc., 2006.
Miclat-Cacayan, Agnes. “Babaylan: She Dances in Wholeness.” Centennial Crossings: Readings on
Babaylan Feminism in the Philippines. Ed. By Fe B. Mangahas and Jenny R. Llaguno. Quezon City: C
& E Publishing, Inc., 2006. 49-72.
Miller, Jack. “Religion in the Philippines.” Focus on Asian Studies Vol. 2 No, 1: Asian Religions (1996):
22-27. Web. Retrieved from http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Modules/Modules/PhilippineReligions
/article_miller.htm. 6 Sept. 2012.
Robillos, Alyosha. “Miraculous Manghihilot in Malate.” Pinoy Community Newswire. Blogspot.com., 7
October 2012. Web. Retrieved from http://pinoycommunitynewswire.blogspot.com/2010/10/miraculous-
manghihilot-in-malate.html#comment-form. 5 September 2012.
Salazar, Zeus. Babaylan sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Quezon City: Palimbagan ng Lahi, 1995.
Scott, William Henry. Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society. Quezon City:
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Sy, James, Jr. “GMA's Amaya: Fact or Fiction? Part IV: Religious Perspective.” Visayan Filipino Matial
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http://visayanfilipinomartialarts.blogspot.com/2011/07/gmas-amaya-fact-or-fiction-part-iv.html. 3
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Vergara, Jose. “The Denigration of the Babaylan in the Colonial Writings. Retiradong Guro si
Lolo Jose. Blogspot.com., 19 September 2011. Retrieved from
http://gurosilolojose.blogspot.com/2011/09/denigration-of-babaylans.html. 5 September 2012.

8. Villariba, Marianita. “Babaylan as Guide to a Life of Peace and Justice.” Women in Action 2
(2006). 54-60. Isis International, 20 February 2007. Web. Retrieved from
http://www.isiswomen.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=433&Itemid=207.
31 August 2012.
“I value intellectual integrity and the highest standards of academic conduct. I am committed to an ethical learning environment that promotes a
high standard of honor in scholastic work. Academic dishonesty undermines institutional integrity and threatens the academic fabric of the
University of the Philippines. And because I believe that dishonesty is no an acceptable avenue to success, I affix my signature to this work to
affirm that it is original and free of cheating and plagiarism, and does nor knowingly furnish false information.”
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