Saturday, October 11, 2008 An eye-popping encounter with a mun-anap
I GREW up hearing stories of locals in my hometown Mayoyao, Ifugao who approached a mun-anap (clairvoyant) when their valuables were stolen, however, I was then skeptical about it, doubting the accuracy of the information someone may get from mun-anaps.
Given the opportunity to work on a project in a non-government organization (NGO) in line with the transmission of indigenous knowledge from the elders to the youth, we did not even include such traditional means of having contact with the supernatural phenomenon. We focused more on land and resource management, traditional architecture, engineering, hydrology, and traditional rice cycle.
In one of our educational tours, the digital camera lent to me by the NGO was stolen. I left it inside the room where I would sleep. It was inside my bag, which I placed at the very corner of my bed. I turned off the light, closed the door, and left without locking it confident no one would enter.
When I returned, I wondered why the light was on. I was surprised to see the case of the digital camera on top of my bed. No camera was inside! I checked my bags and every corner of my room but I was frustrated to have find nothing.
I went to the room of my cousin, woke her up and asked if she saw someone enter my room. At first, she was just nodding her head but later, she said she did see the guy who entered my room. I immediately noted her description of the guy. I asked her to get up and recognize the guy from the people outside.
Unfortunately, she did not find him. She further recalled her companion who also saw the guy. In two days, I eventually came up with a prime suspect with the help of my cousin's companion.
Setting aside my skepticism was a turning point for me whose orientation since childhood paid no respect to indigenous ways and means. With the desire to explore possibilities, I submitted to my friend's suggestion to go to a mun-anap. She instructed me to list the names of the suspects. I did it but included some non-suspects to test her credibility.
Our way to the mun-anap's house was no joke. Using the NGO's car, we passed through a narrow and rugged road, which snaked up a mountain. After almost an hour, we found a concrete middle-class house. The house was surprisingly in the middle of nowhere.
A woman came out of the house and my friend went to meet her. I was just observing and later learned she was the clairvoyant we came to see. She was kind enough to offer us coffee.
My friend told the mun-anap about our purpose. She first spent some time telling stories then later, she went to get "hapid," a leaf mixed with betel nut for chewing. After performing a ritual silently, she enclosed it with her wrist and blew into her clenched hand. Later, she requested for the list of suspects.
She stared at the list and began to whisper words, which I could not understand. Her hands were shaking and the pupils of her eyes went up and down repeatedly while staring at the list. I was worried she might not find the name of the thief in the list.
The mun-anap eventually pointed her finger to one of the names listed but it was not my prime suspect's. My heart trembled but later, I sighed when I heard her say the person she was pointing at is nervous but is not the thief.
I recalled witnesses claiming he slept in my room for a short while because he was drunk.
Finally the mun-anap pointed her finger at the prime suspect's name and confirmed he was the thief. Tears rolled down my eyes realizing what I gathered were accurate. Had she pointed only at the prime suspect's name, I might have still doubted the information (it could have been by mere happenstance). What convinced me was when she was able to pinpoint the name of the drunken guy who slept in my room. He might have been nervous for fear of my suspicions.
The mun-anap continued with the ritual then later referred us to a mumpfuni/mumbaki, an Ifugaonative priest.
We went to see a mumpfuni/mumbaki whom my friend used to consult. I asked him not to harm the suspect but rather merely bother his conscience.
While performing the ritual, I received a text message from the prime suspect requesting me to make a phone call to him to talk where and when we could possibly meet. Two hours after the ritual, I received another text message from him assuring the digital camera will be returned to me as soon as possible.
Time came when I had to meet the suspect. I saw him sitting on a bench fronting the gate of Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral in Lagawe, Ifugao. I approached him and spent some time listening to his lengthy explanation. Tired of listening, I asked if he had the camera. He brought it out from his pocket covered in a fine plastic bag. I took hold of it and immediately checked if it was still functioning. It was working! The memory card was also intact!
Sometimes I ask if everything that transpired was all coincidence. I was then working for a project in line with indigenous knowledge yet here comes a real situation that drove me to meet real indigenous knowledge holders dealing with the supernatural phenomenon. It seems the situation was telling me traditional lores are not to be scorn about but given a chance.
Regarded by Christians as pagan practices, these have low level of social acceptability. And look! After confronting the mun-anap and the mumpfuni/mumbaki, the suspect requested me to meet him in front of Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral.
Perhaps, Mary Magdalene also interceded for the return of the stolen camera! Is the whole situation telling me there are meeting points between the traditional and Christian beliefs?
For sure, the experience convinced me more of the existence of a Supernatural being watching over the whole of humanity.
