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Wednesday, April 02, 2003
The Other Side of Siquijor
By Reynante G. Maata
CVCP MassCom student
In Siquijor, that mysterious place dubbed as the island of fire and the occult, dried fish are known to swim in a basin of water, a piece of ordinary paper can transform into a peso bill, and a cardboard cut-out of a human figure can suddenly do the tango.
Amazing? Not so, for this island bears the distinction as a land of supernatural or magical powers -- a center of witchcraft, of barang, aswang, tikbalang and engkanto.
Yes, this is Siquijor where covens of witches and other practitioners of the craft, either dark or white, from all over the world, reportedly converge every Lenten season to refresh their occult and mystical powers.
How the island earned this distinction is a long story.
Lolo Ciriaco Baliquig, a native islander who spent his 96 years of life here, is a witness to events in the unwritten pages of Siquijor.
Lolo Ciriaco explained that long, long time ago, the island had no doctors and islanders had to rely on herbs and quack doctors called "mananambal (healers)" to heal the sick.
"Ang mga mananambal mogamit ug dahon ug gamut sa kahoy para idapat sa tawo'ng masakiton," the 96-year old grandfather said. (The healers use the leaves and roots of trees to heal sick persons.)
These arbularyos, he said, possessed occult powers bestowed on them by good spirits for beneficial purposes and for healing. The good spirits want them to help victims of sicknesses like barang caused by bad spirits.
"Na-a kana sila'y mga abyan nga maoy mihatag sa gahum aron mabuntog ang sakit nga iya sa kangitngit," Lolo Ciriaco said.
Barang, he explained, is nothing but a product of man's illusion and false beliefs. If you believe the cure, then the barang takes effect, if you don't, it will not affect you, the old man said.
However, many people truly believe in barang, especially if a medical doctor confirms that nothing is wrong with a patient suffering from an unexplained ailment.
"Pero makatuo ikaw nga tinood gayud ang barang kon ang usa ka tawo nga masakiton nga gipakonsulta sa doctor ikompirmar nga wala'y sakit. Bisan ug himalatyon na ang tawo kon gibarang gani, dili gyud makakita ang doctor sa diperensiya," Lolo Ciriaco said.
To cure one's self, the victim has to undergo a cleansing ritual and once cured, the ailment transfers to the mamalarang.
"Sa gikaingon ko na, aduna sila'y litokon nga oracion dayon ilang paasohan ang masakiton. Maayo na ang iyang sakit, unya ang gidudahan nga barangan mao na usab ang magsakit kay mosumbalik man ang barang sa iyaha," he said.
Engkantos can also cause a person to fall ill. They are invisible, the old man said, but once hurt unknowingly by a human being they can cause the victim to suffer.
"Ang tawo dili makakita sa engkanto apan sila makita kanato. Busa kon makasala ang tawo sa dili ingon nato, pananglit nagluwa ang tawo ug didto matunong sa engkanto nga wala niya makita, masuko sila ug ilang hatagan ug sakit ang tawo," he said.
The pain can only be assuaged through food offerings and rituals.
"Diwata. Mohalad ang masakiton ug mga lamian nga pagkaon ug ilimnon sa dapit nga itudlo sa mananambal kon diin nakasala ang tawo. Dayon mangamuyo sila ug mangayo'g pasaylo sa engkanto," Lolo Ciriaco said. The victim is forgiven and freed of his sufferings once the offerings are made and accepted.
"Kon ang pagkaon ug ilimnon makuhaan, buot ipasabot giapasaylo na sa engkanto ang tawo ug maayo na siya sa iyang balation," he continued.
Lolo Ciriaco said the best defense against barang or all forms of evil is still a strong faith in God.
Teodulo Agay-ay, a native of Siquijor, was said to be a victim of witchcraft. Five years ago his stomach swelled like a balloon and he could not walk because of his pain. Doctors, however, could not diagnose the cause and instead declared him healthy. A faith healer pronounced him "gibarang". Agay-ay went through four months healing rituals. He was cured.
"Dako ang akong pasalamat sa mananambal kay abi nako ug mamatayna ko adtong tungora. Busa makaingon ako nga tinood gyud ang barang apan dyutay long pod seguro," he said.
Many foreigners come to Siquijor to see for themselves the extraordinary powers of Vicente Tumala. Tumala is Siquijor's popular magician. He is known for his ability to make dried fish swim, a cutout of a human figure dance, and turning a piece of paper into a peso bill.
The distinction of being a center of occultism in the country today has not diminished the island's fast growing tourism industry. The distinction must have been a plus factor, encouraging curious outsiders to visit the island to observe the extraordinary events.
Whether all the stories about the other side of Siquijor are true or not, the fact remains that the island remains one of the most peaceful places in the country to visit today. |
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