Chieftains of old Davao

Before the Spanish formally launched its conquest of Davao in 1848, the region was governed by tribal leaders called Datus. These Datus were the equivalent of village headmen. They were renowned to be the wisest and the bravest among the people. Aside from leading the defense of his people against foes and raiders, the Datu also dispenses the tribe’s customary laws. Also unlike Muslim tribes in Lanao, Maguindanao and Sulu where a Datu is subject to the rule of the Sultan, Bagobo and Lumad tribal leaders overtly proclaim their independence over any one-man rule. Even if they paid homage to the Sultanate of Mindanao, they fiercely valued their territorial and personal independence. After all, they are many and possess a land and culture of their own.

Chieftains generally wear a blood-red colored head kerchief that proclaim his valor in the battlefield.

 The advent of American military occupation of Davao in the early 1900’s also paved the way for anthropological research and rediscovery of flourishing Mindanao cultures by the West. Such was the case of Datu Tongkaling who was the ruler of Sibulan, Davao during the American period. Sibulan is supposedly the center of the Tagabawa community in Davao del Sur, as it was also recognized by many Bagobos in the neighboring territories. Accordingly, Tongkaling traced his ancestry through ten (10) generations of Datu Chieftains. Above is an image of Datu Tongkaling, photo courtesy of Faye-Cooper Cole who was in Davao during the 40’s

Lumad Spirituality

Lumad spirituality is very deep. At a young age, many lumads regardless of tribal affiliation are being taught by their elders to respect three things; 1. To revere Manama as the God creator of all things, 2. To respect nature and all its forms, 3. And to respect his elders, his community and the customs that have been brought down for generations. The lumad child, while growing up to become an adult is taught by the community through example. Since the relationships of tribal cultures in the east are more cohesive, the education becomes more of a “community instruction”.

There are many spiritual practices among the lumads. But all of these are compartmentalized into one unified system of belief and practice.

For example, during the blessing or pomaas after a harvest, the balian or the priest will offer prayers and give thanks to Manama. The pomaas ritual is characterized with the use of two (2) chickens, one colored white and the other, black feathered, as being offered to appease the creator. After the prayer acknowledging the hierarchy of spirits, the chickens are slaughtered and the liver is utilized by the shaman as a tool to read the omens or messages of the spirits. The pomaas ritual is not limited to harvests or community celebrations but is also an accepted practice on occasions of a house blessing, family gathering or family celebrations.

Another example is that whenever a hunter goes out to hunt, he makes an altar at the side of the balete tree. This altar, otherwise known as tambara contains an offering of food or rice for the guardian spirit to partake. Thus, an acknowledgment from the spirit makes his hunt successful.

It is also not proper, to touch articles belonging to the Datu like his palihuma or sword, spear, kaasag or his shield, his garments or his mat, especially without his permission. Articles belonging to him are considered sacred.

Laughing at other people’s deformities is also considered a serious moral crime. The being of the sky world called Anit may punish a person for commission. But oftentimes, an insult to a reputation of an individual may result to instant death.

An ahung may not be played without permission as the instrument is also protected by a guardian spirit.

At the time of Islamic rule in Mindanao, the Bagobos had generally believed that creation is ruled by a supreme God called Manama. As there are also lesser gods and deities that are under his governance. His afterlife in the sky worlds consists of nine layers, the highest being occupied by the supreme God and the diwata and the lowest, the anitos or spirits. Then, there is Tuwaang, the bagobo folk-hero who defeats his evil enemies and retreats to his sky world riding in his Sinalimba or sky-ship.

Symbiosis is a concept that has been understood by many lumads even before they were taught the word. And before the coming of the formal education, they instinctively knew how it was to violate a centuries-old custom law. Thus, many of them have developed a keen sense of respect towards many things. Respect for them is not a belief. It is part of their greater practice of lumad spirituality.

Adsuli

Adsuli. Law of Retaliation

In the pre-hispanic Bagobo communities of the Davao region, a man wronged would resort to suli/adsuli, which which means to take revenge. Offenses such as taking of another’s property, carrying another man’s wife or simply making fun of any physical disability can potentially offset a dangerous situation in the lumad village.

Arsenio Manuel, a Philippine anthropologist who have worked in Davao in the 1960’s, chronicles many of these stories involving tribal feuds and retaliation. In one such story in Kidapawan, North Cotabato, a boy was slashed and killed for laughing at a man’s physical disfigurement. Manuel says thus in his manuscript, Manuvu Custom Law 2000 UP Diliman, “Matun of Muwaan, Kidapawan, suffered from a disease and lost his left foot;he could walk only with the aid of two canes. He could work, fish, climb up a tree and haul down a beehive nevertheless.

He was intervisiting and left his supports at the doorway, then went up the house on all fours. A boy about ten years old in the household laughed. Then and there, Matun slashed at the boy and killed him.

The father did not retaliate.

The datus who settled the case said it was oson, because that disease was given by Manama (Manuvu Supreme God) and Matun did not desire it. Why should someone speak of such a defect patent to the eyes; much more important than the person having it? A small panavuk (damages) was awarded by Matun for the death of the boy to his father.

The case mentioned exemplifies of an insult leading to a death.This this is known as Adsuli or retaliation.

This is the observation of the Manuvu law.

Defense against the Dark Creatures

However, there are ways to defeat an Aswang. Filipino shamans recommend certain things that one must perform or prepare in case of an aswang attack or presence in the home or community. These practices have been tested by Malay tradition and experience. Since many Filipinos still live in the countryside villages, most of them adhere to these age-old practices that protect them against these supernatural beings.

Hereunder are the  following ways;

1. Aswangs are repelled by the smell of lemon (dayap) fruit. To them, the odor is pungent and offensive. Shamans recommend that when one goes out at night especially during barrio festivities or dances, one must carry some of this fruit in one’s pockets. The aswang cannot harm you when you possess these.
2. In some instances, aswangs are repelled by vinegar, salt, garlic or a smoked car tire.
3. Some shamans in the Visayas and Mindanao carry bronze pieces in their pocket when they venture out. They say that the bronze element is like a poison to an aswangs’ body.
4. When you walk out at night in the countryside, you may want to wear a dark garment. Aswangs generally will think that you too are an aswang, and will not endeavor to harm you.
5. If you live in a hut in an obscure village in a Philippine countryside, be sure to put out a long, sharp bamboo spike (bagacay) near the door. Bamboo spears are deterrent to a would-be aswang attacker. A blade could not always penetrate an aswang’s body, but a bamboo spear often will.
6. An aswang is afraid of a ray’s tail (buntot-pagi). A buntot-pagi may be used to whip them. Besides, a ray’s tail is poisonous.
7. When you walk the roads at night, it is advised that you do not walk in the middle. You should walk to the side for an aswang would most often challenge the one walking at the middle of the road.
8. A man who stands at a road at night and stares at you with “red eyes” is an aswang.
9. By day, if you look at a person suspected to be aswang, he would look down on the floor or avoid your “direct stare”. If you will look closer into his eye, you would see yourself as “inverted” figure.
10. In certain Visayan regions such as in Cebu, Bohol or Negros Oriental, travelers at night would often shout “asin-suka! asin-suka!” (meaning salt and vinegar, uttered twice) as this would repel any attempt by the aswang on your person.
11. In some ritualistic practices in Mindanao, sacred oil potions (Lana) in small glasses are placed atop a house doorway. The oil is believed to warn dwellers of an approaching danger in the night as the oil begins to boil on its own. When it boils, the aswang is near.
12. One may also hear an aswang cry during the night, signifying its presence in the vicinity. You will hear different sounds depending upon the region or place you are in. In Cebu or Mindanao, it is heard as “wak-wak” or “kikikik”. In Iloilo, it is heard as “tok-tok”. In Luzon, the sound “tik-tik-tik” is heard.
13. An aswang is often detected by the presence of its foul odor. Others who have had close contact with an aswang say that the smell is akin to a “decaying carcass with a somewhat oily smell”. It’s really bad, they say.
14. Pregnant women should not sleep in the middle of the room especially at night. They should also wear black when they sleep. Above all, pregnant women in the rural areas should not be left alone in the house. There are aswangs pretending to be people.
15. There are magical incantations or what we call “oracions” that may be used to drive away an aswang but this are only revealed by shamans or sorcerers to “chosen” students and apprentices.
16. People who are suspected to be an aswang are said to frequent market places or butcher shops. Aswangs like the smell of meat and blood.
17. Do not ever allow a stranger, or any old person whom you do not know, to hold or touch your pregnant woman’s belly. An aswang can “seep” into the energy of the unborn and may cause ‘miscarriage”. The aswang’s “death touch” can affect the fetus inside of a woman. This is generally applicable to people who live in very far places or communities in the Philippines.
18.  Aswangs are believed to visit houses of where the woman occupant is pregnant. Old stories relate how aswangs are attracted to the smell of fetuses and would do anything to get them. They are said to be near when one hears mysterious footsteps on top of the roof, usually late at night. Here, the occupants are encouraged to be careful and to be on guard.
19. Aswangs during the day are said to be unfriendly and anti-social. They keep to themselves and have no wish of any social interaction with others in the community. They are said to possess a “piercing” eye.
20.  Crucifixes, rosaries nor any religious relic do not seem to scare them. Aswangs are ancient beings. They are said to be older than religion itself. Shamans teach that you can only combat them effectively, using the ancient arts as taught by these shamans.

 

Bronze pieces in your pocket to ward off Aswangs during your evening strolls.

Garlic is the traditional organic weapon being utilized by the village-folk during an “aswang invasion”.

Vinegar is said to have “aswang” repellant properties.

The most popular weapon of the Barrio: Bamboo spikes or bagacay! Even the dreaded Manananggal fears this one.

all images courtesy of internet

Scary notes from Davao

The following are stories that were related to me by Mang Lando, a taxi driver from Davao del Sur. The stories come from his memorable experience as a boy during the early 70’s in rural Bansalan, Davao del Sur where he experienced supernatural events.

The following narrations have been translated and edited from the original Visayan version;

 The Manananggal

 When I was a young man in Davao del Sur during the 70’s, my friends and I used to go out at night, usually during full moons to hunt for spiders in the forest. Spider fights were very popular among children during those days as we would look for them in the woods in order to sell them.

One particular night, while we were out hunting, I was particularly drawn to a certain shrub that was peculiar to a certain breed of spider. As I was looking, I was surprised to find a white form, actually a dress (from the waist down to the feet), standing near the bush. My surprise turned into shock as I found out that it was a woman’s body, severed from the waist to the head. I also saw its intestines, organs and blood on top of its dreadfully severed waist. Her legs, ankle and feet were quite visible in the moonlight that I immediately realized it was a Manananggal (self-segmenter). This was this was a type of fearsome aswang with a huge bat’s wings that hunts out in the forests at night.

I shouted for my friends and as they saw it, they panicked and started running fearfully back to the village. And so did I.

We ran and ran until we reached our houses and told our elders about it. They told us not to venture into that area at night anymore and that we should be preparing ourselves in case it attacks our village.

 

Aswang

During the early 70’s in Davao del Sur, electricity was not yet a popular commodity in the barrios. People still used the old, reliable wicker lamps (this was fueled by gas). As it was, the village was relatively dark at night. When you would look through your hut’s window, you would scarcely notice the few glows in the dark as night shadows would creepingly envelope the entire village including the nearby woods.

On this particular night there had been a strange but fearful event. We were all awakened in the middle of the night by a shrill-pitched scream. My parents, brothers and sisters all awoke; lay half-frozen in our sleeping mats. It was a kind of cry that made you shiver. It was surreal.

Barely out of my teens, my father told me to get up and go with him to the barrio-lieutenant as to make inquiries. As we were walking down the rough, barely paved road, we were surprised to see villagers walking towards us, carrying well-lit lamps and sharpened bamboo spikes. There were men, women and elders from our community. We saw our friends.

Instantly, we recognized our barrio-lieutenant. He was an old, hardened man, shouldering the front lines. He was flanked by his men. Armed with bolos, knives and bamboo spears. The women carried lamps. Our barrio-lieutenant briefly mentioned that they were on their way to a woman’s house to investigate the scream. We told him it was our duty help.

As we were nearing the woman’s hut, we heard muffled cries. The barrio-lieutenant and the men crashed open the wooden door and stumbled inside a dark room. And for the very first time, what we saw was a scene that we would never forget for a lifetime. As our lamps lit the darkened room, we saw a pregnant woman (the hut-owner) fearfully sitting on her bed. Another woman was standing near her, choking the pregnant woman’s neck. It was a struggle between the pregnant woman her night visitor. But this other woman was not just another woman. She turned over to us and from what we saw, she had glaring black eyes, her hair was standing on ends as if it were strings of a guitar, her nails were unnaturally long, dark and sharp. She had fangs, much like a dog’s but looked sharper, somewhat unholy. I was beginning to be afraid. The men, our barrio-lieutenant were caught off guard during the moment. We were stunned. This had been the creature that had been roaming the hills and mountains for many a year. It had reputedly preyed on children, pregnant women and farm animals. Now, we stood face to face with it.

It was the Aswang.

She was like the Devil himself, says Lando.

Suddenly, I heard the barrio-lieutenant spoke in a firm, solid voice. The barrio-lieutenant was not a stranger to this ancient evil that had been plaguing towns and villages hence. There had been stories in the past and he had as much experience of them in his younger years. A veteran of rural myths, this creature was no stranger to the old man.

“Hoy, aswang, pahawa diri!” he spoke. He was telling her to leave.

I saw the aswang momentarily stopped what she was doing. She was looking intently at the old barrio-lieutenant, as if assessing his presence.

I shivered (nahadlok ko).

“Ug dili ka muhawa diri, patyon ka gyud namo”! (if you will not leave, we will be forced to kill you)

“Ug bisan pa nga maka-ikyas ka, itug-an ka gyud namu sa mga laing dapit aron nga maka-bantay sila sa imong kadautan”

(And even if you should be able to escape, we will tell all the other neighboring barrios of your presence that you would not be able to live and disguise yourself as a human being anywhere near this region)

Eliciting no response, the old man suddenly nodded to the men to point their spears at her. It was at this junction that I saw with my own eyes, the aswang’s hair immediately grew back into its old form. Her fangs and long claw-like nails retracted. Her eyebrows thinned and her eyes grew smaller. She withdrew her hands from the woman’s neck.

She became human.

And then she cried.

But our barrio-lieutenant would not be deceived. Creatures such as these have been known to ask for mercy when cornered and especially identified but would not relent if there was any opportunity for killing.

“Hala, hawa!” Sibat na! Ayaw na kuhaa ang mga butang nimu. Lakaw na didto! (he told her to leave immediately and not to bring any of her belongings)

As I was looking from behind the jolted men, I saw the aswang slowly stood. And she turned to walk towards the door. We parted to give her space to walk out.

We saw her walking. She never looked back.

We all saw her eventually disappear by the country road, towards the darkness.

The pregnant woman was eventually administered into by the village arbularios (healers).

 

Strange Aswang Occurences in the Philippine Islands

A “manananggal” image uploaded in the internet. Presumably taken with a Sony handycam with night-day vision. This was supposed to be taken from a remote province in the north of Pangasinan in Central Luzon. The image became viral in the local chat-rooms years back.

Real or not, the Manananggal would virtually look like this one when actually encountered. Witnesses to many horrific experiences would describe a similar appearance.

Aswangs supposedly drain their victims of bodily fluids. Here lies an image that portray an alleged “victim” of an aswang attack. The image was allegedly captured somewhere in Mindanao, presumably between Cagayan de Oro and Ozamiz City in Mindanao.

“BOY KILLED BY AN ASWANG in ILOILO”!.  His mother during an interview revealed that the boy had been playful during the night but was surprised to find him lifeless the next morning. Observe the bitten face of the child. Image taken from a local Iloilo City daily on the internet.

Dark Mythology

The stories that follow were researched and compiled by the late Professor Maximo D. Ramos.

Professor Ramos was often called as the Dean of Lower Philippine Mythology as he researched tirelessly and often travelled to many places in the country in the 60’s, documenting stories of the Philippine version of the supernatural and the bizarre. His works have been printed and published by the Philippine Folklore Society. Copyrighted 1971.

In one of his works, he mentions the myth of the Aswang (the Filipino Vampire). From among his notes, he characterizes the aswang as typically being females who appear to be “pretty maidens by day and marry young men so as to be in a strategic position to suck their blood by night.” In the evenings, they fly away to some far barrio or village and often victimize unsuspecting travelers or children, feasting on their blood and internal organs thereafter returning home from sunrise in order hide their true identities.

At night, the aswang is said to look like a huge bird, sitting on rooftops and allowing their long, slender-like proboscis to slip inside the small roof openings and onto their unsuspecting sleeping victims below. Its tongue is alleged to prick the jugular veins of its intended victim and at times, enter orifices of pregnant women to sip out their unborn, fresh fetuses.

There is another type of aswang that also exists in the Philippine islands that is called the Manananggal. A manananggal (self-segmenter) is most often a woman, who at night goes to some dark part of the woods or forest, and after uttering a mysterious incantation, allows her upper torso to be split from her lower body. She then grows huge bat-like wings, her nails growing abnormally long and sharp and then her eyes and face metamorphose into a devil-like feature. She flies at night usually on full moons to hunt.

As Aswang is reputedly known throughout, as it is feared in the Philippine islands. As early as 1564 when the Legazpi expedition made a landfall at Leyte and Samar, the officers and men were warned by the Samareno natives from venturing far out after sunset. It is said that supernatural creatures called “asuangs” hunt by night and will make no remorse killing even “armed” strangers. There was a report made by the commander of the expedition to Queen Isabella as to this particular “phenomena”.

The National Museum of the Philippines in Manila also houses a “memento” that attests to this intriguing document.

The original transcripts of the same stories were derived from  Filipino regional dialects such as Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Waray and Tagalog and thereby translated into English.

A bout with an Aswang, story from Antique, Panay Island

This is a story that spread throughout my town. In 1960 Juan left his wife and his child to buy some cigarettes in the town. It was around 9 P.M. when an aswang came and wrestled with Juan’s wife. The object of the aswang was the two-year old child of Juan. Juan’s wife fought back but could not take hold of her oily body.

Then she bit the thumb of the aswang and the aswang went away. She reported the incident to her husband and a few days later Juan prepared a good luncheon. Juan invited the suspected aswang to eat with them, for it was the child’s birthday. The aswang was happy that she could carry out her plans but didn’t know that Juan prepared food harmful to the aswang. When the aswang sat at the table, her eyes grew big on seeing the food with spices and salt. She tried to get away but Juan drew his rifle and told the aswang to get out of the town or be killed.

Aswang at home on a Friday, story from Antique, Panay Island

Where we live, though it isn’t Capiz, there are many aswang, especially during the peace time (before World War II). Our neighbor, Manang Lucing, didn’t believe in aswang or wakwak. But one of the people in our place Julia was reputed to be a wakwak and the people knew about this.

One Friday Manang Lucing went to Julia’s home in the fields to borrow an embroidery design. It was six o’clock when she got there. She knocked at the door but nobody answered. But the door was not locked. She entered the house. Since nobody was there, she opened one of the doors and saw Julia sitting in the corner with head down on the floor as if she were praying.

She got near and put Julia’s head up, and she saw that Julia’s thick hair was as hard as guitar strings and her eyes were said those of the owl, Manang Lucing saw her image inverted in Julia’s eyes. And beside Julia was a bottle of oil. She was very scared and ran. She never went back to Julia’s home.

Aswang at 5:00 AM

I heard his story from Lucio Labonete, my brother’s father-in-law, when my sister and I spent our vacation in their place. I was a third-year high school student when he told us this. Labonete is from Samar and has travelled all over the Visayan region. He is a wanderer, and this explains why he has reached Sorsogon and then Camarines Norte in the Bikol provinces. He settled in Camarines Norte for quite a long time when he became a widower. It was there in Camarines Norte that we were able to have contact with him because of my brother’s affinity to him. He is a short man but healthy and has good physique which shows he is hard working. He has many stories about aswang and he seems to believe them because he talks from experience. He told us many stories but this is the only one I can remember:

When he was still a boy of about 9 years old, he used to go to the farm as early as five in the morning to pasture the carabaos. One early morning while he was doing his daily routine, he heard some crushing and rushing sounds not far from his place. He went there to see what caused the sounds not far from his place. He went there to see what caused the sounds and he saw his father’s comadre learning to fly by swaying her hands up and down. Her hair was standing like wires and her eyes were sharp. She raised them and then lowered them again. The woman saw him and so he ran home and told his father everything that he had seen. His father in turn went to the woman and told her that if she wanted not to be known by her real identity, she should not molest and harm his family. The woman replied that she would not molest and harm his family because she knew that they were compadres.

 Almost an Aswang

In a barrio of Kalibo, aklan, a girl named angela was almost turned into a wakwak because she ate something that got mixed with her food.

The next day, her parents immediately sought an herb doctor who, after making his examination, said that Angela was a victim of the wakwak. The herb doctor told the parents to get a fresh egg and mayana ( Coleus Blumei Benth.- a medicinal and ornamental herb), and after placing them together in a container, divided the egg, and everybody was surprised because the egg contained plenty of small worms, believed to be converted into food by the wakwak. This saved her from becoming a wakwak or aswang.

An Aswang Town Mayor

There was a barrio in Capiz where almost all the inhabitants were aswang. The government sent seven policemen to investigate the matter. These policemen went to the mayor and requested that they spend the night in his house.

The mayor welcomed them and had food prepared for them. Their bedroom and bedding were also prepared. The policemen agreed among themselves that none of them should sleep that night and should watch instead.

At midnight the door of their room opened and someone got in. Together they tried to catch him but he flew off swiftly.

They found out that the mayor was an aswang too, a manananngal. Next morning the policemen left for home and narrated their experience.

Hollow’s Welcome