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.

Independence and Lapu-Lapu

June 12 marks the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day. It marks the country’s freedom from the Spanish yoke.

 It is the celebration of a country, who fought gallantly against the long-standing oppression and abuses perpetuated to it by various foreign oppressors. For more than 350 years before it finally became a republic, the Philippine Islands was the pearl of many punitive expeditions from both Europe and the West.

As the world was divided between Portugal and Spain by virtue of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, privateers and imperialist zealots of these countries raced against each other for ultimate colonial conquest. Blessed by the hand of Pope Alexander Vl, Catholic buccaneers spread far and wide in search of spices, gold and new empires.

In the Far East in 1521, the first Spanish colonizers led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan entered the Philippine Islands. With five (5) Galleons and around two hundred and fifty men (250), Magellan’s fleet sailed near Tagbilaran’s strait. Together with a Malay-speaking interpreter, Magellan was able to meet with the island’s natives and consequently a blood compact was entered into by Magellan and the Chiefs of Bohol, Sikatuna and Humabon.

 

Inset is a watchful silhouette of Lapu-lapu’s monument at Luneta, Manila

Magellan’s imperious foray into Visayan waters however, though seen as probably diplomatic by some natives, was considered as an anathema by some who had been living in Mactan. It would take the person of Lapu-Lapu, the Chieftain of Mactan, to challenge the presence of the white man from Europe.

Lapu-Lapu, a sturdy fighter and leader, was descended from the race of orang-lauts, a tribe of free men who regularly plied the routes of Visayan, Mindanao and Sulu waters for barter and exchange.

Waiting together with his men in an early morning for the arrival of the impertinent European explorer at the coast,  Mactan warriors braced themselves for the event. Brandishing with spears, bolos, knives and kampilans, Lapu-Lapu and his men waited for the inevitable.

Then, the horizon darkened.

As Magellan and his mercenarial contingent jumped off from their boats near the bay, Lapu-Lapu and his warriors descended upon Magellan’s party. Being outwitted by Lapu-Lapu that the tide was at its lowest ebb in the early morning, Magellan and his men lay helpless in the waist-deep end of Mactan Bay.

Existing historical accounts relate how a fierce battle took place between the two forces;

“There were cries and shouts of men. There were clashes of steel, the Toledo swords and Sri- Vijayan – made blades. Mactan warriors lunged and speared at their foreign counterparts. Spanish soldiers retaliated with their cutlasses and swords.  Native warriors were pitted against the hardy men of Europe. Men were locked in a historic battle. In a war of conquest and a struggle for liberation. Blood, guts and sweat was spilled everywhere.”

As men endured the fighting, it would take Lapu-Lapu’s kampilan to slay the Portuguese explorer. As old tales would have it, Lapu-Lapu cut off Magellan’s head.

As consequence, the haughty conquistador fell dead.

Then, they retreated.

Still reeling from a confused battle, Spanish soldiers faltered at the sight of their fallen leader.

From among the fifty-men who invaded Mactan, only a handful would survive Lapu-lapu’s wrath.

They returned to their docked ships at Bohol and went back thereafter, to Spain.

It would take another fifty (50) years, before Spain would launch another expedition to colonize the Maharlikan islands.

Postscript:

Lapu-lapu’s bravery in the face of armed foreign intrusion reminds us, as a nation, what we can do to protect and preserve our dignity as a race and the richness of our cultural diversity. His leadership bore the hallmark of a true Maharlikan patriot.

Though it must not always be through arms and soldiery that we may assert our collective or individual rights, circumstances today necessitate, that we must be ready to live the examples shown to us by our heroic forefathers. If only to show the youth that there is truly hope for our fatherland.

Lapu-lapu’s valorous exploits should rightfully be commemorated, along with the pantheon of heroic Katipuneros such as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Antonio Luna during the annual celebration of this country’s independence.

In history’s eyes after all, they are all equals.