29: PRACTICAL MAGIC | The Babaylan Part 2 of 3

In this series, we learn about the deep and important history (and present) of the Babaylan: The pre-colonial figure of ancient Filipino tribes who served as the bridge to the spirit world, the herbalist, healer and sometimes even deputy Datu. Over a series of episodes, we dive into: who is qualified to be a babaylan? Why were they typically women, and sometimes even trans women? What role did she play in society? And where can we find her in our history?

In this second installation, we dive deeper into the different functions of the babaylan and the complex and diverse roles she plays in the community.  From medium to cosmologist, from a Karen to a Whoopi, the babaylan was, and still is, a force to be reckoned with.

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The Gods Must Be Crazy is a podcast on Philippine Mythology hosted by friends Anama Dimapilis and Ice Lacsamana, avid mythology nerds and semi-professional gossips. Follow us over at @godsmustbecrazy.pod on Instagram and Facebook for more good stuff. We welcome any suggestions on future topics or episodes.

You can also find us on Youtube – Gods Must Be Crazy Podcast channel, where we post some of our episodes and interviews. For other inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

The intro and outro music is by Brian O’Reilly (@dendriform on Instagram).

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References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_shamans#:~:text=Filipino%20shamans%2C%20commonly%20known%20as,and%20the%20spirits%20of%20nature.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/superior-canal-dehiscence-syndrome-scds#:~:text=The%20problem%20can%20cause%20hearing,footsteps%20in%20the%20affected%20ear.

https://www.babaylanadlaw.com/p/batak-dungan.html 

@Nico Valdez on Tiktok (Baranggay)

https://www.isiswomen.org/downloads/wia/wia-2006-2/02wia06_06GirlieA.pdf