Intersection of Personal and Social Beliefs in Philippine History

These flashcards cover vocabulary related to ancient Filipino cosmology, traditional healing practices, and the historical impact of colonization on indigenous beliefs.

Dungan

The Visayan term for the soul, seen as a separate force from the physical body that provides life, intelligence, and courage.

Manunggul Jar

A burial jar found in Lipuun Point, Palawan, dating from $890-710\text{ BCE}$, which depicts the soul's journey across water to the afterlife.

Babaylan

A spiritual leader, traditional healer, astronomer, and historian in ancient Filipino society who served as a counselor to the Rajah or Datu.

Asog

Also known as Bayog, these were men in indigenous culture who dressed and acted like women to fulfill the role of a Babaylan.

Epistemicide

The systematic erasure or destruction of indigenous knowledge systems, such as when Spanish missionaries labeled Babaylans as witches to shift loyalty to the Catholic Church.

Cultural Syncretism

The blending of indigenous rituals with foreign religious elements, such as mixing local herbal medicines with Catholic prayers or Latin orations.

Albularyo

A traditional community healer who provides a familiar and personal space for healing, bridging indigenous knowledge and contemporary life.

Tawas

A traditional diagnostic ritual involving alum used to provide a visual representation of a patient's fears or stress to aid in psychosomatic healing.

Pabaon

Burial items like gold and ceramics included with the dead to ensure the soul has resources for its dangerous journey to the afterlife.

Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act

Also known as $RA\text{ }8423$ or PITAHC, this law protects and documents indigenous herbal medicines like lagundi and sambong.

Sulangad

One of the terms used (alongside Kasanaan or Saad) to refer to the world of the deceased in ancient Filipino cosmology.

Linnak

A term for the soul, alongside dungan and gimborata, representing the internal life force that can temporarily leave the body during sleep or illness.