The Babaylan Survived Colonialism
And how romanticism will bury them.
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Nothing tugs at the heart stronger than a good romantic tale. Except a myocardial infraction, but that’s beside the point.
Romantic tales abound in the daily fabric of Filipino life. Inday falls off a balcony, a passing trisikad driver saves her, they fall in love, both get shot by the police. Undeniably romantic, sure, but ultimately very tragic. And one of the most pervasive romantic tales in the country is a variation on the theme of national tragedy. Of the many lasting legacies of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, one that often gets repeated is how the Spaniards supposedly put an end to the babaylanes. Esquire published an article that details their “fall”, concluding that:
Eventually, “God” won and drove the babaylans to the mountains where they were branded as witches or mangkukulams. Their fall from being one of the most respected and powerful figures in pre-colonial Philippines to one who was feared and despised represents the drastic changes that overwhelmed pre-colonial Filipino society.
The Esquire article is remarkable because it is a product of the human brain even if not much thought was put into it. To be fair, they are mostly after the “share” and not the care needed for historical accuracy. So while there is a well-meaning intention behind their article, it backfires because it leaves the reader with a tattered picture of the babaylanes as pathetic losers that folded to Catholicism and failed to adapt to their times. It is an image that pulls at the heartstrings, inciting the heart to pump nationalist fervour, depriving the brain of much needed oxygen to think clearly.
Of course, it cannot be denied that Spanish rule in the Philippines was brutal. Native Filipinos became indentured labourers, bound to serve the patron for most of their lives. Many tribes and clans were forced to abandon their customs and adopt western demands. Villages were razed and pillaged. The Christian way of peace was introduced to the tune of gunfire, explosions, and clashing metal. The Body of Christ manifested itself through priests getting naked in front of believers (as per Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere). And many indigenous healers were described as being “Ministros del demonio”,1 for many friars believed that they had made a pact with the devil.
Were these enough to cause the fall of the babaylanes?
It needs to be said that the babaylanes did face challenges: their practice was slightly diminished by clerical persecution and the introduction of western science. However, these weren’t enough to cause a fall that rendered the babaylanes totally obsolete and reduced their numbers to zero, nor did these lead to a catastrophic decline that pushed them to the frontiers of society, forcing them to seek safety away from the Catholic majority that shunned them. The Roman Empire experienced a “fall” (to the detriment of mankind) after a series of implosions and invasions. That is to say, the whole establishment collapsed. The same cannot be said of the babaylanes who adapted, survived, and evolved in the centuries of the Spanish rule. So while the babaylanes may have momentarily fallen at times, what should be emphasised is that they stood up each time and persevered.
First things first. To understand the historical babaylan, we need to consult available historical sources in order to paint an accurate picture of who they were, what did they do, and what happened to them. This will enable us to fully appreciate their historical significance and erase the naive romanticism that casts them as the classic “good native” that were simply overwhelmed by the “evil foreigner”. So unlike Esquire whose main concern was to sell the article rather than to tell the truth, we need to start at the first instance when the babaylanes entered the historical record so we can better understand them.
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