Hi! Apu Adman here.
I've been invited to join a Facebook Group called Anito: Precolonial, Polytheistic Beliefs and Practices of the Philippines and in that group I saw many of my students at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan was already there. And in one of it's post talk about Babaylan where i see that they have mentioned Hilot Academy and we (me and lakay) have become their teachers.
Babaylan for me is a religious Title such as if you are a ritual leader of the Catholic Church you are called as a Priest, where as if you lead a prayer in a Muslim Mosque you are called an Imam. If you notice in my statement here, the one who lead a group leads the people to worship a certain deity, such as the Catholic priest leads the people to worship the Christian God while the Imam lead the people to Pray to the Allah which is the Deity of Islam. Whereas the Babaylan is a religious person that lead the people to the worship of the old Filipino God and Divinity.
In this Blog post here, what i want to emphasize is the requirement of an individual in order to become a Babaylan as there are many people who use the title but bringing injustice to the true nature of being a Babaylan.
First of all, being a Babaylan is not an exclusive role for women only. Male or Female alike can be a Babaylan. There are many people who think of Babaylan as some define it that the word Babaylan means "Babae Lang" or "Women Only" thing but it is not. For instance one of my Pintakasi is a male Babaylan which lead the First recorded revolt in the Philippine against Spanish Colonist from 1621 to 1622 and his name is Babaylan Tamblot.
He opposed the new religion spread by the Spaniards and fought against the subsequent conversion of the Boholanos to the Catholic faith. According to Legend, he challenged the Spanish priest, and when he won, he earned the trust of the people. -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamblot
As we can see here, Babaylan Tamblot is a Priest of the Old Filipino God. Aside from this, he is also a revolutionary leader and warrior of the Faith. From his work, Babaylan Tamblot was able to produce rice and wine magickally out of Bamboo by piercing it. This show that his power are concern with food and drinks. Aside from this, Babaylan Tamblot have promised to his disciples that weapons will bounce off their skin which reminds me of the works of Haring Bakal which is a Christian Mystic Group that do oraciones.
In our teaching, we have been told that the Babaylan is an Elder that been appointed by the Diwata to take care of all of the creation. In Hilot Academy we have taught that the Babaylan are the healer of mankind next to the Diwata.
Now, that are just only few thoughts on becoming a Babaylan, but who can be a Babaylan? Does everyone can become a Babaylan? Well, to tell you honestly even me I am still on the path of becoming a Babaylan. This title is very sacred for me which i feel that I am not worthy to be called. Though the fact that everyone of us has a Divine Calling that we inherited through the Divine Lineage which we can learn through the Circle of the Ancestors, not everyone can achieve the status of becoming a Babaylan.
I explained this to Lakay during a discussion that we have. I illustrate the status of a Babaylan into like becoming a Celebrity or Artista. When someone wants to become a celebrity, usually here in the Philippines you need to have a looks and also talent. But being beautiful and handsome plus talent does not makes you to become a Celebrity. Of course you need to audition first in order to be recognized as a potential talent. When you pass an audition, you are not yet a celebrity. You are just simply a talent. Some talent can be seen on television or movies, but they are just a supporting talent that highlights the main star of the show. But when you are been given a break to have a lead role. There you can be considered as a Celebrity. Being a Celebrity is not yet the status of the Babaylan, but on becoming a Super Star or award winning celebrity does.
Being a Filipino does not make you to become a Babaylan nor having natural gifts of power. One must undergo a series of initiation and one initiation is not just enough to be called a Babaylan. Though having super natural gifts and being a Filipino may Qualify you to become a Babaylan, but remember that is not always the case specially now in modern times. For me, being a Babaylan is a calling from the Ancestor, the ancestors that found and establish the land where we live now. The ancestors that came directly from our Great Ancestor which is our Divine Creator.
