MAARAM

SOCIETY & CULTURE

A

According to our ancestors, the universe is composed of seven layers. The fourth of which is Lupa (land) where the humans and spirits alike dwell. The spirits who live amongst humans are known as tamawo, kama-kama, mangingilaw, mantiw, kapre, sigbin, bawa, and aswang. These beings are also known as lupan-un in the local language. Between the humans and these spirits, there exists special people who act as vessels of communication. They are called maaram or babaylan.

In the province of Antique, there are towns whose babaylans still exist. Tobias Fornier, also known as Dao, hosts a number of babaylans who officiate in the traditional practices. Andong*, a native inhabitant of Dao is regarded by his town as maaram or babaylan. His ancestry as maaram was passed through generations and among the five members of his family, he inherited the gift of a babaylan’s wisdom from his ancestors. In his first six years as maaram, Andong struggled in accepting such gift.

Although a maaram is involved with practicing what is known by the public as witchcraft, he also believes in

God and constantly communicates with Him through prayer.

“Holy week is the most sacred time for sacrifices and offering. Pagpangalap or looking for medicinal plants to be used in curing illnesses is done during this week. We search in dangerous places like caves, steep cliffs and mountains,” Andong said.

The maaram believes that Tuesdays and Fridays are the most powerful days in doing rituals. They believed that plants gathered during this time acquired bertud or inherited power to heal.

Andong performed several rituals as a maaram in his town. Among these rituals is batak ka dungan (calling out a person’s soul). Batak ka dungan is explained in its origin as an invisible entity or duplicate of a living person. This dungan resides in the person until death. It has been said that a person with weak dungan easily gets sick. The ancestors believed that a person’s stronger dungan can overpower another’s weak one. Andong also performs pabulag sa kalag (to separate from the soul of the dead) usually done when the cause of sickness is the spirit of the dearly departed. The ritual food required inthe practice of this ritual is a bangkilan’s (wild boar) meat. This is performed in order to free the victim from the lure of the spirits.

The maaram uses pamulso (getting the pulse rate), luy-a (using ginger in performing a ritual), pagpakot (divination), itlog (egg ritual), kandila (candle ritual), and the victim’s clothes in diagnosing sickness. Through the urasyon (magical chants), hurobaton (formularies), use of libretto (religious booklet), panguyang (food offering), tu-ob (smoking), lubu-ob (steaming), dirigos (medicinal drinks), pamanyos (applying medicinal herbs), and laway (application of saliva). These traditional healing methods vary in its usage depending on the particular illness.

MAARAM: Tradition of ages

WRITTEN BY

DIANA ROSE LAMPASA, SANDIE GED NICHOLAS MINAVES and BRYAN ZANDER BACONGA

Between the humans and the spirits, there exists special people who act as vessels of communication. They are called maaram or babaylan.

“I do not want to pass my gift to my children. I do not wantr them to be burdened by the great responsibilty of possessing such extraordinary gift of healing,” Andong

He emphasized that the maaram absorbs the negative energies from the diseases and suffer from dizziness, loss of appetite and overfatigue. It requires concentration and strong faith in order to succeed the healing process. For them, the failure to conduct such healing method meant sickness, poor harvest or catch, melancholic life, and weakening of one’s dungan or soul of the living person that resides with her/him wherever, she/he goes.

The maaram or the babaylan hold the samba or the worship of the ancestors twice a year. Like Andong, who perform such ritual explained that samba is done during April on Good Friday, to ask for the rain and on October to give thanks to the ancestral and environmental spirits. This is done through chant, dance, and pray. He added that there are two types of maaram, the Panghilawod (Sea), and the Pangdutan-un (land) that is the reason why there is what we called, Samba sa Dagat and Samba sa Bukid. Samba sa Dagat also called, panaet (peace) where coastal or seaside households offer a food into a nigo (bamboo tray). Ritual foods consist of dressed chicken, puso – or the native term for a rice cooked inside young coconut leaves, inalupi (ground glutinous or non-glutinous rice cooked in banana leaves), bunga (betel nut), and buyo (betel leaves).

The ceremony starts at seven in the evening and ends at two in the morning. This long ceremony is for making peace offerings with the sea spirits who can bring sickness and cause accident to fishermen.

Like the Samba sa Dagat, Samba sa Bukid also done by the gatherings of the villagers. This ceremony performed every year to ask for rain for good rice harvest. The ceremony consists of seven babaylans and each one waiting for his turn to dance. This is done near a spring for it was believed that it is the exact time to worship their ancestors. These maaram or the babaylans had the skills to cure diseases. They are also skilled in making amulets in protection for the evil spirits. The samba ritual can be seen particularly in the town of Tobias Fornier.

FFor ordinary people, joining in a funeral is also joining the mourners mourn but for a group of elders that performs luwa in a funeral is both mourning and having fun. To them, luwa is their source of entertainment when there’s death funeral. The performing of luwa is as old as the ancestors of Antique. It was already there before the people were referred as Filipinos, and even before adapting a foreign culture. Luwa is an indigenous poem that is usually done in funerals and is mostly expressed in couplet with a rhyme scheme. For the elders of the most far-flung barangay of Bugasong, Barangay Igsoro, this is how luwa is played...

Before performing a luwa, there should be a game first that is played with a chant called belasyon. The elders call the chant bordon where there’s a king, a queen, and a queen’s company. The following is an excerpt from the bordon of elders of Igsoro:

Bordon de las kwerdas Bordon de las bornades Lakat sang madali

Pakadto sa rayna, sa ginoong hari

Nagbilin ang amay, lumismo ang iloy Iya dili pagpatyon ang kahoy nga lumboy.

Ang kahoy nga lumboy, doble ang produkto bunga ginakaon, dahon sigarilyo

Anhon si pagkuha si Inday sa kalipayan Pakasal kon may pilak, husay nga bulawan

Ahay nina dali-dali Tan-awa ang hamili

sa idalom nagahibi, Nagahibi kay nagsungon

Binayaan mo sing dayon Tan-awa ang korason...

Reviving the dying culture for the dead WRITTEN BY JORIELYN E. MARTIZANO

Si Florente ang nadula, si Florente nga nagaluhod sa sadtong baras

Nga tagatuhod nagasinggit ay Abaw utod, si Florente na ang nalunod...

Si Ontoy nga nagahapa-hapa sadtong baras nga tagahita

Nagasinggit, Ay abaw si Inday ang nadula.

During the belasyon, the king stands in the middle surrounded by the queen and the queen’s company. The king would give a ring to the queen and the latter would give it to her company so that the king will not catch or see the ring. The luwa will officially start if the king sees and gets the ring with the king is the first in the sequence followed by the queen, and then her company. The luwa will end if all of the participants have performed their luwa. One example of a luwa is “Lapakan ko hagdan biak, si Nene warat migo baghak.”

However, if the king fails to get or even get the ring, the reyna will say “Boro!” and the king will perform a luwa depending on the queen’s choice since the game is not just about doing luwa but also accepting dares. It is the queen’s company that executes and speaks for the queen and goes like this.

King: Ay! Ay! Members: Betor! King: What’s your bet? Members: Maluwa (or gives the dare)!

For the elders, the belasyon is sacred that it is prohibited to be chanted when there is no funeral like it is a taboo. They give no reason why and simply say that it is bad. It is a secret of their culture and as a secret that will may remain that way.

Perhaps, it is only the mountain dwellers left who perform this tradition that are only passed orally from the ancestors to their descendants. The luwa in Igsoro may have been successfully passed to the generation that lives with technology but it may not be the same with the luwa(s) that the community first performed. Nevertheless, the luwa endured. The luwa endured almost four centuries of marriage of the culture of East and West. Now, luwa endures as a tradition in the m idst of modernization.

DOUSED WRITTEN BY NIÑA RICA BELMONTE

Withered as the leaves is what a smoker’s life is like. Plain in appearance and dry when touched. Too cold to be placed into flame and be doused into the reality that smoking will always be a factor of health issues. As a cigarette is expertly lit up by those hands, a fire of more wanting for smoke is ignited within you. An unending saga of needing what is not the essential and is not safe. As those lips touch the stick, your soul embraces the habit—the deed of smoking.

As those eyes fidget in ecstasy, a smoker’s life would be placed on a straight line; whether it is death or emptiness. But it does not only consume a single person. You should count the people around you in, as well. As they inhale what was lighted, smokers and secondhand smoke victims will go through the same process of an unhealthy lifestyle. In some cases, the latter would even take in a harder go.

Smoking has been responsible for more than 117, 700 people killed by tobacco- caused disease every year in the Philippines and an estimated number of 3,000 non- smoking adults from secondhand smoke. This type of smoke causes lung cancer and triggers heart diseases which makes 71,850 Filipinos suffer every hour as per statistics. In connection with this, 18 municipalities in the province of Antique have already implemented anti- smoking ordinances in order to protect the public from exposure to cigarette smoke that can cause serious health damage according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO) in an interview on Panay News. Sibalom, being one of the municipalities that is implementing smoking ban today as per Municipal Ordinance No. 9, series of 2018 or the Comprehensive Smoke- Free Ordinance has been on watch for the smokers especially in public establishments since Mayor Joel P. Occeña has issued an Executive Order in support to the aforementioned campaign.

To address the situation, local police officers started following protocols upon the implementation of the Municipal Ordinance. Platoon Police Non- Commissioner Officer (PNCO), PSMS Jackson P. Janod, Jr. shared that there are no specific civilians who were given tickets in a barangay about the case for now but as long as it is a present- day ordinance, majority of the people will follow protocols and can save money. Police officers are serving as the implementing bodies of this campaign and they are enforcers of the upper bodies.

“The focus of smoking ban is to protect the people’s health since cigarettes are a host of pollution and the government has potentially seen this matter to be addressed. One example are smokers inside the jeepneys or public places that lack discipline. They are unaware that there could be kids and pregnant women in the same place and just proceed with their thing that is why the government could be strict,” he added. Moreover, in response with the needs of the mass and as part of the executive order, a maximum penalty of P2,500.00 will be casted among those who will be caught red handed. This includes smoking in public or work establishments. Those who are also sellers or advertisers of any kind of cigarette, tobacco and electronic cigarette will also be arrested as long as they are within a hundred-meter radius scope of the prohibited areas.

It is a reminder to the public that smoking affects your lungs badly. Coughs, colds and asthma are just a start of it. Fatal diseases can also develop such as pneumonia, emphysema and lung cancer. Aside from this, cigarette butts are a toxic waste to the environment as they contain chemicals that can contaminate waterways such as canals and even ground soil or worse, discarded lit cigarettes have cases to cause fires that can damage domes and properties.

“This is hard for us, smokers as we were used to smoking already. This would have a big impact on our body and our needs,” stated a civilian who is a smoker of cigarette. However, on the other hand, seven out of 10 respondents agreed to the total implementation of Smoking Ban as it would reduce the risk of second-hand smoke and the nuisance from smokers.

Let all the thoughts about smoking wither away with its ashes as how those lips should be brusheds with no chemicals. Lift those fingers up not to ignite a flame of regression but of progress. Taking a life does not feel as comforting as coming home. A smoker’s hand may be hard to control but it can be doused with the accurate information to stop what was started. To make known what is actually happening with just box consumed and to introduce the right habit—supporting smoking ban.

covid-19 A thief in the night

WRITTEN BY MARIANNE PALCAT and LOUIE JOHN SERVANCIA

iIt was January 2020 when we were starting to gain our new hopes for the new year, setting goals for self-betterment, and fulfilling our bucket list. But as couple of months pass quietly, there was a sudden turbulence that not only halted us from working on our goals but also caused precious lives as we were blanketed by a suspected airborne disease called nCoV or novel coronavirus.

It is indeed very hard to suppress an enemy that cannot be seen or touched. It is very challenging to win a fight against something that works and spreads beyond man’s ability.

As of July 2020, the country’s confirmed cases rose up to over 40, 000 amidst the implementation of government protocols and ordinances and observing safety precautions as advised by LGUs.

As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new strain of virus first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. COVID-19 is known to target a person’s respiratory system. Infected patients may exhibit symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, and in some cases, muscle pain and sore throat. Some patients may also be asymptomatic, those who present no symptoms of disease.

This is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus.

Trepidation paved its way to the remaining unguarded provinces as Bacolod confirmed its first case on March 20 which brought Western Visayas to its first recorded case, a precursor for the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Antique.

With the governor strictly imposing a border lockdown, Antiqueños were complacent that acquiring the disease is far-fetched, until a 74-year-old man from Parañaque City arrived in Semirara Island on March 9, who was observed having symptoms and was later on confirmed as positive for SARS-CoV 2, the strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

“We are having a difficulty in suppressing it because it is a newly discovered type of disease hence the limited amount of information on treatment. Active participation of each member of the community and implementing a comprehensive approach are effective ways in controlling the disease,” Dr. Leoncio Q. Abiera Jr., Provincial Health Officer II of IPHO-Antique said. Dr. Abiera also introduced the 4R’s in controlling the spread of the disease. This includes resilience (both physical and mental) of individuals which would improve their health status by taking care of their immune system. Since this pandemic created panic and made us paranoid, individuals should learn to calm their minds and avoid negativity in their thoughts. Reducing transmission, reduction of contact and reducing the duration of disease completed the said prevention.

“If we practice physical distancing, new normal, and minimum health standards, at least we could say that we’re protected. Cognitive restructuring and health advancement is what we need,” he pointed out.

Presently, the province of Antique under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) has two new confirmed cases with 14 recoveries. The MGCQ is the newly implemented strategy by the province wherein the reduction of transport and contact was remained, mass gatherings were allowed as long as participants are limited to 50%, offices and establishments were allowed to operate providing the proper implementation of guidelines and individuals aging 21 to 59 without COVID-19 symptoms and comorbidities are allowed to go out from home and travel within the region.

It has been months that the community quarantine restrictions were eased, which caused an increase to the country’s cases, from thousands to fold of thousands. Though the mortality rate of the said disease is low, it is still very alarming for it continues to spread everywhere.

To reduce the dispersion of the disease it has been highly advised by the experts to stay at home, maintain social distancing and obey the provided safety measures

DR. LEONCIO Q. ABIERA JR., PROVINCIAL HEALTH OFFICER II OF IPHO-ANTIQUE, DISCUSSES THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS THAT THE PROVINCE HAS IMPLEMENTED. HE ENCOURAGED ANTIQUEÑOS TO PRACTICE PHYSICAL DISTANCING AS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.

“If we practice physical distancing, new normal, and minimum health standards, at least we could say that we’re protected. Cognitive restructuring and health advancement is what we need.”

by the Department of Health (DOH) such as by washing hands regularly with soap and water.

Until now, the research for the vaccine is still in its stage for clinical trials and we are just relying on some western, traditional and home remedies that may alleviate symptoms of COVID-19. For instance, governor of Cebu suggested tuob or steam inhalation as a cure for COVID-19. However, doctors in Cebu do not agree that steam inhalation can kill viruses.

On the other hand, there are a lot of information spreading that led to some misconceptions. One of this is the identification of confirmed cases wherein people are confused about testing measures such as the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT), Immunoglobulin G (IgG), Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).

RDT is the screening procedure of antibodies that are present. IgG test detects IgG antibodies and indicate that you may have had COVID-19 in the recent past and have developed antibodies that may protect you from future infection. In IgM test, your body slowly develops antibodies of IgM. When IgM is detected you may be infected and can be a probable case. Lastly, the RTPCR is the confirmatory test that detects the nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2in upper and lower respiratory specimens.