The remote island of Siquijor is unique – not only in the Philippines, but the whole of Southeast Asia, renowned since ancient times as a centre of witchcraft, magic and folk healing.
Siquijor, located in the Central Visayas region, lures many Filipino travellers, including those living abroad, who come to experience the island’s therapies that blend Catholicism (introduced by the Spanish in the 16th Century) with shamanic practices such as potion-making, exorcism and herbal fumigation. The various natural and supernatural treatments available here are widely regarded for their alleged powers to eradicate sickness and disease (no matter how serious), which in turn are believed to come about as the result of one of three major factors.
“The first reason is an angry spirit world,”
says my guide Luis Nathaniel Borongan. “Evil spirits are all around us, in the waterfalls, forests and seas. And if we intrude upon them, they may take revenge in the form of illness, curses or even death.”
The second,
Borongan explains, is a result of witchcraft. “There are many forms, including haplit (hexing someone with a voodoo doll) and barang (the manipulation of insects to harm others and their crops).”
The third,
rather more benign category is “naturally occurring maladies”, where any affliction, whether a simple sore throat or an occult-induced haunting, can be treated with a visit to a mananambal (healer).
Enormous faith has traditionally been placed in the abilities of the island’s healers – so much so that Siquijor is beginning to attract the attention of visitors far beyond the Philippines and the country’s diaspora. “International travellers to the island just need to ask at the tourist office or a local taxi driver; they can show you where to find one,” says Borongan. “The healers believe their talents are a gift from God, so they are not for just a select few, they are for everyone.” Today, Siquijor is known as “Mystic Island.”
