Days from now, the entire country would mourn for the death and eventually rejoice on the resurrection of our Saviour.It might be awkward to say but another interesting festivities will happen on these holy days, which a common christian doesn't know.
Right at the heart of the Visayan Islands, the place known for it's mysteries and magics, where I was born and raised. The mystic island of Siquijor.The province itself is unique. It is endowed with much natural beauty that would surely capture tourists and fills the craving for vacationers. Despite the positive image that the residents and everyone who have roots in the place, try to portray to the visitors, lies still the hesitations and worries that they feel. They fear the unknown which they say is taking place on this rocky island. That being so, every time somebody hears Siquijor, the first thing that comes to their mind is, witchcraft! voodoo dolls! How funny.
When I heard such feedbacks and reactions from people , I just smiled. I could not instantly convince them that it's just a product of imagination.I usually tell them to uncover the mysteries themselves and see what's really the truth behind those gossips.
Based on the stories that I've heard , it is on these holy days that faith healers across the country trooped to the island, unknown for the rest of the year, to gather medicinal herbs and plants,endemic of the place. These are processed, specifically on a Good Friday, into herbal medicines and were claimed to heal varied illness and diseases.
It is also on these days that potions are made. The juices extracted from the stems, the roots and barks of the plants abounding the locality, go into a tedious process. These are mixed with oils and other matters to come up with a concoction, and said to spell like magic. I could not say it's effective since I haven't tried it myself.
In another occasion, my grandfather told me a story about persons having amulets. He said that once he/she possesses this kind of extraordinary "power", he is capable of marching into a battle unscathed since bullets will not hurt him. Sharp things would not even scratch his skin. One source of this so called "power" he said, is when somebody gets the eye of the whirlwind, a very remote thing to happen.
If my memory will not fail me, I can recall a unique ritual which I personally witnessed on a Good Friday night, in one of our neighbors. Early on, the members of the group danced around a bonfire. Singing an unfamiliar song. The event highlighted with the head/master stepping and dancing on the fire unburned. The trick was not an illusion at all. We, the spectators saw it in our bare eyes.
It is through these much-see events that Siquijor attracts tourists during this month of the year. People eager to conquer their fears of the exaggerated stories portrayed on horror movies.
I'm not bragging but it's true, when you set foot on this famous island, especially on Lenten season, the medicines, the amulets and potions you want to get hold of, would be totally put into trash.
Right at the heart of the Visayan Islands, the place known for it's mysteries and magics, where I was born and raised. The mystic island of Siquijor.The province itself is unique. It is endowed with much natural beauty that would surely capture tourists and fills the craving for vacationers. Despite the positive image that the residents and everyone who have roots in the place, try to portray to the visitors, lies still the hesitations and worries that they feel. They fear the unknown which they say is taking place on this rocky island. That being so, every time somebody hears Siquijor, the first thing that comes to their mind is, witchcraft! voodoo dolls! How funny.
When I heard such feedbacks and reactions from people , I just smiled. I could not instantly convince them that it's just a product of imagination.I usually tell them to uncover the mysteries themselves and see what's really the truth behind those gossips.
Based on the stories that I've heard , it is on these holy days that faith healers across the country trooped to the island, unknown for the rest of the year, to gather medicinal herbs and plants,endemic of the place. These are processed, specifically on a Good Friday, into herbal medicines and were claimed to heal varied illness and diseases.
It is also on these days that potions are made. The juices extracted from the stems, the roots and barks of the plants abounding the locality, go into a tedious process. These are mixed with oils and other matters to come up with a concoction, and said to spell like magic. I could not say it's effective since I haven't tried it myself.
In another occasion, my grandfather told me a story about persons having amulets. He said that once he/she possesses this kind of extraordinary "power", he is capable of marching into a battle unscathed since bullets will not hurt him. Sharp things would not even scratch his skin. One source of this so called "power" he said, is when somebody gets the eye of the whirlwind, a very remote thing to happen.
If my memory will not fail me, I can recall a unique ritual which I personally witnessed on a Good Friday night, in one of our neighbors. Early on, the members of the group danced around a bonfire. Singing an unfamiliar song. The event highlighted with the head/master stepping and dancing on the fire unburned. The trick was not an illusion at all. We, the spectators saw it in our bare eyes.
It is through these much-see events that Siquijor attracts tourists during this month of the year. People eager to conquer their fears of the exaggerated stories portrayed on horror movies.
I'm not bragging but it's true, when you set foot on this famous island, especially on Lenten season, the medicines, the amulets and potions you want to get hold of, would be totally put into trash.
It's a little piece of paradise.
Same things are also happening in Cavite aside from the province being called a kidnapper's paradise during the late 50's.
ReplyDeleteOur Firewalkers are still very active. If permitted by the leader, any spectator could walk with them. I have tried it more than 20 times. Amazing indeed.