my first trip to the island of Mindanao. ..1989 Lake Sebu, where the T’boli people live, was one of the places I visited
after a 3-hour bumpy ride from Surallah on a muddy, pot holed road we arrived at Sta Cruz Mission.
a large group of tribal people were waiting for the clinic to open.
some squatting.. some leaning against the clinic building.
some were sitting under the shade of a huge tree.
the men looked a bit bedraggled with their faded trousers and shirt, teeth stained red from betel nut chew.
but the women! what a sight!
the women were wearing colorful ‘malong’ circular skirt, some with forearms covered with brass bracelets, brilliant bead necklaces and earrings, carefully drawn eyebrows, red lips, stained teeth from years of betel nut chewing and yes, those coil brass rings on all fingers. Rough hands and fingers from planting and harvesting rice, corn, camote yams..weary bony fingers from weaving the tinalak..
yet they exude beauty difficult to explain..
they stared at us and we at them..
the leaves of bamboo trees swayed, swished and rustled in the breeze..ahh a real national geographic moment! a moment to remember.. this was the first glimpse of an experience of a life time.
Kulintang Arts Ensemble was on tour with performances in Baguio and Manila..we decided to hop on the plane and visit remote villages in the southern islands of the Philippines.
while I was eying the brass coil rings at the shop, Gabril, the local T’boli who latched onto us–our self-appointed guide–explained that the rings, worn by the T’boli people on all fingers, were for personal adornment. however, he added, for those who had not converted into Christianity, they believe the rings protect them from bad spirits… from sickness..like a talisman, the rings may mean good luck too..
i thought Gabril can sure give a heck-of-a sales pitch… we need all the protection –seen or unseen–while traveling the wilds of mindanao…i bought 10 rings. it was 1989 and we were at the Sta Cruz workshop/store where the locals brought their goods to sell.
the T’boli people are animist and conducted many rituals. i was told that when traveling the T’boli pray and give offerings to the spirits for protection, especially when the travel includes crossing a treacherous body of water or trekking in the jungle. if no offering has been prepared a prayer and one of these coil rings can be thrown into the water or placed under a rock.
practical too, unlike the heirloom necklaces made of colorful glass, brass bells and gold beads, the coil rings are made of cheap brass.
in 2004, i was participating in a 4-day ritual… the Maguindanaon locals were a twitter handing each other coins. ..they claimed that holding the metal coin allows for a smoother passage of the spirit through the body–a kind of electrical conductor for the spirit’s energy.
this way the body convulsions caused by entrance of the spirit will be less painful. i was wishing i was wearing my T’boli rings.
