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61-472: The Ibaloi (also spelled Ibaloy ; Ibaloi : ivadoy , /ivaˈdoj/ ) are an indigenous ethnic group found in Benguet province of the northern Philippines . Ibaloi is derived from i- , a prefix signifying "pertaining to" and badoy or house, together then meaning "people who live in houses". The Ibaloi are one of the indigenous peoples collectively known as Igorot ( igudut , "hill-dwellers"), who live in

122-567: A diwata , Filipinos perform a customary pasintabi sa nuno ("respectfully apologizing or asking permission from ancestors for passing"). This is done by saying the phrases " tao po " ("a human [is passing], elder), " tabi po " or " tabi apo " ("by your permission, elder") when passing by a place believed to be inhabited by a diwata . Diwata are also believed to be able to mate with humans. People born with congenital disorders (like albinism or syndactyly ) or display unusual beauty or behavior are commonly believed by local superstition to be

183-538: A stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Anito Anito , also spelled anitu , refers to ancestor spirits , nature spirits , and deities in the Indigenous Philippine folk religions from the precolonial age to the present, although the term itself may have other meanings and associations depending on the Filipino ethnic group. It can also refer to carved humanoid figures,

244-425: A séance . Because of their special relationship with their companion spirits, shamans can act as mediums for other anito , allowing spirits to temporarily possess their bodies. This possession happens after the shaman goes into a trance-like state. This allows the spirit to communicate verbally with the participants as well as physically act out events in the spirit world. At the moment of possession, shamans display

305-669: A better name, usually lasts seven or eight days; and when it is finished they take the idols and put them in the corners of the house, and keep them there without showing them any reverence. Regardless, very old taotao handed down through generations are prized as family heirlooms. Among the Igorot, pieces of taotao may also be chipped off and boiled into a medicinal tea. Taotao were commonly kept in corners or small shelves inside houses or granaries. Spanish missionaries recorded that taotao were present in every Filipino household, no matter how poor. When Spanish missionaries arrived in

366-441: A boat (a bangka or baloto ). There can be multiple locations in the spirit world, varying in different ethnic groups. Which place souls end up in depends on how they died, the age at death, or the conduct of the person when they were alive. There was no concept of heaven or hell prior to the introduction of Christianity and Islam ; rather, the spirit world is usually depicted as an otherworld that exists alongside

427-478: A change in behavior and voice. They can sometimes go into seizures and become violent enough that restraints are required. The ritual ends when the spirit leaves and the shaman is awakened. Spirits were invited into the ritual through offerings and sacrifices during and after the ceremonies. These depended on what spirit was being summoned, but offerings are usually a small portion of the harvests, cooked food, wine, gold ornaments, and betel nut . Blood from an animal

488-454: A family member sick. Ibaloi language Ibaloi phonemes are similar to those found in other Philippine languages with a few exceptions. Many variants of the Ibaloi tongue have naturally occurring / f / , / dʒ / and / v / , as in sifa (interrogative 'who'), ibjag ('to lose one's grip on something or someone, to let go') and devit (a traditional wrap-around skirt). / ʃ /

549-467: A particular inanimate object, plant, animal, or place, to deities who personify abstract concepts and natural phenomena, to deities who are part of an actual pantheon . They are also known as dewatu , divata , duwata , ruwata , dewa , dwata , diya , etc., in various Philippine languages (including Tagalog diwa , "spirit" or "essence"); all of which are derived from Sanskrit devata (देवता) or devá (देव), meaning "deity". These names are

610-497: A place". Among Tagalogs, non-human nature spirits are also euphemistically referred to as lamanglupa ("[dwellers of] the bowels of the earth") or lamangdagat ("[dwellers of] the depths of the sea"), depending on their domain. Diwata exist in both the material world and the spirit world. They can be formless or have a material body. They can also take over a body through spirit possession (Visayan: hola , hulak , tagdug , or saob ; Tagalog: sanib ), an ability essential for

671-412: A rule, however, diwata are not usually depicted as taotao or by any man-made representations. Taotao were not intrinsically sacred. They were representations of the spirits, not the actual spirits themselves. They only became sacred during their use in a pag-anito ritual. Without the spirit they represent, they are treated as mundane carved pieces of wood or sculpted stone. The anonymous author of

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732-425: A second language. Ibaloi society is composed of the rich ( baknang ) and three poor classes, the cowhands ( pastol ), farmhands ( silbi ), and non-Ibaloi slaves ( bagaen ). The Ibaloi have a rich material culture, most notably their mummification process, which makes use of saltwater to prevent organ decomposition. Pounded guava and patani leaves are applied to the corpse to prevent maggot or worm infestation while

793-805: A small house (but with no walls), to shrines that look similar to pagodas , especially in the south where early mosques were also modeled in the same way. These shrines were known in various indigenous terms, which depend on the ethnic group association. They can also be used as places to store taotao and caskets of ancestors. Among Bicolanos, taotao were also kept inside sacred caves called moog . During certain ceremonies, anito are venerated through temporary altars near sacred places. These were called latangan or lantayan in Visayan and dambana or lambana in Tagalog. These bamboo or rattan altars are identical in basic construction throughout most of

854-511: A specific diwata who become their spirit guides . This was presumed to happen after they pass the initiation rites of an older shaman they were apprenticed to (usually a relative). In some cases, some shamans acquire their status after they recover from a serious illness or a bout of insanity. In most Filipino ethnic groups, shamans were almost always female. The few males who gain shaman status were usually asog or bayok , feminized men. Major pag-anito rituals are centered around

915-685: A spirit, from rocks and trees to animals and humans to natural phenomena . These spirits are collectively known as anito , derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qanitu and Proto-Austronesian *qaNiCu ("spirit of the dead"). Cognates in other Austronesian cultures include the Micronesian aniti , Malaysian and Indonesian hantu or antu , Nage nitu , and Polynesian atua and aitu . As well as Tao anito , Taivoan alid , Seediq and Atayal utux , Bunun hanitu or hanidu , and Tsou hicu among Taiwanese aborigines . Anito can be divided into two main categories:

976-518: Is also commonly heard in the La Trinidad valley and nearby areas, as in xima (a particle usually equivalent to the prepositions in , on , or to depending on the sentence construction), but may be occasionally heard as / tʃ / in some communities. Ibaloi is one of the Philippine languages that do not exhibit [ ɾ ]-[d] allophony. This article about Philippine languages is

1037-469: Is also important among the Ibaloi, with the Jew's harp ( kodeng ), nose flute ( kulesheng ), native guitar ( kalsheng or Kambitong ), bamboo striking instruments, drums ( solibao ), gongs ( kalsa ), and many others. They are considered sacred, and must always be played for a reason, such as a cañao feast . Men wear a g-string ( kuval ), and the wealthy include a dark blue blanket ( kulabaw or alashang ) while

1098-476: The taotao , made of wood, stone, or ivory, that represent these spirits. Anito (a term predominantly used in Luzon) is also sometimes known as diwata in certain ethnic groups (especially among Visayans ). Pag-anito refers to a séance , often accompanied by other rituals or celebrations, in which a shaman ( Visayan : babaylan , Tagalog : katalonan ) acts as a medium to communicate directly with

1159-716: The Bagobo people in southern Mindanao where it was prevalent until the early 20th century. Another common pag-anito ritual throughout most of the Philippine ethnic groups involves the use of spirit boats. These were usually miniature boats laden with offerings set adrift from riverbanks and shorelines. Pag-anito can be conducted on its own or in conjunction with other rituals and celebrations. They can be personal or family rituals or seasonal community events. They can vary considerably between different ethnic groups. The most common pag-anito were entreaties for bountiful harvests, cures for illnesses, victory in battle, prayers for

1220-539: The Cordillera Central of Luzon . The Ibaloi inhabit the southeastern part of Benguet Province. The area is rich in mineral resources like copper , gold , pyrite , and limestone . Plants and animals are also abundant in the forests and mountain areas, and there is an extensive water system that includes the Bued River , Agno River , and Amburayan River . Mount Pulag , the third highest mountain of

1281-685: The Igorot ; tonong among the Maguindanao and Maranao ; umboh among the Sama-Bajau ; nunò or umalagad among Tagalogs and Visayans; nonò among Bicolanos; umagad or umayad among the Manobo ; and tiladmanin among the Tagbanwa . Spirits that have never been human are differentiated in some ethnic groups as diwata . These spirits can range from simple spirits like the diwata of

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1342-671: The Kalinga people ), the acceptance of a soul by ancestors into a certain realm in the spirit world requires tattoos ( batok ), by which they can gauge the worthiness of a soul. In other cultures, tattoos illuminate and guide the spirits during the journey to the afterlife. Souls in the spirit world still retain a degree of influence in the material world, and vice versa. Pag-anito may be used to invoke good ancestor spirits for protection, intercession ( kalara or kalda ), or advice. Ancestor spirits that become intercessors with deities are known as pintakasi or pitulon . Vengeful spirits of

1403-403: The ancestor spirits ( ninunò ), and deities and nature spirits ( diwata ). The ninunò (lit. "ancestor") can be the spirits of actual ancestors, cultural heroes, or generalized guardian spirits of a family. Pre-colonial Filipinos believed that upon death, the "free" soul (Visayan: kalag ; Tagalog: kaluluwa ) of a person travels to a spirit world , usually by voyaging across an ocean on

1464-450: The pag-anito ceremony is for a diwata , the ritual is known as pagdiwata (also magdiwata or diwatahan ). Minor pag-anito rituals like praying for better weather or banishing minor ill luck can be performed by any householder. However, major pag-anito rituals required the services of the community shaman (Visayan babaylan or baylan ; Tagalog katalonan or manganito ). These shamans were believed to have been "chosen" by

1525-508: The pupil of the eye (e.g. Tagalog ali kmata and Hiligaynon kali mutaw ), and so on. Anitism was not a religion about worship. Aside from good ancestor spirits and the few benevolent diwata , most anito were feared, not venerated. To an ordinary person, diwata were regarded as dangerous beings to be avoided or appeased. When interaction was necessary, they performed a ritual known as pag-anito (also mag-anito or anitohan ). These are usually directed at ancestor spirits. When

1586-701: The séances in pag-anito . They are believed to be capable of shapeshifting ( baliw or baylo ), becoming invisible, or creating visions or illusions ( anino or landung , lit. "shadow"). Their powers, however, are limited to their particular domain. A diwata of a forest, for instance, has no dominion over the sea. Most are generally benevolent or capriciously neutral, although they can cause misfortunes and illnesses if angered, disrespected, or mistakenly encountered. Other common characteristics of diwata are that they are perceived as an invisible "cold" presence (in contrast to "warm" human spirits); that they leave no footprints (unlike human spirits); and that they sense

1647-593: The "bound" spirits, these spirits can be invited into human households, and their rituals can take place both outdoors and indoors. The last is a class of malevolent spirits or demons, as well as supernatural beings, generally collectively known as aswang , yawa , or mangalos (also mangalok , mangangalek , or magalos ) among Tagalogs and Visayans. There are numerous kinds of aswang with specific abilities, behavior, or appearance. Examples include sigbin , wakwak , tiyanak , and manananggal . The first two categories of diwata can also be malevolent, what sets

1708-517: The "unbound" spirits which have independent existence. They appear in animal (usually as birds) or human-like forms, have gender differentiation, and have personal names. They are most similar to the fairies of European folklore. These are the most common types of spirits to become abyan ( spirit guides of babaylan ), as they are the most "sociable" and can take interest in human activities. These spirits are usually referred to as engkanto (from Spanish encanto ) in modern Filipino folklore. Unlike

1769-400: The 1572 Relación de la conquista de la isla de Luzón describes pag-anito rituals of the Tagalog people as such: When any chief is ill, he invites his kindred and orders a great meal to be prepared, consisting of fish, meat, and wine. When the guests are all assembled and the feast set forth in a few plates on the ground inside the house, they seat themselves also on the ground to eat. In

1830-451: The Ibaloi consume fish from the few rivers in their area. Smoked pork called kinuday is a prominent food for the Ibaloi people. Many Ibalois are now Christians of various denominations, though many of them still practice traditional Ibaloi faith. The Ibaloi believe in two kinds of spirits ( anitos ). The nature spirits are associated with calamities, while the ancestral ones ( ka-apuan ) make their presence known in dreams or by making

1891-548: The Ilocano, Igorot, and Sambal ); and flowerpeckers ( pitpit , ichaw , ido , or labeg among the Igorot). Certain animals (in addition to omen birds) are also believed to be manifestations of spirits, and there were taboos when interacting with them or speaking about them as their connections to the spirit world make them innately dangerous. This belief was universal among early Austronesian animism, existing not only in

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1952-608: The Philippines, but also among the Taiwanese indigenous peoples , other Islander Southeast Asians, and Pacific Islanders . When spoken of, these spirit creatures are marked with a prefix, reconstructed as proto-Austronesian *qali- or *kali-, which still survive fossilized in modern languages in Austronesian cultures, though the beliefs may have long been forgotten. Only very specific creatures were regarded in this way,

2013-484: The Philippines, is found in their territory and is a culturally important area as well, considered the place where spirits join their ancestors. The Ibaloi are distributed in the mountain valleys and settlements. Ancestral land claims by Ibaloi communities include parts of Baguio . The native language of the Ibaloi people is Ibaloi , also known as Inibaloi or Nabaloi. It has three dialects: Bokod, Daklan and Kabayan. The Ibaloi often also speak Ilocano and Tagalog as

2074-583: The Philippines, the word " anito " came to be associated with these physical representations of spirits that featured prominently in pag-anito rituals. During the American rule of the Philippines (1898–1946) , the meaning of the Spanish word idolo ("a thing worshiped") was further conflated with the English word " idol ". Thus in the modern Filipino language , anito has come to refer almost exclusively to

2135-455: The Philippines, these nature spirits are usually called jinn or saitan , due to the influence of Islamic mythology . Ancestor spirits were usually represented by carved figures. These were known as taotao ("little human", also taotaohan , latawo , tinatao , or tatao ), bata-bata ("little child"), ladaw ("image" or "likeness"; also laraw , ladawang , lagdong , or larawan ), or likha ("creation"; also likhak ) in most of

2196-747: The Philippines. Other names include bulul (also bulol or bul-ul ) among the Ifugao ; tinagtaggu (also tinattaggu ) among the Kankanaey and Tuwali Ifugao; lablabbon among the Itneg ; manaug among the Lumad ; and tagno among Bicolanos . Among Tagalogs, taotao were also sometimes referred to as lambana ("altar" or "sacred place"), after the location in which they are usually kept. Taotao were usually austere roughly-carved figures made from wood, stone, or ivory. Some taoatao encountered by

2257-852: The Philippines. They were either small roof-less platforms or standing poles split at the tip (similar to a tiki torch ). They held halved coconut shells, metal plates, or martaban jars as receptacles for offerings. Taotao may sometimes also be placed on these platforms. Other types of sacred places or objects of worship of diwata include the material manifestation of their realms. The most widely venerated were balete trees (also called nonok , nunuk , nonoc , etc.) and anthills or termite mounds ( punso ). Other examples include mountains, waterfalls, tree groves, reefs, and caves. Some animals like crocodiles , snakes, monitor lizards , tokay geckos , and various birds were also venerated as servants or manifestations of diwata , or as powerful spirits themselves. These include legendary creatures like

2318-615: The Spanish were made from precious metals or ornamented with gold and jewelry, but these were very rare. Taotao were almost always depicted in the squatting position with the arms crossed over the knees, which is reminiscent of the fetal position , the everyday conversing posture, and the position bodies are arranged during death among Ancient Filipinos. Some figures, however, are depicted standing or doing everyday activities like dancing, pounding rice, or nursing infants. Most taotao represent an actual deceased person, usually carved by

2379-732: The balatin-naw which is soft and sticky when cooked, the shaya-ut which is also soft, and the putaw which is slightly rough on the palate when eaten. This variety of rice is also used to make the native rice wine called tafey. The second variety of rice, the talon, on the other hand, is the white lowland type that is planted during the rainy season. Ibalois also plant root crops like camote, gabi, cassava and potatoes. Vegetation includes cabbage, celery and pechay. There are also several kinds of wild mushrooms in addition to fruits like avocados, bananas and mangoes grown in many areas. Meat consumed includes pigs, cows, goats and chickens as well as wild deer (olsa), wild pigs (alimanok) and big lizard (tilay). Lastly,

2440-439: The body dries, the process taking anywhere from two months to even a year until the body is hardened. The Ibaloi build their houses ( balai or baeng ) near their farms. These are usually built on five foot posts ( tokod ) and contain only one room with no windows. Pine trees are usually used to build the houses, especially for wealthy families, while bark bamboo for floors and walls, and cogon grass for roofs ( atup ), are used by

2501-436: The carved taotao figures, instead of the actual spirits themselves. Ancient Filipinos and Filipinos who continue to adhere to the Indigenous Philippine folk religions generally do not have so-called "temples" of worship under the context known to foreign cultures. However, they do have sacred shrines , which are also called as spirit houses . They can range in size from small roofed platforms, to structures similar to

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2562-473: The children of diwata who seduced (or sometimes raped) their mothers. During the Spanish period, diwata were syncretized with elves and fairies in European mythology and folklore, and were given names like duende (goblin or dwarf), encantador or encanto (" spell [caster]"), hechicero ("sorcerer"), sirena (" mermaid "), or maligno ("evil [spirit]"). In Islamized ethnic groups of

2623-510: The community upon their funeral. As such, there can be hundreds of taotao in a single village, some of them centuries old. In very rare cases, diwata can be depicted as taotao in anthropomorphic form, as chimeras or legendary creatures , or as animals . These include a special class of figures called hipag among the Igorot which depict war deities, as well as kinabigat (carved houseposts) and hogang (carved tree fern posts used as boundary markers and as wards against harm). As

2684-408: The dead can manifest as apparitions or ghosts ( mantiw ) and cause harm to living people. Pag-anito can be used to appease or banish them. Ancestor spirits also figured prominently during illness or death, as they were believed to be the ones who call the soul to the spirit world, guide the soul (a psychopomp ), or meet the soul upon arrival. Ancestor spirits are also known as kalading among

2745-482: The dead, or blessings. Different ethnic groups had different diwata pantheons and rituals associated with them, though sometimes deities are shared in neighboring ethnic groups. Moreover, different communities also each have their own local patron diwata. Historical accounts of anito in Spanish records include the following: The modern Filipino understanding of diwata encompasses meanings such as muse, fairy, nymph, dryad, or even deity (god or goddess). The word

2806-632: The dragon or serpent Bakunawa , the giant bird Minokawa of the Bagobo, and the colorful Sarimanok of the Maranao. Omen birds were particularly important. The most common omen birds were doves with green or blue iridescent feathers called limokon (usually the common emerald dove , imperial pigeons , or brown doves ). Other omen birds include fairy-bluebirds ( tigmamanukan , balan tikis , balatiti , or bathala among Tagalogs; and batala among Kapampangans ); kingfishers ( salaksak among

2867-637: The environmental or nature spirits "bound" to a particular location or natural phenomenon (similar to genii loci ). They "own" places and concepts like agricultural fields, forests, cliffs, seas, winds, lightning, or realms in the spirit world. Some were also "keepers" or totems of various animals and plants. They have inhuman and abstract qualities, reflecting their particular dominions. They do not normally appear in human form and are usually gender-less or androgynous. They rarely concern themselves with human affairs. Rituals involving these spirits are almost always conducted outdoors. The second type of spirits are

2928-606: The grass or wind (e.g. Ilocano ari nggunay and Kankanaey ali kadong ), hair whorls (e.g. Cebuano ali mpulu and Hanunóo ari pudwan ), mountain summits (e.g. Bikol ali tuktok and Aklanon ali pungto ), dizziness or fainting (e.g. Cebuano ali pulung , Pangasinan ali moreng , and Kankanaey ali tengteng ), confusion or forgetting (e.g. Kapampangan kali ngwan and Bikol ali walas ), thick smoke or steam (e.g. Ilocano ali ngasaw and Tagalog ali muóm ), loud [annoying] noises (e.g. Cebuano ali ngasaw and Ifugao ali dogdog ),

2989-405: The material world. Souls reunite with deceased relatives in the spirit world and lead normal lives in the spirit world as they did in the material world. In some cases, the souls of evil people undergo penance and cleansing before they are granted entrance into a particular spirit realm. Souls would eventually reincarnate after a period of time in the spirit world. In some cultures (like among

3050-489: The midst of the feast (called manganito or baylán in their tongue), they put the idol called Batala and certain aged women who are considered as priestesses, and some aged Indians—neither more nor less. They offer the idol some of the food which they are eating, and call upon him in their tongue, praying to him for the health of the sick man for whom the feast is held. The natives of these islands have no altars nor temples whatsoever. This manganito, or drunken revel, to give it

3111-1092: The most prominent being butterflies which are still widely associated with ghosts. The animals in this category include the following: The category also includes numerous plants, many of which are or were used in shamanic or medicinal applications, including Lepisanthes rubiginosa (Tagalog kali mayo ), Ticanto crista (Tagalog kalu mbibit ), Tabernaemontana pandacaqui (Aklanon ali butbut ), Excoecaria agallocha (Aklanon ali pata ), Musa acuminata (Tagalog ali nsanay ), Diospyros pilosanthera (Tagalog ali ntataw ), Basella rubra (Tagalog alu gbati ), and nettles (Hanunóo ali ngatngat and Isneg ala latang ), among many others. The prefix also extended to terms for actual spirits, like Tagalog kalu luwa ("soul"), Isneg Kala pataw (a totemic spirit of birds), Kankanaey ala dunáxan (a spirit who makes babies cry at night to disturb their parents' sleep), and Maranao ali mekat (a water spirit); as well as natural phenomena and other concepts believed to have direct ties to

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3172-902: The poor. For cooking, they use pots are made of copper ( kambung ), and food compartments ( shuyu ) and utensils made of wood. Baskets and coconut shells are also used as containers. A wooden box filled with soil serves as the cooking place ( Shapolan ), and three stones as the stove ( shakilan ). Traditional weapons of the Ibalois are the spear ( kayang ), shield ( kalasai ), bow and arrow ( bekang and pana ), and war club ( papa ), though they are rarely used in present times. The Ibaloi also employ cutting tools like knives, farm tools, and complete pounding implements for rice: mortars ( dohsung ), which are round or rectangular for different purposes, and pestles ( al-o or bayu )of various sizes, carved from sturdy tree trunks and pine branches. Their rice winnower ( dega-o or kiyag ) are made of bamboo or rattan. Music

3233-420: The rest use a white one ( kolebao dja oles ). Women wear a blouse ( kambal ) and a skirt ( aten or divet ). Gold-plated teeth covers ( shikang ), copper leglets ( batding ), copper bracelets ( karing ), and ear pendants ( tabing ) reflect the benefits of mining for gold and copper. Lode or placer mining is followed by ore crushing using a large flat stone ( gai-dan ) and a small one ( alidan ). The gold in

3294-733: The result of syncretization with Hindu - Buddhist beliefs due to the indirect cultural exchange (via Srivijaya and Majapahit ) between the Philippines and South Asia . However, what entities are considered diwata varies by ethnic group. In some ethnic groups like the B'laan , Cuyonon Visayans , and the Tagalog , Diwata refers to the supreme being in their pantheon, in which case there are different terms for non-human spirits. Like in ancestor spirits, diwata are referred to in polite kinship titles when addressed directly, like apo ("elder") or nuno ("grandparent"). There are three general types of non-human spirits. The first are

3355-441: The resultant fine sand is then separated ( sabak ) in a water trough ( dayasan ). The gold is then melted into cakes. Older Ibaloi people may have tattooed arms as a sign of prestige. Because of fertile soils and climate of Benguet, the Ibaloi are predominantly farmers. There are two varieties of rice. These are the kintoman and talon. The kintoman is the red variety of rice that is long grained, tastier and comes in various forms;

3416-457: The spirit world, like echoes (e.g. Tagalog ali ngawngaw ), whirlpools or tornadoes (e.g. Tagalog ali mpuyó and Bikol ali púros ), storms (e.g. Kankanaey ali mbudádbud ), shadows (e.g. Kankanaey ala langaw ), [clouds of] dust (e.g. Tagalog ali kabok and Western Bukidnon Manobo eli yavuk ), sun or moon halos (e.g. Isneg ali bongbóng ), unease or restlessness (e.g. Tagalog ali suwag ), rustling of

3477-650: The spirit world. Certain places are believed to be owned by diwata or are borders to the spirit world. These are normally avoided or only entered with precautions, especially during twilight when diwata are believed to cross over from the spirit world into the material world. Harm or illness caused by diwata are known as buyag in Visayan and usog in Tagalog. People who were harmed by interactions with diwata are euphemistically described as having been "greeted" (Visayan: gibati , Tagalog: nabati ) or "played with" (Visayan gidulaan , Tagalog: napaglaruan or nakatuwaan ) by diwata . To avoid inadvertently angering

3538-416: The spirits. When a nature spirit or deity is specifically involved, the ritual is called pagdiwata . The act of worship or a religious sacrifice to a spirit is also sometimes simply referred to as anito . The belief in anito are sometimes referred to as Anitism in scholarly literature (Spanish: anitismo or anitería ). Pre-colonial Filipinos were animistic . They believed that everything has

3599-534: The third category apart is that they can not be appealed to with offerings and they are utterly pitiless. Most practices associated with them is to ward them off, banish them, or destroy them. They are never addressed nor worshiped in religious rituals. Diwata are rarely spoken about openly for fear of attracting their attention. Instead they are referred to with euphemisms like "those unlike us" (Visayan: dili ingon nato ) or various names, like banwaanon or taga-banwa , that translate literally to "dweller of

3660-426: The world and "eat" by means of smelling. Diwata who take human form are said to be pale-skinned and could be distinguished from humans by the absence of a philtrum on the upper lip. Diwata are often depicted as appearing to unsuspecting people in human or animal form, sometimes causing unintentional harm. They can also deliberately play tricks on mortals, like seducing or abducting beautiful men and women into

3721-400: Was also usually part of the offerings, poured directly on the taotao or in a bowl before them. These commonly come from chickens or pigs, but can also be from carabaos or dogs. Salt and spices are usually avoided, as they are believed to be distasteful to anito . There is no record of human sacrifices being offered to anito during the Spanish period of the Philippines, except among

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