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Obando Fertility Rites

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Cult is the care ( Latin : cultus ) owed to deities and temples, shrines, or churches. Cult is embodied in ritual and ceremony . Its presence or former presence is made concrete in temples , shrines and churches , and cult images , including votive offerings at votive sites .

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67-555: The Obando Fertility Rites are a dance ritual, Anitist in origin, that later became a Catholic festival celebrated every May in Obando, Bulacan , Philippines . Locals and pilgrims, sometimes dressed in traditional costume, dance and sing in the town's streets to honour and beseech Obando's three patron saints : San Pascual ( Paschal Baylon ), Santa Clara ( Clare of Assisi ) and Nuestra Señora de Salambáo ( Our Lady of Salambao ). The fertility rites were initially done in honour of

134-567: 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

201-425: 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

268-669: 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

335-441: 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

402-478: 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

469-467: 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

536-497: 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

603-675: A plot device. 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, the taotao , made of wood, stone, or ivory, that represent these spirits. Anito (a term predominantly used in Luzon)

670-644: A political center had become fully urbanized. Cultus is often translated as "cult" without the negative connotations the word may have in English, or with the Old English word " worship ", but it implies the necessity of active maintenance beyond passive adoration. Cultus was expected to matter to the gods as a demonstration of respect, honor, and reverence; it was an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion (see do ut des ). Augustine of Hippo echoes Cicero's formulation when he declares, " religion

737-514: 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 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

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804-412: 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

871-805: 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

938-511: 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

1005-449: A specific deity was that god's cultus , "cult", and required "the knowledge of giving the gods their due" (scientia colendorum deorum) . The noun cultus originates from the past participle of the verb colo, colere, colui, cultus , "to tend, take care of, cultivate", originally meaning "to dwell in, inhabit" and thus "to tend, cultivate land (ager) ; to practice agriculture", an activity fundamental to Roman identity even when Rome as

1072-427: 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 the spirits. When a nature spirit or deity is specifically involved, the ritual is called pagdiwata . The act of worship or

1139-548: Is necessary for a cult to be enacted, to be practiced. In the Catholic Church , outward religious practice in cultus is the technical term for Roman Catholic devotions or veneration extended to a particular saint , not to the worship of God. Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church make a major distinction between latria , the worship that is offered to God alone, and dulia , which

1206-616: Is nothing other than the cultus of God ." The term "cult" first appeared in English in 1617, derived from the French culte , meaning " worship " which in turn originated from the Latin word cultus meaning "care, cultivation, worship". The meaning "devotion to a person or thing" is from 1829. Starting about 1920, "cult" acquired an additional six or more positive and negative definitions. In French, for example, sections in newspapers giving

1273-504: Is thought to originate from the Sanskrit devata (deity). Similarly, the term Anito—widely understood today as referring to ancestor spirits or spirits of the dead—may have derived from the proto-Malayo-Polynesian qanitu and proto-Austronesian qanicu, both of which mean ancestral spirits. Cult (religious practice) Cicero defined religio as cultus deorum , "the cultivation of the gods". The "cultivation" necessary to maintain

1340-627: The anito Diyan Masalanta, the Tagalog goddess of love, Lakapati, the Tagalog fertility deity, and Bathala , the supreme deity of the Tagalog people . The rites were performed within the vicinity of a dambana . When the Spanish arrived, they forcibly converted the natives to Roman Catholicism and changed their religious beliefs regarding the fertility rites. The rites are observed in a triduum : 17 May for St. Paschal Baylon, 18 May for St. Clare of Assisi, and 19 May for Our Lady of Salambáo. Each of

1407-775: 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

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1474-685: 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

1541-671: 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

1608-464: The Spanish word for egg white or albumen , clara , is also a pun on her name. Devotees participating in the rites would sometimes hold eggs as they sway to the fandango. The introduction of St. Clare by Spanish Franciscans as a replacement for pre-colonial Tagalog gods, especially the deity of conception Diyan Masalanta, transformed the old, animist Kasilonawan dancing ritual into the offering of

1675-403: 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

1742-450: 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

1809-508: 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

1876-701: 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

1943-593: 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

2010-517: 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

2077-400: 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

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2144-548: 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

2211-608: 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,

2278-474: 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

2345-455: 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

2412-747: 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

2479-852: 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

2546-560: 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

2613-517: The Virgin Mary's image in their salambáw , a fishing net supported with bamboo crosspieces and mounted on a raft. They were fishing at a place known as Hulingduong, Binwangan (now part of Malabon ), and, when they decided to bring the image to the neighbouring town of Navotas , their boat suddenly grew heavy and immobile. When they eventually decided to bring the image to Obando instead, their boat quickly lightened and became easy to paddle. This

2680-436: 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

2747-575: The celebrations of the 1998 Philippine Centennial. In his 1887 novel Noli Me Tángere , José Rizal , the Philippine national hero , has a character in Chapter 6 ("Captain Tiago") attribute her long-sought pregnancy to the rites. The pregnancy results in the birth of one of the novel's principal characters, María Clara . In 2012, the rites were featured in the pilot episode of the Filipino teleserye Ina Kapatid Anak , which used fertility issues as

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2814-571: The chapel built by missionaries of the Order of Friars Minor in the town. St. Clare was a 13th-century Italian nun, who founded the Poor Clares according to the rule and teachings of her contemporary, St. Francis . St. Clare became the patroness of good weather because her Spanish name, Clara , also referred to clearer skies after a storm. This formed the basis for the Filipino custom of offering chicken eggs to St. Clare to ensure good weather, as

2881-473: 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

2948-510: 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

3015-408: 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

3082-460: 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:

3149-482: 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

3216-632: 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

3283-637: 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

3350-519: The fandango to the saint to prevent or cure sterility in women. Eventually, St. Clare evolved into the patroness of individuals seeking a mate and to have children, particularly daughters. During the 18th century, the Franciscan missionaries built the town church and introduced the veneration of Saint Paschal Baylon . His surname, Baylon , was taken to mean "one who likes dancing", ultimately derived from Spanish bailar ("to dance"). Like St. Clare,

3417-511: The fertility dance due to its pagan origins. During the prohibition, normal religious processions were still held on the triduum, but without the lively street dancing. In 1972, parish priest Rev. Fr. Rome R. Fernández and the Komisyon ng Kalinangan (Commission on Culture) of Obando helped in having the ban lifted and in reviving the ancient dance ritual, which is still practised to this day. A contingent representing this festival took part in

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3484-450: The fertility dance, are popular with pilgrims from all over the Philippines, most of whom supplicate the triad of saints for a child, a spouse, or general good fortune. Throughout the three days, devotees joyously dance in the streets as a form of prayer, asking for the spirit of life to enter into the wombs of women. St. Clare of Assisi is the oldest saint declared patroness of Catanghalan (the town's former name), her image first enshrined

3551-606: 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 ),

3618-405: 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

3685-489: 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

3752-1092: 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

3819-679: 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

3886-418: The saint also became a patron invoked for fertility, wealth and abundance. An anecdote tells of how a childless couple from the neighbouring town of Hagonoy met a youth selling crabs. The young man told the couple to visit Obando and participate in the rites to ameliorate their condition. Upon entering Obando Church, the couple were amazed by the sight of Saint Paschal's image, for its face looked exactly like

3953-676: The schedule of worship for Catholic services are headed Culte Catholique , while the section giving the schedule of Protestant services is headed culte réformé . In the specific context of the Greek hero cult , Carla Antonaccio wrote: The term cult identifies a pattern of ritual behavior in connection with specific objects, within a framework of spatial and temporal coordinates. Rituals would include (but not necessarily be limited to) prayer, sacrifice, votive offerings, competitions, processions and construction of monuments. Some degree of recurrence in place and repetition over time of ritual action

4020-457: 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

4087-650: 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

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4154-534: 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

4221-449: The three days usually begins with a morning Mass said by the parish priest. A procession , held immediately thereafter, consists of the three saints' images followed by bands playing instruments made of bamboo or brass, and devotees who dance the fandango while singing the hymn, Santa Clara Pinung-Pino (Saint Clare, Most Refined). The image of each saint leads the procession on his or her designated feast day. The rites, especially

4288-426: 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

4355-403: The young crab vendor. This is the origin of St. Paschal's patronage of childless couples who wish to have children, particularly sons. On 19 June 1763, the image of Our Lady of Salambáo (formal title: "Our Lady of Immaculate Conception of Salambáo"), was the last saint whose cultus was introduced to Obando. Legend tells of three fishermen named Juan, Julián, and Diego dela Cruz, who caught

4422-400: 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

4489-608: Was taken a sign that the Virgin wanted to be enshrined in Obando Church. She is still venerated there as the local patroness of fishing and of good harvests. During World War II , the church and a large portion of Obando were ravaged by fire; included amongst the damaged property were the images of the three patron saints. A few years after the war's end, both the Archbishop of Manila and the vicar of Obando Church forbade

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