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LESSON 4 PDF-PIC

Filipino indigenous spirituality encompasses a rich tapestry of beliefs and practices that connect individuals to the sacred, nature, and their community. Central to this spirituality are concepts such as 'anito' and various deities, reflecting a deep relationship with the divine that predates colonial influences. Rituals and traditions, such as those observed in Mt. Banahaw and among the Aeta communities, illustrate the enduring significance of these spiritual practices in contemporary Filipino culture.

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13 views22 pages

LESSON 4 PDF-PIC

Filipino indigenous spirituality encompasses a rich tapestry of beliefs and practices that connect individuals to the sacred, nature, and their community. Central to this spirituality are concepts such as 'anito' and various deities, reflecting a deep relationship with the divine that predates colonial influences. Rituals and traditions, such as those observed in Mt. Banahaw and among the Aeta communities, illustrate the enduring significance of these spiritual practices in contemporary Filipino culture.

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donnajeanfernandez0002
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FILIPINO INDIGENOUS

SPIRITUALITY
What is Spirituality?
• Spirituality is related to the search for the sacred
in a person, object, or ritual that is above the
self (Hill et al., 2000).
• It is the aspect of humanity that refers to the
way individuals seek and express meaning
and purpose and the way they experience
their connectedness to the moment, to self, to
others, to nature, and to the significant or
sacred."
For many, spirituality is connected to large
questions about life and identity, such as:

• Am I a good person?
• What is the meaning of my suffering?
• What is my connection to the world around me?
• Do things happen for a reason?
• How can I live my life in the best way possible?
What is the difference
between religion and
spirituality?
FILIPINO INDIGENOUS SPIRITUALITY
Filipino Spirituality
• The Filipino culture is rich in religious traditions, which
include various rituals, devotions, and beliefs. Long
before the Spaniards came, Filipinos already believed
in God, and they already had different religious rituals
that demonstrated their spirituality (Enriquez, 1994).
Filipino Spirituality
• For Salazar (1993 as cited in
Aquino, 2000), Filipinos’ belief in an
“anito” is an important factor in their
faith. He considers the “anito” as a
pure soul, pure spirit, or God.
Filipino Spirituality
• Aetas consider Apu
Namalyari as their supreme
God and they have other gods
that abound in the environment.
Filipino Spirituality
• Mangyans consider Mahal-
Umako as their god because he is
the one who created all things that
can be seen and unseen.
• The relationship of Filipinos with
“anitos” can be considered as
something deep and can be
viewed as a form of
pakikipagkapwa (Hernandez,
Filipino Spirituality
• The deep relationship of Filipinos and “anitos” can
still be seen in their religious traditions.
• Demetrio (1991) has documented various rituals
and prayers Filipinos have across the Philippines.
These different practices can be seen not only in
different devotions among Filipinos but also in
indigenous practices such as the ones in Mt.
Banahaw.
Filipino Spirituality
• On this sacred mountain, devotees consider rocks,
caves, trees, and bodies of water as sacred.
Filipino devotees from different places in the
Philippines go to Mt. Banahaw to worship and
express their spirituality.
• Those sacred places and spaces in Mt. Banahaw
are called puwestos.
Sto. Entierro
• In the contemporary setting, some devotions like
that to the Sto. Entierro in Calabanga in Bicol can
be traced to the rich tradition of Filipinos in
venerating the dead (Cannell, 1999).
• This dead Christ is bathe and perfume is applied
to it as it is treated as a very sacred object. In
this devotion, Catholics try their best to reach out to
the dead Christ to feel better or ask for
supplication.
Apo Mamacalulu
• This devotion can also be found among
Kapampangans with their devotion to the Sto.
Entierro, whom they call Apung Mamacalulu.
Filipino Spirituality
• Postma (2005) states that Mangyans consider their
departed loved ones as their Gods. These
practices in Catholicism, commonly called “popular
piety,” can be traced to the long tradition of
Filipinos in a religion that has animistic qualities
Aetas of Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales

• The Aeta groups in the Zambales range and the


mountains of Pampanga have preserved some of
their traditional or indigenous spiritual ideas despite
the introduction of Christianism (Seitz, 1998).
• The belief in the “anito” (good spirits) and the
kamana (bad spirits) is central to these beliefs
(Gaillard, 2006).
Aetas’ Pantheon of Gods
Carunungan (2005) identified the other gods of Aetas.
• These include Tigbalog, who is considered as the “great
creator” and is considered as the source of life and action;
• Lueve, who is the god of production and the growth of
goods;
• Amas, who moves people to pity, love, unity and peace of
heart; and
• Binangewan, who is responsible for change, sickness
and death.
Strong Faith and Religious Rituals of Aetas

• Carunungan (2005) also highlights the faith and


some religious practices of Aetas that exist to this
day. Most Aetas have a strong faith in God.
• It is not unusual for them to explain or attribute their
experiences in life to God.
Strong Faith and Religious Rituals of Aetas

• They usually use the phrase “kaloob ng Dios” or


“tadhana ng Maykapal,” meaning “will of God.”
• Even at the time that they suffer problems, they
remain faithful to God and say "Kung ano man ang
ipagkaloob ng Diyos" ("Whatever God provides”).
Strong Faith and Religious Rituals of Aetas

•Lastly, Carunungan (2005) identifies


various Aeta religious practices that
include certain rituals like as in the form of
prayers and dancing.

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