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Siquijor The Truth About Siquijor

Discussion in 'Surrounding Areas' started by Rye83, Apr 11, 2015.

  1. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    Everything you’ve heard about Siquijor is true.

    What Filipinos used to fear about the island -- its curses, hexes, and spells, either given directly or delivered through the wind; with fast-acting effects or a delayed, 6-day time-release -- are all real.

    The fear is legitimate. One of the spells, barang in particular, which is a Visayan term for malicious sorcery, may involve an unexplained swelling of the belly, insects coming out of your mouth, or depending on your punishment level, both. The manifestations, however, aren’t limited to these. A sign to know that you’ve been healed is when you’ve coughed up black phlegm.

    This is probably why the country’s spell-givers were exiled to Siquijor by the Spanish friars – Catholics, quite a sinful lot, are taught to fear punishment. Fear of the barang, because this form of sorcery can be felt and seen, packs more of a wallop than that of, say, eternal damnation, which is a concept at best.

    It’s probably no coincidence that The Parish Church of San Isidro Labrador in the town of Lazi, which was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum, is the oldest in Siquijor, while the Lazi Convent across it is the oldest and biggest in Asia. Unable to strike fear in the hearts of Siquijor’s mystic residents, The Spanish colonizers didn’t want to take any chances when it comes to people with enviable spell-giving skill sets.

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