Ligao City’s Folklore: A Repertoire of Culture and Tradition, An Anthology of Indigenous Healing

Abstract

The study is centered on the narratives on indigenous healing practices of Ligao City, Albay province, Philippines. It gathered genres, documented repertoire, validated text authenticity, translated texts into vernacular, and classified the typology of indigenous healing practices in the area. The research is descriptive ethno-literary in nature, employing ethnographic methods such as community immersion, participant observation, unstructured interviews, and digital documentation. The collected texts were transcribed from the dialect/vernacular and translated into the English language; they were then anthologized and classified according to their respective genres; and the research process and data were captured through a coffee table book and ethnovideography. The study found eighty-one (81) narratives on indigenous healing practices. Ligao’s indigenous healing practices are more difficult to translate into other Bicol dialects and into the English language due to its unique syllabication, sound, and spelling. Plenty of words spoken and written in the dialect do not have an exact translation or counterpart in the English language; they need lengthy elaboration to contextualize their meanings. Narratives on Indigenous Healing Practices in Ligao City are present in the culture and tradition of an older generation that in their dawn realized this repertoire of various lore showcasing valuable historical and cultural information could be eventually lost. As the different practices of indigenous healing continue to decrease in number significantly every year, abandoned by the generations who used to embrace them, preservation of the lore for posterity must be a priority.