Philippine E-Journals

Social Representation of Tayhop in Samar

Nathalie Ann Alaga-Acosta | Mary Jane Cinco | Joan Baclay

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

In the Philippines, especially in Samar being a rich province in terms of cultural heritage practices and beliefs, folk medicine practices and one of the most common of these is tayhop (gentle blowing). This study explored further the theoretical connections between narratives and social representations in capturing traditional healing practices, such as tayhop. Through the telling of narratives, a community is engaged in the process of creating a social representation while at the same time drawing upon a broader collective representation. The study captured the stories by the ones who believe and practice tayhop. This study utilized the narrative design to comprehend the experiences of health-seeking individuals and the meaning behind their acquisition of folk medicine products like using tayhop and especially those who are practicing tayhop. Further, the analysis led to major themes based on the significant statements: overlapping between spiritual and physical world, strong spiritual and superstitious belief and faith and religion are evident in traditional healing. Tayhop is perceived by its patrons to be effective in alleviating health concerns. The acquisition and letting their selves to be cured from their illnesses is that many of the Filipinos distrust in the current healthcare system, lack of money to send their patients in a hospital, value their belief which has been passed from generation to generation and ignorance to modern medical technologies. This study paved an avenue to better understand why there are still parag Tayhop performing such and why many patients are being brought to parag Tayhop instead to be brought in a hospital.