Ligao City’s Folklore: A Repertoire of Culture and Tradition, An Anthology of Indigenous Healing
Anacito E. Dematera
Discipline: Cultural Studies
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.
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ISSN 2799-0583 (Online)
ISSN 2782-9413 (Print)