....."B'LAAN CULTURAL VALUES AND EMERGING REALITIES"......

...Religious, Spiritual, Mythological Belief, medicine and Dreams.....

The B'laan culture is peculiarly fascinating in the differentiation of patterns that totally continue its psycho dynamics.  The extent of practice rests in cultural homogeneity, the interaction of the B'laan with other ethnic groups or the christian culture.  In this respect the elder B'laans are more cohesive in their ways and the young, greatly influenced by outside elements, traditional beliefs and value systems other impede or enhance developmental possibilities depending on the strategic interplay of factors in the environment, socio economic, political technological and etc.  Culture change as also affected by geography and physical conditions.  The following are cultural values of major impact to the B'laan existing way of life and the road ahead for them.

     B'laan religious  belief and practice range between customs and traditions directly associated with the established christian churches in the areas to highly traditional animistic beliefs which encompass both natural and supernatural elements from the environment in which they live.  Evidence of syn-creation of christian and traditional B'laan beliefs and practice appear evident in some instance; many similarities between the following indigenous creation myth and the Biblical account of creation can be seen.
      According to the B'laan myth or legend about creation, the first man (To) was created by God (Dawata).  One day, lightning flashed in the sky and the heaven were shaken and  the rains fill and watered the face of the earth, from the wet ground.  God (Dawata) molded the first man, but God saw that man was tough and rugged and decided to make another one.  He again took a portion of the ground and mold it and mold a finer and fairer one and was created the first woman from the two, all tribes descended.  

     The B'laan believe in the existence of a supreme being known as God (Dawata).  He is the planters (Mele) of heaven (langit) and earth (tana) and everything thereof.  Under Him and other supernatural beings with lower ranks of power or authority- the guardian spirit (L'nilong).  To the B'laans nature is entrusted for safekeeping.  The guardian spirit are not creator, since creator belong to God.  As guardians (snalig), they are often referred as the owner of nature (M-fun).  Thus, there is the owner of the sea (M'fun mabin), with owner of the forests (M'fun D'lag), God is the creator and the guardian spirit are guardians and man as the user (occupier).
     One B'laan explain.....The highest spirit is God (Dawata).  The Lord when we praise, take mercy on us and make us healthy.  God is his name.  God is  God.  God is the strongest of them all.  He is higher than them all.  He is good, we all pray to him and he help us.  His children will get angry with us, but he created everything.  He created everything when he come down from heaven (langit).  Heaven is God's place where there are many houses..


MEDICINE, MAGIC, AND SORCERY.... 


     An almo-as is a healer or magic person
who is capable of communicating with spirits
of the dead and with various other spiritual entities.  It explained that among the highland 
B'laan, a class of almo-os, consisting of older
women, functioned as mabalian among the
Bagabo.  The almo-os have considerable influence
with all the spirits, but they are particularly close
to the spirit of the dead (almogol).  An almo-os
can summon a busau or evil spirit in order to
inflict harm in a particular person.  Busau are a class of spirit, often ill-disposed towards men,
who live in various parts of the mountain. Almo-os is composed mostly of middle aged women
who are in close communication with the spirit and who conduct ceremonies to aid in the cure of the sick, to secure good crops, or to thank the higher beings/ guardian spirit for their help and watchfulness.  The role of witch, sorcerer (busau mnung) is considered to be 
a hereditary position. However, contemporary B'laan appeared fearful when discussing this subject.  They were reluctant  to reveal if anyone had either inherited this position or was currently believe to be a busau mnung.
      The B'laan believe that everything in nature including tree, rock,river and all natural features
is owned and guarded by a spirit.  Thus, when a B'laan becomes sick, perhaps after returning home
from his alnigo, it is often concluded that the  illness was the result of the actions of a spirit.  Perhaps, B'laan sometimes assume, that this illness was the working of the spirit being who
owned the log that the man may have sat on, or the water where he drank.  The healing process, therefore involves a ritual that is directed at placating or expelling the concerned spirit.


THE IMPORTANCE of DREAMS and DREAMING........
     
The term dreams and dreaming refers to the common, usually succession of images and or ideas that occur  in the mind during sleep.  The B'laan, like many other indigenous cultures, believe in the reality and efficacy of dreams.  Dreams are not insignificant images that an individual can choose to ignore.  On the contrary , dreams are imbued with spiritual and mythic-religious meaning.
      According to B'laan belief, during sleep, a person's spirit or soul can depart their mortal body and journey to distant places.  While a person's spirit or soul is absent from their mortal body, another spirit may visit the person and communicate with them through the dream.  An individuals dream is therefore, a vehicle or medium through which spiritual entities can communicate directly with human beings, namely the B'laan...