SANTIGWAR

SANTIGWAR is a Bicolano term that has no direct translation in Tagalog or English. But the practice is very much similar to TAWAS of the Tagalogs and other regions which is the folk practice of healing a person of illness or strange feelings or even state of mind caused by what supernatural beings did to them. 

 

Even illnesses, usually fever, caused by extreme fear, particularly among young children are often subjected to santigwar for healing.

 

Santigwar is determining what caused the malady and to heal in light cases.  In extreme cases, the procedure is BAWI, or to take back from the supernatural its possession of the person being treated by way of the medicine man’s force, persuasion, and also bribe.  The bribe would usually consist of a pack of cigarettes, unsalted meat, soft drinks, or gin. 

 

The santigwar may even be done remotely (think of the cyber age), where the person subject of the treatment need not be physically present with the healer. The name or used clothing would suffice to create a link.

 

In the old days a “prinsa”, the pan-like tool used for ironing clothes, is used.  Burning charcoals are placed inside the pan and “tawas” (alum) is thrown in. When the alum cools down its shape determines what caused a person’s illness.

 

Most “para santigwar” today use a plate, trace a cross in the middle with oil, wave the plate over the subject as a security guard would whisk a metal detector, and hold it over a lighted candle. An image would appear.

 

I used to laugh at this procedure, though as a child my mother would take me to a para santigwar for treatment, but changed my perception when after my father’s death I cannot sleep for several weeks.  My body was so tired but my mind is wide awake.

 

After consulting doctors and still I was deprived of sleep, I had no alternative but to try a santigwar. Only after the session that I slept peacefully.

 

The same happened when I had this burning sensation after I hit a big cat that was peering at our window.  Without telling anyone what happened, the para santigwar asked me what I did to the cat.

 

Strange things happen without logical explanations. Through a SANTIGWAR, answers may be revealed.

 

The tawas is used to trace the sign of the cross on the patient's forehead and other suspicious or ailing parts of the body as prayers are being whispered (bulóng or oración). The alum is then placed on glowing embers, removed when it starts to crack, then transferred to a small basin of water.