More articles about: Babaylans

How the Babaylans, One of the Most Powerful Class of Filipinos, Came to an End

Today, babaylans are past reminders of how Filipinos regarded women in high esteem, long before colonizers came ashore.

In the pre-colonial Philippines, the datu was recognized as the leader of the community. The datu commanded households numbering from a couple of dozen to a few thousands. If there was someone that rivaled the power and influence of the datus, it ...