Siquijor:
Spell-caster Island
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 When
we were kids we liked to hide under the covers, listening to stories about scary, fanciful
things like white ladies, capres and manananggals. But my favorite stories were about the
mangkukulam or witches.
Yaya told us that if a mangkukulam felt like it, he or she could say "Ang ganda ng
buhok mo" and we'd be as bald as plucked hens by morning. They could hurt you without
even touching you as long as they had a lock of your hair or a piece of clothing you'd
just been using.
But some of these "witches" were good people too. They can mix love potions or
undo the curse of another mangkukulam. And most of them say they can cure sick people.
A lot of these "witch doctors" live on a tiny island called Siquijor.
On a map, you can find it by looking for a dot of land in the middle of Negros, Cebu and
Bohol.
When the Spaniards first saw the little island in 1565, they thought they saw a big fire
blazing along the shore. They first called it "Isla de Fuego" or "Fire
Island" but the name that stuck was Siquijor.
"Siquijor" may have come from the name of King Kihod who used to rule the
island. But others say it came from the word "quijod" which means "the tide
is going down". This is fitting since Siquijor is also known for its beautiful
beaches and the rich marine life found all around it.
It's a quiet place and the people are very peaceful and God-fearing even though they are
known for spells and mixing magic.
There are many interesting people in Siquijor. One could visit a town called San Antonio,
where many people are known to be mananambal. These are healers who make use of herbs and
coconut oil to cure.
One can go to a place called Crocodile Hill and watch the Witch's Festival. During this
celebration, harmless looking old men and women gather around a large cauldron of boiling
water. They throw in herbs and mysterious ingredients to make their "medicine".
They cast spells and dance around the fire to make sure that the magic is stirred into the
brew. This happens on the full moon of every month, but some people say the potions are
better and stronger when they are brewed on either Black Saturday or Good Friday.
***
People can scare you with stories about ghosts and witches. But it's always better not to
make up your mind until you've seen them yourself. There are real spell-casters that live
on an island called Siquijor. You can visit them. It's just a plane ride away.
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