Ever since childhood I have encountered such word, a word that frightens the young and the olds. But is it really true? Does bewitchment exist in this advance age?
I have to admit I was once a believer of this unexplainable and sometimes funny belief of the olds. And I have experienced a situation they called “barang”. “Barang” is a coined term for a bewitchment which uses insect or live small animals. A witch (Mangkukulam) uses these small animals or insects into what they call a Voodoo doll, the Voodoo doll represents the victim’s body. For example a witch puts an insect on the doll, the so-called effect is that the victim will have the same insect inside his/her own body. These are the information I have known so far. From my own experience, way back in my elementary days, Mom was a believer of these things. So I have to abide with every little thing that she says, “put on some “luya” so that “aswang” will not harm you.” It came to a point that he have sent me to a quack doctor, although at a very young age, I was mature enough to know what was going on. And I know how that quack doctor ripped some good amount of money from us. I have a bad leg that day, didn’t know what happened, and I was in school. I have to plead to my teacher that I have to go home early, I can’t even walk straight. When I got home with watery eyes, my mom asks what happened and I couldn’t explain why I had a bad leg. She immediately said let’s go a quack doctor. She was so naive and superstitious that time, she also believed that our school was the home of the fairies and goblins. Then with a blink of an eye we were on the quack doctor’s place. We have to wait for our turn because there were many people waiting on cue. So I said business must be good for the quack doctor. I waited anxiously on my seat and I could see what the quack doctor is doing to some of his patients. He has a piece of skinned “luya” (ginger) on his hands holding it with his fingers, what I notice is that he blows it three times before he applies it to the patient forehead, making a sign of the cross. So I thought that this quack doctor is a Christian as well, not! Then It was finally my turn, same ritual was performed with regards to the other patients. He blown the ginger thrice and made a sign of the cross on my forehead. He closed his eyes and put his hands on my leg, and he said that I have a “barang” I was stunned. He closed his eyes one more time and began piercing his hand into my legs, and to my surprise I saw a small insect drawn from my leg, I was not able to explain how did that happen, maybe I wasn’t paying attention to his hands because he is somehow tickling me. And to my astonishment, the pain in my leg was gone when he had removed that insect out of my leg. Then I can walk straight again. Right then and there I was a believer of “kulam” it is not easy to make me believe on something, but at that moment I have to admit I was one of the believers of “kulam.” Mom was so happy when she saw that I could walk straight again. After that short session of bloodless operation mom paid the quack doctor and we went home. Back at home I wondered how did that happen, how that insect came inside my leg. I tried to look for any logical or scientific reasons for the things that happened. And I couldn’t find any answers to my question, so I said to myself during that time, “maybe it’s true, maybe “kulam” does exist”.
But I refuse to believe on something that is not founded by logical or scientific reasons. The only things that I believe in are the miracles of Jesus. It is by my faith that I believe in Jesus. The only powerful being that ever step unto this planet. You may say that this belief is not founded by science or by any logical reasons but then again science or logic has its own flaws. Surely it would be a chaotic world if this witchcraft thing is present in this modern society. I wonder why these quack doctors are not rich when they are accepting payments for the things that they are doing. The same can be said on witch who does witchcraft for a profit. Someone hires a witch to make their enemies suffer, this is in Philippines settings. My mom back in those days was a believer of “kulam”, and I have been to different kinds of quack doctors, each has their own specialization, I might say. There is one who uses chicken to drive off evil spirits in the house. And there is one who has different voices coming out from his mouth. The most ridiculous of them all was a quack doctor, who said to come to his place at night, and bring cooked foods for the spirits, and we did bring him foods, which the spirit ate, I mean he as the spirit ate. I can clearly see how this can be very profitable if I could charm anyone that I can see spirits. And they charge as high as a medical surgeon would ask for. And as the years go by, nothing happened to the prediction of those quack doctors, and I know from the start they were just racketeering. And as I became more independent with my decision, every time that I got sick I would not listen to my mom encouraging me to go back to a quack doctor. Then she eventually gave up, and believes in my beliefs that there is no “kulam” out here in the city. But I’m still not sure whether “kulam” exist in this advanced age.
In my own personal opinion, these beliefs may seem to be old and out of date but it still horrifies many individuals. And this horror is further amplified because of many horrifying movies. The message I would love to convey is that people may have different experience on this “kulam” phenomenon, and it’s up to them to believe or not. But either way, it is best to stay alert and vigilant on such things, better to follow the things that the grown ups says. They have live longer than us because of what they believe in. But I tell you now, if you have faith in our God, your fears will be gone. In times of great fear and worries, my friend told me, always recite psalm 23 and after a few repetition of that verse I feel I can conquer the world for God is with me. So I ask again… does kulam exist?? I don’t think so… because God is with me. =))
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