babaylans
Babaylans are traditional Filipino spiritual leaders, healers, and ritual specialists who served as intermediaries between communities and the spirit world in precolonial Philippine societies. The term is most commonly associated with Tagalog-speaking communities, but similar roles existed across the archipelago under regional names such as baylan in Visayas and Mindanao, and katalonan in Tagalog-speaking areas. These practitioners were often women, though men and persons who occupied gender-fluid roles could also be recognized as babaylans.
Babaylans perform and preside over ceremonies for healing, weather and harvest rites, protection against danger, and
Historically, babaylans held considerable social influence, advising local leaders and serving as mediators in disputes and
In contemporary times, there are revivalist and cultural preservation efforts that seek to reclaim traditional babaylan