In the heart of the Visayas, long before the concrete roads of modern Bohol were paved, the rustle of bamboo carried the chants of a revolution. The year was 1621. As Spanish steel and Catholic crosses sought to systematically dismantle the spiritual and social foundations of indigenous Philippine society, one figure stepped out of the shadows of the sacred groves to say, “No more.”
That figure was Babaylan Tamblot.
For modern Filipinos navigating an era of political disillusionment, identity crises, and a deep yearning for cultural roots, Tamblot is no longer just a paragraph in a dusty history textbook. They have become a beacon of radical decolonization, a protector of the marginalized, and a powerful ancestor spirit (abyan) for those returning to the Old Ways.
Who Was Babaylan Tamblot?
In pre-colonial Visayan society, a babaylan was not merely a priest or a witch doctor; they were the community’s spiritual medium, traditional healer, historian, and political advisor.
Historical and cultural analyses indicate that Tamblot may have been an asog—a gender-fluid or trans babaylan. In ancient times, men who took on the role of a babaylan dressed in women’s attire, spoke in feminine tones, and embodied the sacred feminine energy required to bridge the mortal world and the spirit realm (pag-anito). Tamblot held an immensely revered position of authority, working hand-in-hand with local datus (chiefs) to read omens, heal the sick using hilot and herbalism, and maintain the harmony of the cosmos.
The 1621 Uprising: A War for the Soul
When Spanish missionaries began forcefully converting the Boholanos—demonizing ancestral deities (diwatas) and destroying sacred altars—Tamblot recognized it as an existential threat.
Tamblot mobilized over 2,000 Boholanos by proving the enduring power of their ancestral spirits. Oral tradition tells of Tamblot cutting a bamboo stalk with a bolo knife, causing rice and wine to miraculously pour out—a direct challenge to the Spanish priests’ monopoly on miracles.
For two years, Tamblot’s forces burned churches and fought fiercely to reclaim their freedom. Though the rebellion was ultimately crushed by Spanish firearms on January 1, 1622, and Tamblot was executed, their martyrdom planted the seeds of resistance. It laid the psychological groundwork for the legendary Dagohoy Rebellion a century later, which freed Bohol from Spanish rule for 85 years.
Channeling Tamblot’s Voice: A Critique of Modern Philippines
If Babaylan Tamblot were to channel a message for the Philippines today, they would not speak with the diplomatic politeness of modern politicians. They would speak with the fierce, uncompromising fire of a revolutionary healer.
Looking at the modern Philippine government—marred by political dynasties, factional infighting, and multi-million peso corruption scandals—Tamblot would offer a scathing indictment:
On Political Warfare:“You tear each other apart for the spoils of a stolen house.” Tamblot would view the bitter rifts among the ruling elite as a theater of greed, completely detached from the suffering of the everyday Filipino.
On Systemic Corruption: Tamblot fought against the colonial tributo (taxes) that bled the natives dry. Today, they would see corrupt officials as the new colonial overseers, poisoning the well of public trust while ordinary farmers and workers bear the brunt of inflation.
On Foreign Dependency: A fierce defender of sovereignty, Tamblot would warn the nation against trading one foreign master for another, urging Filipinos to cultivate internal strength rather than becoming pawns on a geopolitical chessboard.
To Tamblot, the modern Philippine state is spiritually and structurally sick. The remedy? For the Filipino people to awaken their own inner babaylan—to stop treating corrupt leaders as deities, to fiercely demand accountability, and to remember that power belongs to those who tend the soil.
Connecting with the Abyan
For modern practitioners of indigenous Filipino spirituality (Pagbabalik-loob), Babaylan Tamblot is revered as a powerful abyan (spirit guide). When modern practitioners lay out offerings of tuba (native wine), tobacco, and uncooked rice on their altars, they invoke Tamblot for:
Spiritual Decolonization: Overcoming colonial guilt and reclaiming ancestral roots.
Queer Empowerment: Validating the sacred, foundational role of LGBTQIA+ individuals in society.
Holistic Healing: Deepening intuitive knowledge of traditional herbal medicine and hilot.
Spiritual Protection: Finding the courage to stand unyielding against religious intolerance.
Tamblot reminds us that our roots are not dead; they are merely waiting under the soil, ready to sprout when we finally remember who we are.
A Modern Invocation to Babaylan Tamblot
This prayer can be recited in front of a clean altar space. Traditional offerings include a glass of native wine or liquor, a bowl of raw rice, tobacco, or a clean blade/bolo knife.
Handog at Pagkilala kay Babaylan Tamblot (An Offering and Recognition to Babaylan Tamblot)
Agba na Tamblot, Katulad ng Kawayan, Elder Tamblot, who flows like the sacred bamboo, We call upon your fierce and unyielding spirit tonight. You who held the blade of resistance and the vessel of healing, Wakeful ancestor, we breathe your name back into the wind.
Ipahiram mo sa amin ang iyong tapang. Lend us your legendary courage. In a world that seeks to make us forget our roots, Help us cut through the webs of colonial shame. Clear our eyes so we may see the truth of our heritage, And steady our hands as we rebuild the altars of our diwatas.
O Banal na Asog, gabayan mo ang iyong mga anak. Sacred Asog, fluid bridge between worlds, protect your queer and marginalized children. Remind us that our differences are our medicine, And that our spirits have always held a sacred place in this land. Bless our healers, our artists, and our truth-tellers. Teach our hands the rhythm of hilot and the secrets of the native leaf.
Tumingin ka sa lupang iyong ipinaglaban. Look down upon the archipelago you bled for. Breathe your revolutionary fire into the hearts of the Filipino people today. Grant us the collective wrath to reject corrupt rulers, The wisdom to see through the theater of the powerful, And the fierce sovereignty to defend our seas, our mountains, and our people.
Tulad ng bigas at alak na dumaloy sa kawayan, As rice and wine once flowed miraculously from your bamboo, May abundance, justice, and pride flow once more through our veins.
Dungawin mo kami, Abang Tamblot. Guide us, Elder Tamblot. Salamat sa iyong gabay. Pagpupugay sa Sinaunang Daan. Thank you for your guidance. Honor to the Ancient Way.
Dambana ng Luntiang Aghama 