Kulam is a form of witchcraft in the Philippines, often associated with black magic and feared by many. However, there is a move to revamp its image and present it in a more positive light. The practice involves using a rag doll to injure intended victims, with something belonging to the victim required for the curse to work. Kulam is often practiced by mangkukulam, who are seen as village witches and are sometimes also faith healers. Interestingly, Filipino witchcraft can coexist with Catholicism in some areas.
Kulam is a kind of witchcraft practiced in the Philippines. Witches who use it are called mangkukulam and are often feared for their use of black magic. In modern times, however, there has been a move to revamp the image of this practice and present it in a more flattering light. Some locally published books, such as Mga Panibagong Kulam (Modern Spells) by Tony Perez, hope to achieve this by taking their case to a younger, more open-minded market.
Be that as it may, many people still hold the traditional view of kulam as a dark and evil form of witchcraft. Superstitious Filipinos say mangkukulams often come from the islands of Siquijor and Samar and Sorsogon Province. Even nowadays, the residents of these places are often looked upon with suspicion by the neighboring communities. Incidentally, these areas are also known for their many “faith healers”.
This practice is heavily influenced by voodoo, and its main image in the collective imagination involves practitioners using a rag doll to injure their intended victims. Something belonging to the victim must be obtained by the practitioner for the curse to work, and it is often said that the closer the object is to the intended victim, the stronger the spell will be. As a result, things like a strand of hair, spit, or drops of blood are highly recommended for maximum effect.
The mangkukulam begins the curse by tying a string around the body of a black rag doll. He then casts an incantation – often pig Latin – invoking various spirits and elementals. The thread around the doll symbolizes the witch’s power over the victim, and at this point whatever she does to the doll will be felt by the victim as well. She could prick his arms with a needle, dip his head under water, set his limbs on fire, and so on. Believers insist that the curse can only be lifted in two ways: by removing the thread tied around the doll, or by killing the witch herself.
Kulam, however, exists in a larger context and is not simply about sticking needles into dolls. Most people see the mangkukulam as a kind of village witch and often go to her for things like love spells, spells to catch a cheating husband, etc. At times, she will maintain a rivalry with a village arbularyo or sorcerer. At other times, the mangkukulam herself also acts as the village sorcerer, or faith healer, “curing” the diseases inflicted on them by local versions of dwarves, wood nymphs, and other spirits.
Interestingly, Filipino witchcraft often coexists harmoniously with Catholicism, especially in rural areas of the country. Good witches call upon the names of saints, whisper prayers in Latin, and even wear scapulars to ward off the machinations of their evil counterparts. Black witches, on the other hand, are said to be in cahoots with the devil.
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