A healer of supernatural and natural ailments; folk healer or
traditional healer; herbalist; medium. (Sometimes locally known
as a quack doctor.)
The healer uses ceremonial rituals and/or herbal
medicines. A person usually becomes a folk healer by
being befriended by small invisible beings called doindi
which live in the forest.
albularyo
Magpaeyepo rin ta loya ong albolario tenged indio mapoyat.
I'll have the folk
healer blow ginger on me because I can't sleep.
Napaningo ong albolario para magpatapao tang
lala-tog ong emeto.
I went to the folk
healer to have the skin problem on my
face treated by smoke.
The healer chews up the ginger and the puts it on the
person's head, on the soft spot. Then he blows on it, puts
his saliva on his thumb and then makes the sign of the
cross on the person's forehead, wrists, and top of the sole
of the foot. Smoke treatment is used specifically for
illnesses and skin diseases caused by sapat, invisible
spirits which live in the forest. Usually leaves or alum are
burned over hot coals in a coconut shell and the smoke is
then blown or wafted all over the body of the one being
treated.