Filipino Witchcraft & Sorcery: Kulam

 

 

Kulam is a kind of witchcraft practiced in the Philippines. Witches who use kulam are called ‘mangkukulamand’ are often feared for their use of black magic. Nowadays however, there has been a move to revamp the image of kulam and present it under a more flattering light. A few locally published books, such as Tony Perez's Mga Panibagong Kulam (Modern Spells), hope to achieve this by bringing their case to a younger, more open-minded market.

 

Be that as it may, many still hold the traditional view of kulam as a dark, evil form of sorcery. Superstitious Filipinos intimate that mangkukulam are often from the islands of Siquijor and Samar, and the province of Sorsogon. Even in this day and age, residents of these places are often regarded with suspicion by neighbouring communities. Incidentally, these areas are also known for their many "faith healers."

 

Kulam is heavily influenced by voodoo, and the foremost image of kulam in the public imagination involves kulam practitioners using a rag doll to injure their intended victims. Something belonging to the victim must be obtained by the practitioner in order for the curse to work, and it's often said that the closer the object is to the intended victim, the stronger the spell will be. Thus, things like a strand of hair, spit, or drops of blood are highly recommended for maximum effect.

 

The mangkukulam starts the curse by tying a string around the body of a black rag doll. She then utters an incantation - often in Pig Latin - invoking various spirits and elementals. The string around the doll symbolizes the witch's power over the victim, and at this point, anything she does to the doll will be also be felt by the victim. She may prick his arms with a needle, submerge his head under water, set his limbs on fire, and so forth. Believers insist that the curse can only be lifted by two methods: removing the string tied around the doll, or killing the witch herself.

 

Kulam, however, exists in a wider 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 such as love spells, spells to catch a cheating husband, etc. Sometimes the mangkukulam will maintain a rivalry with a village arbularyo or medicine man. Other times, the mangkukulam herself doubles as the village's witch doctor, or faith healer, "curing" sicknesses inflicted upon them by the local versions of dwarves, wood nymphs, and other spirits.

 

Interestingly enough, Philippine witchcraft often co-exists harmoniously with Catholicism, especially in the country's rural areas. Good witches invoke the name of saints, whisper Latin prayers, and even wear scapulars to ward off the machinations of their evil counterparts. Black witches, on the other hand, are said to be in league with the devil himself.

 

Below are some of the spells:

 

For Those Who Has Hatred With You (Pampaamo)

 

There are different orasyons for "pampaamo" and the one I'm going to give you should be whispered into something to be drank (preferably water) and given to the person who is mad/hate/angry at you. After that, he or she has no way of striking that emotion of hatred with you again, or as long the orasyon will take effect.

 

Here is the orasyon:

 

Si Piyeri Potest Quod Exvobis Est Kum Omnibus Hominibus Pasem Habentes, Sumimpet ni (Name of the person) En Nomina Jesu Christi. Amen.

 

Three times as usual.

 

The Evil Eye - Filipino Method

 

I have been receiving questions about this so called "Evil Eye" and honestly I'm not really familiar with this method. But there is a very close Filipino sorcery ritual on causing sickness or misfortune to a person by just looking at them malevolently BUT with an orasyon whispered three times.

 

If a person has done you wrong and deserve misfortune, sickness, anguish or whatever the evil spirits shall do to them. Stare at that person malevolently, focusing so much anger and dislike. And while staring, whisper this orasyon three times:

 

Egosum Vovere Maledictus(3x)

  

The person will either be troubled, vomit, feel dizzy, or be unfortunate for a couple of hours, or the whole day and even the whole week.. Tried this once and the person almost fainted and vomited.

 

To counter this spell, let the person hold rice or salt on his left hand and turn three times clockwise and throw the rice to the ground with force. But you wouldn't want to teach him how to counter it because the spell might come back to the caster who is of course YOU. The counter method is also applicable to people who are "na-usog".