IFUGAO HERBAL

AND
TRADITIONAL
MEDICINE
IFUGAO
• Placed in the heart of the Cordillera
• The country's smallest province
• Their flat universe is composed of six worlds:
- Kabunyan (Skyworld)
- Pugaw (Earthworld)
- Dalom (Underworld)
- Lagud (Eastern World)
- Daya (Western World)
- Kadungayan (Spiritual world).
• Among the Ifugaos, illness is believed to be
caused by an ancestral spirits and nature spirits
residing in trees, stones and rivers.

• The healing rituals are chosen according to who

is believed to be causing the illness.
• Ketama - a divination ritual performed for illnesses
caused by ancestral spirits.

• Ayag - the ritual for illnesses caused by vengeful evil

spirits.
- Sometimes the mumbaki is asked to call upon all the
deities to help bring back the patient to health.
IFUGAO HERBAL
MEDICINE
 AVOCADO (PERSEA AMERICANA)
• Stomach ache
- The leaves are
boiled in the four glasses
of water for 5 min.
• Toothaches
- decoction of seed
TAMARIND (TAMARINDUS INDICA)
• Cough and cold
-Young leaves are boiled in two glasses
of water for a 30 minutes then drink.
 MAKAHIYA
“Bain-bain”
Shy-plant/ Mimosa pudica

• Kidney problem
• High Blood Pressure
- leaves extract
• Snake bites
-decoction of roots
OREGANO
Oregano/Plesthranthus amboinicus

• Mild cough
• fever
GUAVA
Guyabas
Guava/Psidium guajava
• Menstrual cramps, cuts, diarrhea
BETELNUT
Buwa
Areca catechu
• Teeth
• diarrhea
MAKABUHAY (TINOSPORA CRISPA)

• Diabetics, high blood, malaria

CHASETE TREE/VITEX NEGUNDO

Dangla
• Tiredness
• fever
• coughs
GINGER
“Laya”
Ginger/ Zingiber officinale

• Colds
• cough
• Throat
MALUNGGAY

Moringa oleifera

• Snake bite
• Infection
• Boost immune
system
HAUILI
Lapting
Ficus septica
• Diarrhea, malaria, stomach
SAMBONG
Blumea balsamifera

• Hypertension
• Cough
• Wound
KALAMANSI

Chinese orange/ Citrus microcarpa

• Cough
• cold
ERBAKA

Worm-wood/ artemisia vulgaris

• Cough
• menstruation
• kidney
PHALAT
Banana-flower/ Musa Sapientum

• Stomach- ache
• diarrhea
CAIMITO
Star-apple/ Chrysophyllum cainito

• Diarrhea
GAWID
Betel-leaf/ Piper betle linn

• Cough, mild fever

PAPAYA

Papaw tree/ Carica papaya

• Wounds
• Rabbies
• Dengue
YESABILA

Aloe/ Aloe Vera

• Hair problems
• dandruff
BANG-BANGSIT
Bush-tea-bush/ Hyptis suaveolens

• Heal wounds
• Infections
TRADITIONS OF IFUGAO
TRADITIONAL AND MEDICINE HEALTHCARE

• Ifugaos believed that every illness that every

human has corresponding ritual-based cure.

The illness of children and adult are differentiated

only in the way it is called:
minuyung- children
banabwakan- adult females
natalban- adult males
“MUMBAKI”

• A person who can perform various healing

rituals as well as engage in spiritual practices.
• A type of healer who treated illness caused by
witchcraft.
• witch doctors.
STEPS ON HOW THE MUMBAKI PERFORMED
(IT IS PERFORMED INSIDE THE HOUSE)

1. A ritual basket is put prepared containing two

pieces of betel nut and two pieces of betel leaves
which are place in the middle of the floor.

2. A cup of rice wine is poured in a coconut shell.

It is place beside the betel nuts and leaves.
3. The chickens to be used for the rituals are set nearby.
4. The priest starts by calling the dead ancestors and
relatives of the family.
5. The guardian spirit of the victim is called.
6. Both of the dead ancestors and relatives of the man
and woman of the family are offered with chicken
separately.
• The condition of the bile determine who’s
ancestor are causing the illness.
• The three other chicken are offered separately to
the God of darkness, god of mountains and god of
health.
• All these chickens are butchered by cutting the
throat and allowing the blood to flow in the
coconut shell.
• Chicken feathers are burnt and chicken bile is
opened to determine its condition.
• Good and clean bile indicates that the illness will
be cured.
• Additional rituals and prayers are performed.
• The butcher chicken will then be cooked and soup.
• The priest must eat first before the member of the
family.
• Prayer is said by the mumbaki addressed to
different God begging them to cure the illness.
• Afterwards, a meat is distributed to present and a
cup of soup is given to the sick person as medicine
 Today, shamans in the province of Ifugao
are gradually decreases, as younger
generation identify themselves as Christians
and give up on ancient traditions
THAT’S IT FOR NOW AND THANK YOU
FOR LENDING US YOUR EARS
GOD BLESS !