The Babaylan: The Forgotten Priestesses Spain Tried to Erase | Dark Philippine History

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]In 1685, [music] in the town of Balanga, Spanish priests hunted down 148 [music] people accused of worshipping the devil.

[00:00:08]But 145 of them were women, women once feared and [music] respected across the islands. Before Spain came to the Philippines, they were healers, [music] spirit guides, and keepers of ancient gods.

[00:00:20]They were called the Babaylan. In a world [music] without hospitals, she healed the sick. In a world without books, she carried the memory of the people. But the Spanish [music] feared her power, so they burned her shrines, destroyed her gods, and called her a witch. [music] They tried to erase her for 300 years, but the old prayers survived in secret.

[00:00:43]The Babaylan never vanished. She is [music] still here.