The wearing of amulets to ward off evil spirits and demons goes way back. How far back, no one really knows. Why would the Philippines be any different? In the Philippines, these pendants are called anting-anting, agimat or bertude, depending on the language.
I recently spotted one of the neighborhood children (a young girl) wearing an amulet and when I asked about it, she shied away and didn't want to talk about it. So… I decided to do a little research. A commenter mentioned anting-anting in response to an older article, but I didn't pay much attention to it.
What are these talismen?
The Wikipedia article on the Agimat gives a brief synopsis. The anting-anting can be amulets or stones, worn or ingested. One source is the heart of a banana tree.
The aforementioned commenter said that the holy mountain, Mount Banahaw, contains doorways to parallel worlds. People supposedly don't return with gold or treasure, but anting-anting of immense power. The mountain has been closed to visitors since 2004 (due to excessive littering) and is scheduled to be reopened in 2010.
People with Power
When I asked my wife about anting-anting, she told me it gave people power. Popular Filipino folklore history states that certain heroes had power due to having these talismen in their possession. Even deposed (and deceased) President Marcos was supposed to have one that made him invisible. It didn't help much when he was forced into exile, though, did it?
The only people with extraordinary powers that I've ever seen have been on television. The anting-anting seems to be a popular part of some of the local TV series as well as some of the movies.
I'm not saying that people don't get power from amulets and talismen such as these. If you believe in something strongly enough, it has the ability to manifest itself and a talisman is just one way to focus that manifestation. I personally believe the power of the mind is far stronger than anything you can possibly possess, but most people don't have the knowledge or ability to use their mind power. Perhaps the anting-anting is nothing more than a conduit for this power.
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This article is published as: Filipino Folklore: Anting-Anting
can i request for a sketch of a 3B medal or tres bertudes n angeles for my study and collection.
thanks sandra dy