SIROK TI LATOK: AN INDIGENOUS

HEALING RITUAL AMONG ILOCANOS

Cabuslay, Cristina
Domingo, Prudencio Jr.
Santillan, Gabrielle L.
(Researchers)
 Introduction:

“Culture grows on the

vine of tradition”
-Johan Goldberg
 Introduction

ILOCANOS

Have strong relationship to physical

environment and its underlying belief that
connected to it.
• Ilocano folks believe on that supernatural
being that may bring troubles like sickness
and illness.
• However, this folk find solution through
healing rituals or aptly called …

INDIGENOUS HEALING RITUALS

• One way of treating illnesses of the Ilocanoes
was called.

“SIROK TI LATOK”
 Statement of the Problem
1. What particular instance the Sirok ti Latok
ritual is carried out?

2. What were the steps being carried out in the

Sirok ti Latok?

3. What are the materials used in the Sirok ti

Latok ritual?

4. What are the results of the Sirok Ti Latok

ritual?
 Significance of the Study

• STUDENTS
• PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
• SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

PRESERVATION
 Scope and Delimitation
• Place: Brgy. San Juan Solsona I.N (Rural)
Brgy. San Lorenzo, Laoag City I.N (Urban)

• Respondents: 7 informants
(Purposive Sampling)

• Instrument: Interview (semi structured type)

 Definition of Terms

• Aboriginal Ceremonies- ceremony for to

invoke wealthy supply of rain and food
within the area.
• Agtallado
• Healers
– Albularyo - herbalist
– Manghihilot- employs massage for the diagnosis
and treatment of muscular ailments.
• Orasyon – ceremony to ask forgiveness.
• Rituals – solemn ceremony consisting series of
actions.
• Sirok Ti Latok – renaming or baptizing a sick
person.
• Smudging- holy act of many rituals, sacred
herbs are burned.
 Review of Related Literature
and Studies

• Indigenous Traditional Healing

• Indigenous Healing in the
Philippines
• Sirok Ti Latok in Ilocos Norte
 Theoretical Framework

Edward
Shils
FUNCTIONALISM

Emile
Durkheim
 Methodology
• Qualitative Research
–Descriptive Research
• Interview
• Purposive Sampling
 Presentation, Analysis and
Interpretation of Data
Origin of Sirok Ti Latok

• Ancestors

According to Respondent 1 (Solsona)

“Detoy a pammati ket natawid ko pelang ken jay lolang ko,

kunana idi ket nu managsakit ta ubing gapu ta idi
agbunyag kuma ket adda nagpresenta nga ag ninong or
agninang tapos haan da immay nakibunyag ket ta sakit ti
ubing ket haan nga mapalaing ti doctor isu deta jay time
nga masapul mo nga pabunyagan ti Sirok ti Latok.”
Reasons of Observing the Sirok ti
Latok
• Uncured illness of a child.

According to Respondent 2 (Laoag City)

“Nu ta ubing kuma ket agsakit sakit tapos uray

mamin anum nga mapan pa check up ket madi latta
aglaing dapat ket pakitam ti agtaltaldo, kasi idi met
un unnana nga panawen mas adu met ti mamati ti
talado,ken narigat ken nangina gamin ti doctor idi.”
 Procedure in Performing the
Sirok ti Latok
BEFORE
• Consulting the agtaltalado

According to Respondent 1 (Solsona)

“Ti umuna ket inkayo ijay agtatalado, pakita

yu tay masakit, ket nu ibaga na nga sapulen
yu ti kastoy a tao ta isu ti mangdigus sapulen
yu nukwa, gumatang kayo ti baro a bado ken
nu dadduma ket agpaluto da pay ti niniyogan,
masapul ket maibus amin jay niniyogan.”
DURING
• Re- Baptizing

– According to Christina Corpuz

“Ti immuna nangala kami iti basi tapos tay

maligamgam nga danom sami inikkan ti tallo
a singko ken tay krus.”
• Sumaruno ket alaen na tay ubing nga
masakit sana padigusan wennu daram
osan,tapos iyebkas na tay ipanagan na ken
tay ubing (Sirok ti Latok name).

• Nu malpas na mapadigusen ket sukatan na

jay ubing gamit tay baro a bado a
nagatang.
• AFTER
– After the Re-baptizing

“Ti sumaruno a Dominggo tay nangpadigus ken

jay masakit nga ubing ket dapat mapan
makimisa, sa tay kwarta nga inpan da jay digus
da ket masapul na nga idaton jay simbaan tapnu
makumpleto tay panangagas na.”
Materials needed in the ritual
• All the respondents stated that they used the
same materials in performing Sirok ti Latok
like basin, basi(wine), warm water, 2 or 3 (5
peso coins),crucifix, new cloths, and the special
material the name to be used.
 Impact of the Sirok ti Latok

• All the respondents clearly stated that all

people subjected to Sirok ti Latok healed
after performing the said ritual. On the other
hand, Mr. Sajol said that if the sick child did
not healed by the ritual, they will go back to
the agtaltalado.
 FINDINGS

Origin of the belief

ANCESTORS
 FINDINGS
Main reason of performing the ritual

Uncured illness
 FINDINGS
Three Main Steps:
1. Consulting the agtaltalado and preparation
of the materials needed.
2. The ritual proper.
3. After the ritual, the practitioner will offer the
coins used in the ritual to the church.
 FINDINGS
• The materials needed in performing Sirok ti
Latok are the following;
-basi (wine), warm water, 2 or 3 (5 peso
coins), crucifix, new cloth, and the special
material the name to be used.

• The person subjected to Sirok ti Latok was

healed after performing the said ritual.
 Recommendation
• Community
– They must work on how this belief not to be
forgotten.

• Local Government Unit

– This will help them to further familiarize every
cultural heritage.
• Researchers
– This can serve as a basis further study in the
different localities or even in the neighbouring
locality.
– This study should be publish to add knowledge or
information about the said ritual and use for
other related researchers.
References:
Apostol, V.J. and Baet, P.A. (2007). Philippine
Healing Arts. Batangas City: Ancient Publishing
House.

Mercado, L.M. (1988). Power and Spiritual

Discipline among Philippine Folk Healers.
Melanesian Journal of Theology, 4(2), pp. 51-63.
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