ETHNOMEDICIN

AL PRACTICES
OF MAMANWAS
by: Shella Mae T. Laid, Shane Abeguel T.
Eviota, Franchette A. Mante, Freddie L.
Bayo, Kim Cyril B. Gipal, & Mauricio S.
Adlaon
 INTRODUCTION
 The Philippines is home to more than
13 million indigenous peoples and
most of the indigenous Filipinos live in
the mountains, or their fringes, or
near the sea. One of these groups are
the Mamanwas.

 Like any other ethnolinguistic groups

in the country, Mamanwas have
traditional practices including those
that refer to healing. These people
have used plants and other natural
products from the forest and the sea
 INTRODUCTION
 Traditional healers like Mamanwa healers
are using their traditional knowledge to
treat many diseases and they use the
plants as the main source of their
medicine.

 This study provides basic information

about the contribution to knowledge of
medicinal plants used by the Mamanwas
situated in Sitio Tagbasingan Brgy. Mat-i
and Brgy. Mabuhay in the province of
Surigao del Norte. Thus, the traditional
knowledge of the Mamanwas on
 METHODS
 Sitio Tagbasingan in
Barangay Mat-i and
Barangay Mabuhay in
Sison, Surigao del
Norte were chosen
purposively as study
areas.

 An informed consent
was made in Barangay
 METHODS
 The researchers together
with their guide had
identified 4 local residents,
(Mamanwa tribal healers)
ages 24-85 years old all of
which were females.

 However, in Barangay
Mabuhay, a verbal consent
from the tribe leader was
 METHODS
 The consent includes the
permission for taking
pictures especially on the
plants used as medicine
and tape recording.

 The researcher together

with the guide had
identified 2 local residents
who know the healing
 METHODS
 Using a face-to-face interview
and semi- structured
questionnaires, each key
informant was visited and
asked for each of the medicinal
plant that they were using to
treat diseases.

 Local name, medicinal use,

parts of the plant used and
mode of preparation were
METHODS
 Interviews were conducted
through informal
conversations in order to
allow spontaneous replies
and minimize feeling
pressured.

 The field visit was also

accompanied by the
residents and individual who
has the knowledge of the
 RESULTS AND
 ADISCUSSION
total of 41 medicinal plants
were documented from the six
(6) informants. Based on the
data collected, the most
frequently used plant part was
the leaves (48%).

 This was followed by roots

(12%), bark (12%), stem (4%),
fruits (4%), twigs (4%), flower
(4%), stalk (4%). While the least
 RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
 The mode of preparation was
dominated by boiling with water
(16.9%).

 All other modes of preparation of

the remedies used were
preheating over the fire, scraping
the bark or stem, pounding,
crushing, decocting, applying to
the affected part directly,
extracting, chewing, eating it
 CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
 The present study shows that the
practice of therapeutic plants for the
cure of various diseases is still
prevalent in the study areas.

 This reveals that the information and

knowledge about the uses of medicinal
plants still exists in the study sites.

 Hence, awareness about the

conservation of the medicinal flora
 REFERENCES
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⊷Almeda, Fernando Jr., Surigao Across the Years. Quezon City. PNHS and
Heritage Publishing House, 1993; Accessed on April 7, 2019

⊷Castro, Lilia R., Formulating a Christian Education for Philippines Tribal

Churches, Unpublished Research. Surigao City.

⊷Gruyal GA, del Rosario R, Palmes ND (2014) Ethnomedicinal Plants Used by

Resident in Northern Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Nat Prod, Chem Res 2:140, doi:
10.4172/2329-6836.1000140

⊷Ong HC et al., 2011. Ethno-Medicinal Plants Used by the Temuan Villages in

Kampung Jeram Kedah Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia ; Vol.2 ,Issue 4.1000140;
Accessed from http://www. krepublisher.com/…/EM-05-2-095-11-179-Ong-H-C-Tt.
Pdf on April 4, 2019
Thank
s!