Reclaiming The Healing Arts of The Ancient Priestess: Babaylanism as Site of Southeast Asian Feminisms

This article invokes – as a form of strategic essentialism – the figure of the babaylan, theancient pre-colonial Philippine priestess as signifier for women s life-giving, nurturingand healing powers. By reclaiming her legacy, I will present the outlines of what could bea possible model for Southeast Asian feminist frameworks. Babaylanism revolves aroundembodied spirituality – a concept where the body is construed as an anatomical, spiritual,social and psychic space grounded on fluidity and wholeness, instead of hierarchy anddualities. Drawing from my ongoing study and engagement with contemporary women artistsin the visual arts of Asia, I will present examples of how selected Indonesian, Philippine andThai women artists articulate and embody the babaylan in their life and their works.