Jul 8, 2024
Josua Del Socorro wearing a precolonial asog attire, photographed by Eric Diaz.
Asog were individuals assigned male at birth but assumed shamanistic feminine roles in their Visayan society and were closely associated with infertility - which seems, to me, in contrast to women born with wombs. Among other names they are also known as babaylan, balian, or katalonan in different Philippine languages.
Shamanism survived Spanish and American colonialism to a certain degree. While the gender variant aspect has faced a decline, the belief in the abilities of shamans or faith healers is still strong especially in the countryside. These people can be either man or woman.
