Before, there is no family planning in Maguindanaon culture. It is un-acceptable among the Maguindanaon culture. Islam also prohibits artificial family planning, only natural family planning is allowed. They practice natural family planning, but the most common is by “setting the uterus on the side,” with the help of the walian. The walian will position the uterus on the left or right side of the stomach so that she will not get pregnant. If she wants to get pregnant, she will ask the walian to return it to its normal position.
Also, before, early pregnancy should not be announced to the public (no baby shower, huh? hehehe). Since people do not know that sperm cells can easily fertilize the egg if intercourse is done during fertile days, other people might think that the couple had sexual encounters prior to their marriage.
They don’t also believe that a woman can get pregnant after one sexual encounter. Maguindanaon women were also shy to tell other people that they are pregnant because this will indicate their sexual activities or other people might think that they are promiscuous.
In the case of parentally-arrange marriages, women are also shy if they will get pregnant few months after their marriage.
After knowing that a woman is pregnant, the following are rituals are done: Note: These are not anymore practiced, because some of the rituals are against the teachings of ISLAM.
1. LEKAT: meaning to ablate. The verb is KAPE-LEKAT. Technically, it’s a pre-natal massage.
This is performed by the walian or a quack midwife. The act of lekat is to massage or rub the belly of the pregnant woman with the use of a Maguindanaon delicacy called “panialam.” A kanduli (thanksgiving banquet) is also prepared during the performance of the ritual.
Aside from panialam, the following must be prepared in performing the Lekat.
a. Coconut Sprout (tu na niyog)
b. banana sprout (taluad na saging)
c. husked coconut (niyog a naupalan)
d. one saucer of un-husked rice (isa ka talam a palay)
e. one saucer of rice (isa ka talam a begas)
f. two candles (dua timan a lan sok)
g. needle and thread (lagom endo tanol)
f. husked or unhusked rice placed in coconut shell (10 handfuls) (tulak or panulak) – the purpose is to drive away evil spirits or bad tidings.
The house where the pregnant woman is staying should be decorated with a RED flag placed on the side where the sun rises (east).
Inside the house, a nice bedding is prepared for the coming of the child. In performing the lekat, only women and her husband are allowed in the room.
Two walian should perform the lekat. One walian should sit on the side of the husband who chose the walian, and the other one should sit on the woman (usually the mother or a relative) who chose that walian.
Covered with a malong, the pregnant woman is made to lie on her back. The two walian will put oil on their hands and will rub her belly, reciting a chant. Then, they will remove the malong and expose only the belly of the woman.
One of the walian will start the oil massage. Then, the walian will massage it with panialam. After the first walian, the second walian will perform the same procedure.
After the massage, one of the female relatives/visitor will position on the head side of pregnant and throw the needle and the thread below the feet of the pregnant woman and will push the panulak its way through the feet, starting from the side near the head to the side near the feet of the pregnant woman.
The ritual has a meaning: the needle symbolizes comfortable life. The needle is used in sewing and it passes through a cloth; this symbolizes that every hardships that the couple will pass through they can overcome it.
The thread, it being long, symbolizes long life and long married life. The tulak or panulak and the act of sliding it through the side of the pregnant symbolizes easy labor.
After this, one of the walian with recite an incantation and will give the panialam to the couple and they will eat it. Ewwww.
AFTER the massage ritual, the couple will be seated next to each other, the woman on the front and the husband at the back with their feet straightened and facing east–as if the are rowing a boat.
One of the walian will get the husked coconut and a bolo knife. The walian will crack/slice the coconut above the head of the couple. The act of slicing the coconut is KAPEDTEMBAB. When the coconut juice is about to come out, the juice will be placed in a container together with the “babas” composed of medicinal plants placed in a basin or pail.
The walian will stand in front of the couple and will strike the two shells with each other above the head of the couple, but slightly away from the couple, as if tossing a coin. This will be done thrice. If the shells will show the interior (meat part) or both will show the exterior part, the walian will give another toss until such time that one shell will show the exterior part and the other shell will show the interior part.
The meaning of this is that if the exterior of the head or the upper part of the coconut shell will show, the first child of the couple will be a BOY. If the exterior of the lower part of the shell will show, the first born of the couple will be a GIRL. (a traditional ultrasound, huh?)
After the “kapedtembab,” the walian will now prepare the “BABAS.” The babas is composed of herbal grasses and plants like “kilaa, kauyag-uyag, salimbangon endo sapal,” used as lucky charm for the couple. (Will name it some other time). The babas is soaked in a pail or container with the coconut juice.
Kilaa – (literal meaning: known or popular), it is a plant called ____________. It is used so that the couple will be known to good people. They will meet equally-good people and people will know them as a good couple and people will respect them.
Kauyag-uyag – (literal meaning: life), it is a plant called heavenly elixir or Makabuhay in Tagalog. It is used so that they will have a meaningful life, that even how hard life would be, they can stand on every trials.
The makabuhay plant is a clinging vine, and the name itself suggests the primary purpose of such plant. Makabuhay is a Filipino translation of the English term ‘pro-life or to give life’.
Salimbangon – (came from the word bangon which means rise up). A plant called _________, it means they can rise up in every failures that will come to their life.
Sapal – (literal meaning: prohibit) A plant called ________; it is used so that they can avoid anything that is bad.
Palitiyaya or Palitiyala – (literal meaning: obey) – called Purging nut tree or Tubang Bakod in Tagalog. It is included so that the child become obedient.
The walian will whisk the wet plants to the couple, then to the family of couple, then to the relatives and other visitors. After that, a kanduli is prepared.
a. First to be prepared is the “tudtugan” or an incense placed in a dried coconut shell (explained in other articles). The tudtugan is composed of dried marang peel and a dried sap of a tree. An imam is called to perform the kanduli rituals.
After the kanduli, the husband will plant the coconut sprout and the banana sprout. The intention in doing this is to symbolize that whatever happens to the coconut and the banana, the child will grow and live like the two plants. If the banana and the coconut will grow healthy and bear many fruits, the couple will have a prosperous life. If the opposite will happen, then the couple will have many hardships, financially, and they will have a difficult life.
TO BE UPDATED SOON. I WILL FILL IN THE BLANKS. Please bear with my English. hehehe.
MAGUINDANAO PRIDE 