Babaylanes

/ˌbɑː.bə.ˈjɑː.neɪz/ noun

Definition

Plural of babaylan; multiple shamans or spiritual healers from Filipino indigenous traditions.

Etymology

English plural form of 'babaylan,' adding the English '-es' suffix. This form appears in historical texts written about pre-colonial Philippine societies.

Kelly Says

English texts about pre-colonial Philippines often plural 'babaylan' as 'babaylanes,' showing how European writers struggled to describe indigenous leadership structures that didn't fit their categories of 'priest' or 'doctor.'

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Plural form of babaylan; inherits the gender-documentation issues from colonial records that obscured the female-majority composition of this spiritual class.

Inclusive Usage

Refer to plural babaylan collectively without gender assumption; use 'babaylan practitioners' or simply 'babaylan' for groups.

Inclusive Alternatives

["babaylan practitioners","babaylan healers","babaylan specialists"]

Empowerment Note

The suppression of women babaylan in historical records represents a larger pattern of erasing women's spiritual and social authority under colonialism.

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