Pulajans
Encyclopedia
The Pulahan also known as Dios-Dios, refers to the members of a religious revival
of Philippine beliefs
that developed in the Visayas
prior to the Philippine Revolution
. At its peak, it numbered around 10,000–15,000 adherents. The movement was severely crippled during the Philippine Revolution
after the Philippine Constabulary
took over patrols in Samar, when the U.S. military declared the island as "pacified".
religious revival
centered mostly on Philippine mythology
and Folk Catholicism
. Individual beliefs include the use of anting-antings
as well as the revival of the babaylan
. Indigenous fighting techniques such as eskrima
were also utilized in the elite and ferocious combat style. They practiced a form indigenous martial arts
called Derobio Eskrima and they specialize using a heavy, crescent-shaped bolo knife
in their battles. Religious rituals using bottles of holy oil
, prayer books such as the Bible
, consecrated anting-antings, as blessings before battles.
American
s have described Pulahanes as notorious fighters and are experts in hand-to-hand combat. War cries
were also common among their fighters. They have also been described as "lacking in strategy" due to their high casualty figures in battles such as Massacre at Dolores
. They have been the subject of many laws passed during the early American colonial period and have often been accused of "banditry
".
Religious revival
Religious revival may refer to:* Christian Revivalism* Revival meeting* Islamic revival...
of Philippine beliefs
Philippine mythology
Philippine mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical creatures and entities. Some Filipinos, even though heavily westernized and Christianized, still believe on these tales...
that developed in the Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
prior to the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
. At its peak, it numbered around 10,000–15,000 adherents. The movement was severely crippled during the Philippine Revolution
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
after the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
took over patrols in Samar, when the U.S. military declared the island as "pacified".
Beliefs
Pulahanes practiced a syncreticSyncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
religious revival
Religious revival
Religious revival may refer to:* Christian Revivalism* Revival meeting* Islamic revival...
centered mostly on Philippine mythology
Philippine mythology
Philippine mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical creatures and entities. Some Filipinos, even though heavily westernized and Christianized, still believe on these tales...
and Folk Catholicism
Folk Catholicism
Folk Catholicism is any of various varieties of Catholicism as actually practiced in Catholic communities around the world. Practices that are identified by outside observers as "folk Catholicism" vary from place to place, and often vary as well from official Roman Catholic Church doctrine.Some...
. Individual beliefs include the use of anting-antings
Agimat
Agimat or bertud or anting-anting, is a Filipino word for amulet or charm. Although stereotyped as a cross, a flat, round or triangular golden pendant accompanying a necklace or a necklace-like item, it is also depicted as an enchanted stone that came from the sky or from the heart of a banana...
as well as the revival of the babaylan
Babaylan
Babaylan is a Visayan term identifying an indigenous Filipino religious leader, who functions as a healer, a shaman, a seer and a community "miracle-worker"...
. Indigenous fighting techniques such as eskrima
Eskrima
Eskrima is the umbrella term for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines, which emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives and other bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons...
were also utilized in the elite and ferocious combat style. They practiced a form indigenous martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
called Derobio Eskrima and they specialize using a heavy, crescent-shaped bolo knife
Bolo knife
A bolo is a large cutting tool of Filipino origin similar to the machete, used particularly in the jungles of Indonesia, the Philippines, and in the sugar fields of Cuba...
in their battles. Religious rituals using bottles of holy oil
Holy oil
Holy oil may refer to:* Holy anointing oil, a perfume used to anoint the vessels of the Jewish Tabernacle* Holy Oil , a consecrated oil used in the administration of certain sacraments and ecclesiastical functions...
, prayer books such as the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, consecrated anting-antings, as blessings before battles.
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
s have described Pulahanes as notorious fighters and are experts in hand-to-hand combat. War cries
War cry
War Cry or Warcry may refer to:* A battle cry — yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same military unit.* WarCry , a Spanish power metal band* The War Cry, official newspaper of the Salvation Army...
were also common among their fighters. They have also been described as "lacking in strategy" due to their high casualty figures in battles such as Massacre at Dolores
Massacre at Dolores
The Battle of Dolores River was a battle fought during the Philippine-American War.In December 1904, the 38th Philippine Constabulary Scouts, under Lieutenant Stephen Hayt, were on patrol along the Dolores River in an attempt to link up with the 37th Constabulary Scouts and another Constable...
. They have been the subject of many laws passed during the early American colonial period and have often been accused of "banditry
Banditry
Banditry refers to the life and practice of bandits which the Oxford English Dictionary defines as "one who is proscribed or outlawed; hence, a lawless desperate marauder, a brigand: usually applied to members of the organized gangs which infest the mountainous districts of Italy, Sicily, Spain,...
".