anito

The soul of an ancestor among the Irayas and Catalangans of Luzon. The anitos are household deities who are worshiped and sacrificed to. Miniature houses standing near the family dwelling are sacred to them; some the anitos are believed to reside in pots.

Among the Bagobo it is believed that the anitos know all medicines and cures for illness, and it is from them that the mabalīan secures her knowledge and her power. They also assist the tigyama in caring for the families.1

Anitos also include nature spirits and diwatas. It is also a general term to designate members of the spirit world.

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References

Notes

  1. Cole, Fay-Cooper. (1913). The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, p. 107.

Sources

  • Bonnerjea, Biren. (1920). A Dictionary of Superstitions and Mythology. Thomson Gale.
  • Cole, Fay-Cooper. (1922). "The Tinguian." FMNH-AS, Vol. 14, no. 2, p. 301.