Beliefs

Central to Yogad belief systems is a reverence for ancestral spirits, who are believed to watch over and guide the living. Ancestors are seen as custodians of wisdom and guardians of the community, and their presence is acknowledged and honored through rituals, prayers, and offerings. The bond between the living and the departed is considered sacred, with ancestors serving as intermediaries between the earthly realm and the divine.  

Ritual of the Boat

The Banca Ritual . This ritual lasts two days. On the first day the healers prepare the miniature boat (banca), decorate it to make it attractive to the spirits, and go to the house of the sick to perform the ritual. While dancing and singing sacred songs the spirits enter the body the faith healer causing her to fall into a trance . While in this state she diagnoses and heals the sickness, catches the spirits causing the disease, and loads them into the boat. Very early the next day, the banca is made to float with the river current, together with the evil spirits, away from the sick person. The Yogads, deeply rooted in animism, have historically embraced their spiritual traditions, though in recent times, some have embraced Christianity. Yet, echoes of their ancient practices still resonate today. Nanay Melba Mangadap Flores, a revered Yogad healer, exemplifies this connection to tradition through her demonstration of the Ritual of the Boat—a symbolic journey reflecting the Yogads' migration by boat to their current homeland.

The Banca ritual unfolds over two sacred days. On the initial day, Nanay Melba meticulously crafts a miniature boat known as a "dakit," imbuing it with vibrant colors to allure the wandering spirits. She emphasizes that only the healer can fashion the boat, with strict adherence to the oracion, a prayer infused with sacred intent. Nanay Melba shares cautionary tales of those who dared replicate the boat without reverence, spiraling into madness.

As part of the ceremony, offerings known as "panyaman" are meticulously arranged—a medley of yellow rice adorned with an egg, betel nut, tobacco, and suman. With grace and solemnity, the healer dances with the boat, chanting sacred melodies that weave through the air, entrusting it to the afflicted. Amidst the ritual, the healer descends into a trance-like state, believed to be a vessel for the spirits, diagnosing illness and drawing out malevolent forces that plague the sick. It is in this transcendent state that the spirit is ensnared within the boat's confines.

On the ensuing day, the dakit, now a vessel of spiritual energy, is ceremoniously launched into the river's embrace, carrying with it the ailment's spirit. This symbolic act signifies the Yogads' reverence for the spirit world, a belief etched deeply into their collective consciousness—a testament to their unwavering respect for the unseen forces that permeate their world.

In this sacred ritual, the Yogads reaffirm their profound connection to the spiritual realm, their unwavering faith interwoven with a profound sense of reverence for the spirits believed to dwell within their midst.