Binukot

A binukot (Visayan: literally, kept in a closed place), in the culture of the Sulod (also called Panay-Bukidnon or Tumandok-Bukidnon) people of the mountains of Central Panay, is a woman so beautiful that she has been kept from the public eye since early childhood. Some sources state that binukot are kept isolated so that their families can then command a high bride price when they come of marrying age.[1] A binukot is not exposed to the sun, not allowed to work, and not allowed to be seen by others apart from her immediate family. She is treated like a princess, waited upon hand and foot, and given only the choicest foods. When she comes of marrying age, she is auctioned to the highest bidder; her husband, however, may not see her until after their wedding.[2] According to other sources, however, binukot were prized not only for their beauty but because they are the repositories of their people's oral history and legends.[3][2] One binukot from Garangan, Calinog, Iloilo, Preciosa "Lola Susa" Caballero, also called "Anggoran", knew by heart ten epics of the Sulod people. She died at age 74 in December 1994, but her chanting of the epic "Humadapnon", running from 24 to 33 hours, was recorded by anthropologist Dr. Alicia Magos and is on tape at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas Center for West Visayan Studies (CWVS) in Iloilo City.[2] Among the epics recorded and translated by Magos from the binukot are "Tikum Kadlum," "Amburukay," "Balanakon," "Sinagnayan," "Kalampay," "Nagbuhis," "Pahagunoy" and "Alayaw". At the time of Magos' research, there were said to be seven binukot left in Panay, their ages ranging from 70 to 100 years old. Since then, they have all passed away one after the other. At present, it is not known whether there are any other binukot still alive.
Episode aired on July 19, 2004

The trip to the remote mountains of Capiz is tough -- an hours-long motorcycle ride and several hours more of trekking across rivers and up and down rocky, slippery slopes. It is a challenging feat for anyone who wants to see and explore a mysterious tradition preserved for decades among some of the mountains isolated communities. I-Witness travels to the Tapaz mountain, considered the farthest in Capiz, located in the central Philippines island of Panay. The mountain people called the tumandoks? live in Tapaz, and I-Witness searched for the tribe's last remaining princesses called the binukot?.

Reporter Kara David reaches the community of Rizal Sur, a village that looks just like any other isolated community, where the tumandoks living in traditional huts and survive on whatever nature provides them. In the midst of this community, she meets one of the last remaining binukots, 73-year-old Lola (grandmother) Isiang. Lola Isiang lives in an old hut, just like everybody else in the community. However, she has stayed inside a room in the house ever since she was five years old, living in isolation as the familys chosen binukot. Since being chosen a binukot, Lola Isiang she has worn a veil so no one could see her face. She was also lifted onto a hammock so her feet wont ever touch the ground. She was bathed, combed, and served only with the best food, just like a princess. Along with her eunuch life, she was never allowed to play or be sent to school for an education. Her only work was to learn their traditional dances and memorize and sing their hours-long epics. Binukots are believed to have grown weak and frail because they were not allowed to do much physical work. According to historians, when World War II reached the isolated communities where the binukots are kept, the mountain princesses where the first to fall victims to the invading Japanese. They were seen lifelesseven nude. They were obviously raped,? says Dr. Alicia Magos of the University of the Philippines, Visayas. After that incident, parents have stopped raising a binukot in their families. The tradition gradually faded away and along with them, their peoples epics. Only seven binukots are said to be left in Panay, aged between 70 to 100 years old. Only the binukots learn the epics, which are taught to them orally. Thus, they are also the only ones who may pass the long stories of their ancestors to the next generation. Lola Elena Gardoce was probably the most famous binukot of Panay. She was one of the few who knew the sugidanon. She died at the age of 98. Angga, a descendant of Lola Elena, was forced to become a binukot for the sake of preserving their tradition. Her daughter Emily however, refused to become one. She just graduated from high school and now dreams of becoming a teacher. Back then, I had wanted to become a binukot. You are dearly loved, youve got nothing to do, you are treated like a princess. You just stay inside the house. Everything that you ought to do, someone else does for you. That seems good but the negative side is, if you are a binukot, you wont be able to go to school?, says Emily. In the mountain of Garangan in Iloilo, the people have shown how their oral tradition could be preserved without having to force women to enter the life of being a binukot. Frederico Caballero, son of a former binukot Lola Susa Caballero, has led the establishment

of small schools named balay turun-an, where they teach their oral tradition and dances to their youth.