Tamblot’s Revolt - Trans Uprising in Colonial Philippines?
00:40.1
And among the most iconic yet almost forgotten of these anti-colonial uprisings
00:45.0
happened on the island of Bohol back in the 1600s.
00:49.0
And it was led by the fearsome babaylan or priestess known by the name of Tamblot.
00:55.0
So who exactly was the fearless and fearsome babaylan Tamblot?
00:59.0
What is up with their uprising?
01:01.1
Let's dig deeper and learn more!
01:16.2
Welcome back to my channel!
01:17.8
It's me Kirby Arayo, your friendly Pinoy historian.
01:20.6
And if you like learning about history, culture, and everything in between
01:24.6
from the Philippines, Southeast Asia, the diaspora, and beyond,
01:28.6
don't forget to like, share this video, comment down below, and please, please subscribe.
01:33.5
And in today's video, we will be learning and digging deeper into one of the most fiercest
01:38.6
uprisings in the history of the Philippines and Southeast Asia, if not in the entire world.
01:45.0
So before we begin learning about the Tamblot Revolt,
01:47.6
it is important for us to remember that there are no gender pronouns
01:51.4
in the many indigenous languages of the Philippines.
01:54.2
Gender and sexuality were seen by our ancestors as something fluid, colorful, and beautiful.
02:00.4
And Tamblot was someone who in the modern day would be identified as a transgender.
02:05.5
So in this video, I'll be referring to Tamblot with the English pronoun she.
02:09.7
Because she was recognized by her own people, her own community, as their babaylan.
02:15.3
And was therefore accepted by her people to be undoubtedly one among the women.
02:20.6
And yes, unknown to many, not all babaylan or pre-colonial priestesses were women.
02:25.6
There is significant evidence to indicate that some babaylans
02:28.9
of our ancestors were actually transgenders.
02:31.8
They were known as the asog in the Visayas or bayuk or bayugin in Luzon.
02:36.4
And they wholeheartedly embraced and embodied indigenous femininity
02:40.7
of their respective ancient cultures and pre-colonial societies.
02:45.0
In fact, they were accepted and beloved for it.
02:48.1
Now, I understand that gender and sexuality, these topics are still very hot and controversial.
02:53.4
Not just in the Philippines, but across the many societies all over the world.
02:57.2
Including the United States.
02:58.8
But you know, to understand our people's history and to fully appreciate our roots
03:02.7
and the significance of our past, we must truly look beyond our personal prejudice.
03:07.1
Beyond our standards based on our present day understanding of the world around us.
03:12.5
You know, we must keep an open mind to the many lessons we may learn
03:15.9
from the wisdom of our ancestors.
03:17.8
And I'm telling you, there's a lot to learn from our ancestors.
03:21.0
Lessons that would make our world today a much better place.
03:25.6
Okay, so who exactly was the fearless and fearsome babaylan Tamblot?
03:29.8
You know, why did they lead an uprising?
03:31.4
Why did she lead an uprising?
03:32.6
Why were they revolting?
03:34.2
Now, to answer these questions, we must first look at some historical context
03:37.9
and some background on what led to their revolt.
03:40.8
As many of you know, during the 16th century or the 1500s,
03:44.5
European kingdoms expanded their imperial ambitions throughout the world.
03:49.0
Overall, it was an age of conquest, colonization, you know,
03:52.4
centuries of extraction of resources and the exploitation of indigenous peoples
03:57.2
in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
03:59.7
And you know, it was a period characterized by the escalation in the spread of Christianity.
04:04.6
And it was a direct result of the evangelization that the Portuguese and the Spaniards
04:09.8
carried out to spread the Catholic faith across their many new territories.
04:14.2
You know, from the Americas to Asia and the islands of the Pacific Ocean,
04:18.5
Christianity spread everywhere.
04:20.6
And in many cases, these were accomplished through force and violence
04:24.6
in which the indigenous spirituality and the many traditional religions
04:29.0
of these lands were violently and brutally overthrown and demonized.
04:33.8
And to be honest, it was a process of evangelization that
04:37.3
was meant not just to spread the Christian faith
04:39.6
but also to eradicate the power base of the native societies.
04:43.3
In other words, to dismantle indigenous power.
04:46.3
Therefore, making these indigenous lands and these indigenous people
04:50.0
easier to suppress, control, and conquer.
04:52.6
Unsurprisingly, this was not always well-received by the native populations.
04:56.8
And thus, uprisings were recorded in many of these colonized lands.
05:01.0
And the Philippines was no exception.
05:03.2
So the first recorded Europeans to arrive on the islands we now call the Philippines
05:07.1
happened in 1521, exactly 100 years before Tamblot's revolt.
05:12.6
However, unknown to many, including the majority of Filipinos today,
05:16.6
the conquest of the islands was not actually carried out until 1565
05:21.5
by the conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi.
05:24.5
In fact, the island of Luzon was not even conquered
05:27.8
until the following decades, in the 1570s and the 1580s.
05:32.2
Nonetheless, the beginning of the colonial era in the Philippines
05:35.4
started in Legazpi's conquest of the Visayan Islands back in the mid-1560s.
05:40.7
And along with this colonial conquest,
05:43.0
was the evangelical spread of Christianity
05:45.4
driven by the efforts of the Spanish missionaries.
05:48.7
Now, unknown to many, there was quite a lot of diversity
05:51.8
of pre-colonial religious beliefs in these islands.
05:55.0
Ranging from the indigenous traditions
05:57.3
marked by the belief in the deities and the spirits of nature.
06:00.7
To the many syncretisms of the Hindu-Buddhist traditions.
06:03.8
And later on, with the advent of Islam in Southeast Asia.
06:07.7
In fact, overall, the spirituality of our ancestors.
06:11.4
Now, these were very similar and interconnected with our neighbors
06:14.8
throughout what we now call Southeast Asia.
06:17.3
And as mentioned in my previous videos,
06:19.8
in these indigenous societies,
06:21.6
the figure of the spiritual leaders and healers
06:24.4
known to us as the Babaylan stood out.
06:26.7
And just in case you didn't know,
06:27.9
there are different terms used
06:29.2
in the different ethno-linguistic groups of the islands.
06:31.8
So for example, the most popular term today, Babaylan,
06:34.4
was used amongst the Visayans.
06:36.2
They were known as Catalonan in Tagalog,
06:38.3
Mamaluyan and Katulunan amongst the Kapampangans,
06:41.0
Walian and Meranao and Maguindanaon,
06:43.1
or Balian amongst the Lumads and many more.
06:45.6
But when Christianity began to spread across the islands,
06:48.6
the Babaylans were relegated to the background.
06:51.4
From being the dominating spiritual leaders of our societies,
06:54.8
they were suddenly persecuted and killed at the stake
06:57.9
if they refused to convert.
06:59.4
Indeed, they were accused of being devils,
07:01.5
of being evil witches,
07:03.0
the unholy malevolent forces that must be eradicated.
07:07.0
In fact, they were even fed to crocodiles.
07:10.6
And you know, just in case you missed it,
07:12.1
just in case you are new to my channel,
07:14.2
I've already talked about quite a lot,
07:15.6
quite a few times about the Babaylans
07:17.8
in my videos, my previous videos and even in my books.
07:20.2
So if you want to learn more and dig deeper
07:22.4
and expand your knowledge,
07:23.9
here's a few reminders.
07:25.7
Today's video is just an introduction
07:27.5
to this fascinating topic.
07:28.9
So check out the links below
07:30.0
for a list of resources and recommended readings.
07:32.4
And if you want to support my channel and my research,
07:34.6
please be my patron on Patreon
07:36.3
or be a member of my YouTube channel
07:38.2
and get copies of any of my books,
07:40.2
coloring books and ebooks
07:41.6
or any of the merch linked down below.
07:43.5
Maraming salamat po.
07:44.9
And actually, today's video is also an entire chapter
07:47.8
in my book, The Fierce Women of Early Southeast Asia,
07:50.7
where you can learn more
07:51.7
and meet over four dozen inspiring women
07:54.5
from the histories and the oral traditions
07:56.7
of our ancestors,
07:58.2
including the fearless and fearsome
08:00.7
heroic Babaylan, Tamblot.
08:03.2
Kaya naman, if you want to learn more
08:05.0
and dig deeper and expand your knowledge
08:07.1
beyond the limits of this YouTube video,
08:09.1
don't miss out and order your copies today.
08:11.4
Now back to our topic,
08:12.7
back to the fearless and fearsome
08:14.4
Babaylang, Tamblot.
08:16.3
So by 1620, more than 50 years
08:18.7
after the Spanish conquest of the Visayas,
08:20.8
traditional beliefs and indigenous religions
08:23.3
across the islands were still of wide importance
08:25.8
in the Philippines,
08:26.7
especially in isolated and mountainous regions
08:29.6
such as the huge island of Bohol.
08:32.5
Now, the details of Tamblot's life
08:34.6
before the revolt remains unknown,
08:36.6
but she later rose to fame
08:38.1
thanks to her fearlessness and spiritual activities
08:40.7
as the Babaylan who led the rebellion.
08:43.0
Now, although there were other religious figures
08:45.8
in fact, during this time,
08:46.9
there were still many Babaylans around,
08:48.9
but Tamblot stood out
08:50.5
and was recognized for her ability
08:52.3
to perform miracles,
08:53.7
which attracted the attention
08:55.5
of the native population.
08:57.0
For example, according to oral traditions,
08:59.4
Tamblot was able to cut bamboo canes with a knife,
09:02.5
after which wine and rice sprouted from them.
09:05.8
And then the Christians claimed that
09:07.8
it was just a false trick of a so-called devil.
09:10.3
Nonetheless, this was enough to gain more followers,
09:13.4
faithful followers of the Babaylan's miracles.
09:16.7
And thus, Tamblot became among the most
09:19.4
important figures of the Bol-Anon people.
09:21.9
And Babaylan Tamblot urged her followers
09:24.4
to settle in the mountains,
09:25.9
in the most isolated parts of the island,
09:28.3
where they could live freely
09:29.8
under their traditional beliefs
09:31.6
and indigenous faith,
09:32.8
without interference from the Catholic Church
09:35.4
and the colonial authorities.
09:37.1
Babaylan Tamblot ensured that
09:39.1
all their food and need
09:40.6
would be covered through the miracles
09:42.6
of the indigenous deities,
09:44.1
to whom they would offer a sanctuary
09:46.4
for this purpose.
09:47.5
In this way, she established herself
09:49.9
with hundreds of her followers in Bohol.
09:52.2
At any rate, she was aware
09:54.0
that she represented a threat
09:55.8
to the Christians and the Spanish rule.
09:57.8
She also understood the need
09:59.4
to get rid of the colonizers
10:01.3
to preserve their indigenous beliefs.
10:04.2
together with her followers
10:05.4
and fellow Babaylans,
10:06.7
she urged the people of Bohol,
10:08.4
the Bol-Anon people,
10:09.6
to rise up against the Spaniards.
10:12.0
Babaylan Tamblot assured her people
10:14.3
that they would be protected
10:15.5
by the deities and the spirits.
10:17.4
Who, in turn, would guide them to victory.
10:20.9
she transmitted her message
10:22.4
to the Bol-Anon people.
10:23.7
She was aided in this endeavor
10:25.7
by many of her fellow Babaylans,
10:27.5
who were also tired of being persecuted
10:30.1
and vilified and demonized
10:31.9
by the conquistadors.
10:33.7
And their movement grew stronger
10:35.8
with each cycle of the moon.
10:37.8
They gained new followers
10:39.3
and warriors across the island.
10:43.2
only a very few villages refused to join.
10:46.7
Many of those who refused
10:48.1
have already professed
10:49.4
to the Christian faith.
10:50.6
While many more feared reprisals
10:53.0
from the colonizers.
10:54.6
But this did not stop the movement
10:56.9
from catching the attention
10:59.3
not just of those who lived in Bohol,
11:01.2
but also across the many islands
11:05.0
It was no surprise that their movement
11:07.1
aroused the hatred
11:08.8
of the Spanish officials
11:10.3
in the city known then
11:12.2
as the Villa del SantÃsimo Nombre de Jesús
11:15.4
or what we now call Cebu City.
11:17.4
However, at first,
11:18.6
the colonial authorities in Cebu
11:20.5
did nothing about it.
11:21.6
Despite the pressure from the priests
11:23.4
to eradicate the movement,
11:25.0
the Alcalde Mayor
11:26.2
or the governor of Cebu,
11:28.9
only demanded that they
11:30.6
lay down their arms.
11:32.7
the Bolonon people refused.
11:34.2
They refused to surrender
11:35.4
and laid down their arms.
11:36.9
But the colonial authorities in Cebu
11:39.4
did not actually do much about it.
11:41.2
Because the Alcalde Mayor
11:44.6
the authorization
11:45.8
of Governor General
11:47.4
Alonso Fajardo de Entenza
11:49.5
to launch an expedition
11:52.9
due to the urgency of the situation,
11:55.0
Alcalde Mayor Alcarazo
11:57.0
eventually began to form an army
11:59.1
to face the indigenous Bololon forces.
12:01.6
Alcarazo's forces were composed
12:03.6
of only 50 Spaniards
12:07.1
a thousand native Cebuanos.
12:08.9
And they were armed with swords,
12:10.7
shields, and firearms.
12:12.0
And this force landed
12:13.5
on the island of Bohol.
12:15.0
But unknown to them,
12:16.2
Tamblot was already
12:17.3
anticipating the attack.
12:19.6
ordered her forces to withdraw
12:22.6
in the interior of the island.
12:24.0
And the Babaylan Tamblot
12:26.2
have also gathered provisions
12:29.0
for the possibility
12:31.5
And the search for this
12:32.6
isolated settlement
12:33.8
began in the new year of 1622.
12:37.1
it would not be an easy task
12:38.9
as the fierce Babaylan Tamblot
12:40.6
had chosen a very remote area,
12:43.0
which along with its isolation,
12:45.0
was difficult to access
12:46.6
due to the forests,
12:48.7
and the swamps surrounding it.
12:50.5
So the first five days
12:52.5
were unsuccessful
12:53.8
until on the sixth day,
12:55.4
when the Spaniards
12:56.6
and their Cebuano allies
12:58.0
located the base.
13:00.0
as they're trying
13:01.9
the native Bololon encampment,
13:04.0
a brief skirmish began
13:05.5
in which a native ally
13:07.0
of the Spaniards died.
13:08.8
Although the Spaniards
13:10.1
had some technological advantage,
13:14.6
the Bololon people,
13:15.9
knew the terrain very well.
13:17.7
The forest was thus
13:20.1
to the Boholanos.
13:21.3
And so the next day,
13:25.7
decided to launch
13:27.3
a surprise attack
13:28.7
against the colonizers.
13:30.7
It was their initiative
13:32.0
to destroy the enemy vanguard
13:34.2
and weaken the Spanish forces.
13:37.4
1,500 Bololon warriors
13:39.6
led by Babaylan Tamblot
13:41.4
ambushed the front
13:42.6
of the military formation
13:44.2
made up of only about
13:48.4
300 native allies
13:51.4
it was a surprise attack,
13:54.4
began to use their firearms,
13:56.0
an advantage with which
13:57.4
they tried to kill
13:58.5
as many Bololon warriors
14:00.9
thanks to their muskets.
14:04.2
were unable to counteract
14:06.6
They had no choice
14:09.4
heavy casualties.
14:11.1
they fled to a nearby forest
14:13.8
But this, however,
14:15.0
did not mean a defeat
14:16.7
because suddenly,
14:18.6
started pouring in.
14:20.9
raised the morale
14:23.4
The Bololon people
14:24.6
attributed the rain
14:26.9
believing that the deities
14:28.5
were on their side
14:29.5
launching an attack
14:30.7
against the colonizers.
14:32.3
So while it's true that
14:34.6
reduced the firepower
14:36.0
of the Spaniards,
14:37.2
they were still able
14:38.1
to keep their weapons dry
14:39.4
by using the well-made
14:43.4
And this is actually similar
14:44.7
to the indigenous
14:45.5
bulletproof shields
14:46.5
used by Datu Lapu-Lapu
14:47.9
in the Battle of Mactan
14:50.8
Now, unfortunately
14:52.1
for the Boholanos,
14:53.3
the Spaniards would continue
14:57.3
and her warriors.
15:00.1
were eventually defeated
15:01.7
and they retreated
15:02.6
into the mountains.
15:03.8
Now with this victory,
15:06.7
to the power base of Tamblot
15:08.4
from where the natives
15:11.4
by showering the Spaniards
15:13.9
hitting the colonizers,
15:15.4
and even managing
15:16.9
to injure Alcarazo.
15:18.6
But eventually defeated,
15:19.8
the Bololon people
15:20.8
could no longer stop
15:22.7
and their Cebuano allies
15:23.9
from entering the base
15:26.1
looting the settlement
15:28.4
the Bololon natives.
15:32.7
led by Babaylan Tamblot.
15:35.4
looted everything Tamblot
15:37.0
and her followers
15:38.3
had in their fortifications.
15:40.2
And in the following days,
15:42.6
were given the task
15:45.0
those who had fled.
15:46.2
They were ordered
15:47.5
or kill them on sight.
15:49.7
Tamblot's fellow Babaylans
15:53.4
while the rest of their followers
15:59.9
was probably killed
16:01.1
during the heavy fighting,
16:02.5
during the battle itself,
16:05.4
after being captured.
16:09.8
on her final fate.
16:15.0
was their uprising,
16:19.1
Was it all for nothing?
16:22.0
Well, not exactly.
16:25.6
and fearsome Babaylan Tamblot
16:28.7
for her warrior spirit
16:30.2
and for her courage
16:31.2
with which she was able
16:33.8
face colonialism.
16:36.4
by her spiritual fervor
16:38.0
and her undying love
16:41.6
risked her own life
16:42.7
to free her community
16:44.2
from the shackles
16:47.1
she has been immortalized
16:50.9
of the Bol-Anon people.
16:53.0
succumbing to the Spaniards,
16:55.0
her movement inspired
16:57.6
across the Philippines.
16:59.8
a mere six months later,
17:03.4
in the mountains of Bohol.
17:06.6
Tamblot lit the fire
17:09.5
amongst the Boholanos,
17:11.1
a fire that continued burning
17:13.2
for centuries to come.
17:19.8
led by Francisco de Gohoy,
17:21.8
would successfully
17:23.1
liberate their people.
17:25.4
the island of Bohol
17:26.8
remained independent
17:29.4
for another 85 years.
17:32.0
From 1744 to 1829,
17:35.7
the Bol-Anon people,
17:38.2
against colonialism.
17:39.6
And you can learn more about this
17:40.9
in my earlier video
17:42.0
about the Gohoy's Revolt.
17:43.2
So if you haven't seen it yet,
17:44.6
make sure to watch it
17:45.4
after this video.
17:47.4
as I've mentioned
17:48.2
many times before,
17:49.4
wherever there is oppression
17:52.2
there will always be resistance.
17:54.3
And there will always be
17:55.7
movements towards peace
17:58.2
in our communities,
18:02.4
trans communities.
18:05.0
in the Philippines
18:05.8
are known to give life
18:09.6
to lift the spirits
18:10.7
of our communities.
18:12.4
over and over again,
18:14.0
they were also seen
18:15.1
as objects of ridicule
18:18.5
back in the pre-colonial realities
18:20.6
of our ancestors,
18:23.6
as highly spiritual.
18:25.1
They were empowered.
18:26.5
They were respected
18:28.7
of our pre-colonial societies.
18:31.7
they were revered,
18:38.4
showed more inclusion
18:40.8
than our modern-day society.
18:42.9
So after this video,
18:44.4
make sure to watch
18:46.3
about the babaylands
18:48.0
and about gender and sexuality
18:50.2
in pre-colonial Philippines.
18:51.9
And long story short,
18:55.4
of gender and sexuality,
19:00.2
more progressive,
19:01.3
and more understanding.
19:03.8
that gender and sexuality
19:11.3
may identify themselves
19:15.8
in our archipelago
19:17.4
way before colonialism.
19:20.9
converted to Christianity.
19:23.7
since the beginning of time.
19:27.0
and they're still among,
19:28.6
the fiercest leaders
19:32.5
to be on the front lines,
19:34.1
standing up for our rights,
19:36.7
for our people's freedom.
19:42.0
Babaylan Tamblot.
19:43.4
And if you think about it,
19:44.6
Babaylan Tamblot's
19:46.6
of fierce resistance,
19:48.3
of caring for our people,
19:50.0
of fighting for our freedom,
19:51.7
of fighting against injustices
19:53.3
in our communities,
19:57.2
just in case you missed it,
19:58.4
just in case you didn't know,
19:59.4
just in case you had no idea,
20:02.5
is actually celebrated
20:05.0
as the International
20:06.0
Trans Day of Visibility.
20:07.6
So let us celebrate them,
20:09.5
by reflecting on what we,
20:11.1
what we can do better
20:12.6
beyond visibility,
20:14.1
beyond the day itself,
20:15.3
beyond March 31st.
20:17.4
And perhaps more importantly,
20:19.4
by taking actions
20:20.7
towards advancing the rights
20:22.6
and the well-being
20:23.9
of our trans family,
20:28.2
community leaders,
20:33.2
who saw and understood
20:37.2
Who saw and understood
20:38.2
that gender and sexuality
20:40.2
was something that was fluid,
20:44.3
trans people belong.
20:47.7
collectively do our part
20:50.2
they are genuinely respected,
20:51.9
genuinely empowered,
20:55.0
And that is it for me today.
20:56.9
what you think about today's topic
20:58.3
in the comments below.
20:59.4
And if you like this video
21:00.4
and learn a thing or two,
21:01.6
don't forget to like,
21:02.6
share this video,
21:03.4
comment down below,
21:04.4
and please subscribe.
21:07.8
today's shout-out goes to
21:09.7
my beautiful cousin,
21:10.8
the one and only queen
21:12.0
Ati Mekang of Angayla City, Philippines.
21:15.0
Shout-out to Ebony of Sacramento.
21:18.7
from Bohol and Canada.
21:20.6
Shout-out to Carla from LA
21:22.4
and Pastor Janelle
21:23.4
from the Bay Area.
21:24.6
And special shout-out
21:26.3
the National Alliance
21:32.2
in the Philippines.
21:33.4
Maraming maraming salamat
21:34.8
for your pakikibiki
21:36.2
and for genuinely serving our people.
21:39.2
Now, this video will not be possible
21:42.6
of all my patrons,
21:44.6
and viewers like you
21:45.7
throughout these years.
21:47.1
Kaya naman sa inyong lahat,
21:48.6
maraming maraming salamat po,
21:50.2
or as we say in Kapampangan,
21:51.5
dakal pong salamat.
21:52.7
And in Binisaya and Bol-anon,
21:55.8
See you next time,
21:57.7
and in Kapampangan,
