Vendors of herbs, medicinal oils, potions and talismans.

Along Evangelista street near Quiapo Church you can find the vendors of mysterious looking brews, potions and powders in bottles, cans, baskets and trays of all shapes and sizes. There are still-green or already-dried leaves, roots, barks, herbals, wax figures and magical amulets, talismans, charms, that guarantee success in studies, love, business and other desires, as well as protection against bullets, knives, fire and other dangers.

Herbalism in Quiapo is tied directly to medicine men. Medecine men are called arbularyo, tambalan, manghihilot or manggagamot throughout the archipelago.

Those medicine men will use the “material medica” which ensures the person’s general well being. This idea is based on the relationships of the person with another person, his society, nature and the supernatural world. Human sufferings are diagnosed in the imbalance of these relationships. The contents of “material medica” falls in following types.

Body aches and pains. Simple itches of the skin, dog bites, etc. To heal this type of afflictions roots, barks and seeds of medicinal plans are used.

Protection against harm from environmental spirits and sorcery. Luck in one’s business, trade, job, friendship and love. Here stones, minerals gathered from caves, seashells and corals will be used. They are either placed in a bottle with oil or assembled in plastic tubes to be worn as bracelets.

Along with that are the acclaimed love charms (gayuma) and the mixes for protection against witchcraft that are sold in miniature alcohol bottles.

Some of the products sold in secrecy are inducing abortions. One of the most renowned product is the “pamparegla” ( literally: to induce menstruation) which is a tonic for women’s menstrual cycle.

(Source: Quiapo, heart of Manila. Art of the Cross. Consuming Passions)

Click image to enlarge.

Anting-anting is an amulet, it refers to something with magical powers (it may be good or evil).

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

Luck in business.
Makes life pleasant.
Makes one amicable, accessible or friendly.
Prevention or avoidance of perils in one's path.
To rid one's aura of bad luck or unpleasant elements.
Use when applying for a job.
Against witchcraft.
Tres-Pikos(?) luck for married couples.
To be used when dealing with a legal case.
To be used against high blood.
Soap to cure the falling hair.

Comments

[Sam_08]

Panoh po makabili s inyo ng pamparegla...sam_08

[realyn]

san ako makakabile ng pampalaglag.? please answer me.

[Charm Reyes]

Hai! Can u help me know where to buy those..tnx

[beth]

mind if i ask if how much is the bottle # 8.... is it truly effective and have no side effect if ever i used...?

[StrawHat]

yung pic no.3 me nagbenta na sakin nun sa cebu sa ayala, gayuma yan db? totoo ba? kaso akala ko ba ang tunay na anting eh hindi binabayaran?

[barbara sunigay]

saan ungpwestom may cp no.kb?

[arsen de jesus]

tanong lng po ,pano po ako makaka kuha sa post nyo ng medal sa post nyo sa internet ,meron po ba kayo ng 7llave juranento and magkano ang donor

[mr.f]

phillipines are cool country

[virginia legaspi]

if you believe it well help.

[Yue Candide]

nice pictures

Ang ganda-ganda naman ang daming anting anting amulet mga gayuma mga santo pang tahanan talaga tunay na religeos ang mga pilipino! its original sa bansa. at masisipag ang mga pinoy nagtitinda at nagninigosyo sa malinis na paraan. Mabuhay Quiepo
Welcome to beautiful Philippines

[Daisy]

you capture the flavor, color, people, texture of almost everything in Quiapo your images makes these ordinary things extra ordinary.

thanks for sharing!

[[terrorkitten]]

what an outstanding collection of things! I want them all

[torekimi]

I thought the fourth pic was of jellybeans...my sort of (temporary) amulet

[Ferdz]

I really enjoy this set. Ang galing! Always wanted to do that. Love the details of these objects especially that bottle 3 and 6.

[haze]

Mind you, my family tried some of them :)! It was effective for us ! Especially the tawas ! I had problem with my monthly period and I have drunk those pamparegla hahaha, talagang effective !

BTW, I appreciate your rationality Sidney, thank you and again sorry I didn't have translation of the poem !

[Toe]

Hehehe... very interesting. I want one of those amulets. But no way would I drink any of those potions. :)

[max]

superstition persists ..

[Ashish Sidapara]

Wow, interesting post today! Thanks for sharing!!

[Serge]

Now I know where to turn next time I feel a cold or some other illness coming up!

[CM]

as expected. another interesting photos from you. :)

[Jon Limjap]

Haha... Pampa-regla. These are bottled abortifacients, and are actually absolutely illegal.

Hi, Sidney. I like your write up. That's perfect to sum up with the photo. And I wonder how you were able to take photos that close. I wonder how did you negotiate all of those. Based on my experience, it's not that easy to ask people for their wares to be photographed...
You never ceased to amaze me...

[Kyels]

I like photos of the amulets best! The way you compose those shots are awesome!

[:

[kikomeister]

i like the picture of the amulets best.