Discovering Ugmad as a Belief Among the Waray of Eastern Visayas

The culture of Waray people holds distinct beliefs regarding health, including the concept of ugmad, a traditional understanding of trauma or intense fear that may affect a child from pregnancy to birth. However, comprehending the entirety of this belief proves to be challenging, which drives the need to study the causes and effects of ugmad among the Waray. Thus, this study aims to explore the presence of ugmad (intense fear) and its countermeasures to deepen the understanding of this belief. The study utilised semi-structured interviews to collect beliefs related to ugmad. The findings reveal that ugmad typically affects a child from the time they are conceived until birth. Common causes include a parents’ extreme fear due to unsettling experiences, sudden shocks, or instances of infidelity. Ugmad manifests in various forms, such as punò (itching of the skin), ginpupusód (darkening and rolling of the eyes), and the softening of the infant’s fontanelle. Meanwhile, countermeasures against ugmad involve personal items belonging to the infant, such as strands of hair, threads from clothing, cut nails, and the dried umbilical cord. These are often prepared through suób (fumigation) accompanied by prayers, with the help of a traditional healer or albularyo. The study recommends further research on culturally significant terms among ethnic groups, as well as the collection of oral traditions to enrich regional and local literature.