Tandok is a traditional healing method practiced in Barangay Napnud, Leganes, Iloilo, used primarily to treat animal bites by drawing out toxins using a carabao or deer horn and coconut oil infused with herbs. Passed down through generations, it is believed to extract venom or rabies through the horn’s suction, offering an affordable, culturally rooted alternative to modern medicine. The technique involves multiple cycles of horn application, cleansing, and reapplication until the wound is believed to be cleansed of toxins, followed by healing oil application. Despite its continued practice and cultural value, tandok faces criticism from health authorities due to lack of scientific evidence and potential ethical concerns. However, documentation efforts and growing youth interest have helped revitalize the tradition and maintain its role in the community’s cultural identity.
Photo Credit/s:
Lunasco, 2024
Mappers:
Christine Anne L. Lunasco
Tags:
affordable healthcare, alternative medicine, animal bite treatment, , carabao horn suction, Cultural Identity, cultural tradition, deer horn healing, documentation efforts, ethical concerns, Folk Medicine, generational knowledge, , herbal coconut oil, lack of scientific evidence, Leganes Iloilo, Tandok, toxin extraction, Traditional Healing, wound cleansing ritual, youth interest revival
Want to know more?
Inquire about this specific heritage by filling up the form below.
We will get back to you with an answer as soon as we can.
