Centenarian claims eating termite eggs made her live longer
104-year old Lisa Castor is one of the four
remaining indigenous people considered as
centenarians.
She dances, she walks and speaks like an ordinary member of the Pan-ayanon, an indigenous people from the town of Tapaz, in the province of Capiz. What makes her different, however, is that she's one of the four remaining indigenous people who reached 100 years old.
Lisa Castor, actually, is already 104 years old. She attributed her longevity to their traditional diet. Plant foods are the staple of their diet, complimented by meat, fish or freshwater shells and shrimps taken from the river.
As bizarre as it is, Lisa strongly believes eating the termite (anay) eggs and drinking water from the stream contributes to her longevity. She said they destroy termite houses (bungsod) to locate the "buk-an" (a kind of worm). She said "buk-an" is watery and has tartness when eaten.
Lisa said they would skewer several "buk-an" in a stick and place on top of the flame. The outer side or shell of the "buk-an" burns and the inner portion is then eaten.
Lisa, who speaks broken Kinaray-a, said traditional foods eaten by indigenous people, also includes yams, cassava, corn, labog and ubad (inner part of the banana shrub). Cassava leaves are eaten too. It is pounded then cooked with coconut milk and freshwater shrimps (orang) for a healthy viand.
Good food
Lisa was assisted by her nephew Mansueto Carle Jr. during the interview as she speaks fluently in their native Pan-ayanon tongue called as archaeic Kinaray-a. Lisa and Mansueto were among the indigenous people who came to the town proper of Calinog for the Panubok 2 binanog dance and costume embroidery exhibit, workshop and competition.
She said they remain healthy in the hinterlands because of the kinds of food they eat. The indigenous people do not use vetsin (monosodium glutamate) in cooking their food and it is sometimes hard to look for salt to flavor the food.
They depend on the forces of nature to monitor time. They have no clock or radio sets. Lisa said she wakes up when the sun rises and retires to bed when it is already dark indicating nighttime.
Being a 'binukot'
Lisa also believes that the kind of life she had in her younger days also helped her to become a centenarian. She said a "binukot" lives like princess. They do not toil during the day. They only go out of their room when it is time to eat and take a bath.
Before the sun rises and when the sun sets they are permitted just to breathe fresh air within home lots. They are closely protected from the rays of the sun to maintain their flawless skin. They are not allowed to do hard labor.
Lisa said they wore traditional costume called "supa". The top is embroidered and matched with "patadyong" as skirt. The "patadyong" reaches up to their heels. As "binukot" they are forbidden to show any parts of their body before being taken for marriage.
The "binukot" is considered the fairest member of their tribe. Men who want to marry them should give dowry before a marriage takes place. The dowry ranges from money, pigs, chickens among others that the family of the woman wants the groom to offer to the bride’s family.
Lisa recalls she got married four times. Her four husbands all died. It was only in her fourth husband where she had a child named as Sola Jimenez. Her only child however already passed away.
No proof
According to Prof. Randy Madrid of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas Center for West Visayan Study there is no "historical proof’ to determine the authenticity of the age of the indigenous people like Lisa.
He said there is no proof of their birth or the number of days they have been living. They depend mainly on forces of nature to monitor time and movement of the shadow of the sun. They developed a traditional environment knowledge (TEK) to determine time, explained Madrid.
When the cock crows, it indicates morning. They determine nighttime with the sounds of the crickets.
Madrid noted that Lisa could be just like an ordinary "angoran", an old woman in their community. Anybody could just claim they are already 100 years old, he said.
It is possible that Lisa is a centenarian as she is claiming to be. It might be also that there are other people in the barangay who are much older than her. The area is hardly reached by means of transportation, said Madrid.
Life extender?
On the belief that eating termites egg extend one person's life, Madrid said there are studies that ants are rich in Vitamin E and salicylic acid. However, there is no scientific explanation that eating termites egg prolong the life of the person.
It is the first time that I have heard of such testimony from among the members of the Panay Bukidnon, said Madrid.
The kinds of food Lisa have eaten probably helped in adding years to her life. However, Madrid noted the prevailing sickness manifested among Panay Bukidnon is goiter.
The UP professor is among the number of people involved in the programs in preserving the culture and traditions of Panay Bukidnon.