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𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆.

When Spanish colonizers arrived in the 16th century, they recognized her influence, and immediately marked her as a threat. Many Babaylans were persecuted for anchoring indigenous ways of knowing that refused to disappear.

They knew that to erase her was to weaken the people’s center. By decentering her presence, they sought to dismantle our collective identity.

And yet the spirit of the babaylan powered on: in folk healing, in quiet rituals, and in resistance movements led by women who refused to surrender their agency.

Past roots to modern fruit. This Women’s Month, we navigate how the spirit of the Babaylan continues to shape the leaders of today.

𝗧𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿. 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿. 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿.

Before colonization, across the many islands in the Philippines, the Babaylan stood at the center of community life. They led with courage rooted in compassion and a power grounded in service.

This Women’s Month, we honor the enduring legacy of the Babaylan—exploring how their ancient wisdom continues to spark modern change.

𝗧𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗽𝘆 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻— 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. 🌿

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗮𝗻?

Long before modern leadership frameworks and boardroom strategies, the Babaylan stood as healers, guides, and community leaders. Their leadership was rooted in intuition, inclusion, and a deep responsibility to care for the well-being of the whole community.

In a world marked by burnout, noise, and division, perhaps this ancient model of leadership is more relevant than ever.

Inspired by the Philippine Commission on Women’s sub-theme, “Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!,” we are reminded that leadership can be 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.

This International Women’s Month, we celebrate more than the achievements of women. We honor the struggle, the strength, and reclaim the Babaylan spirit. 🌿

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗽𝗶𝗻, 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄—𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆. 🧡

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿!

We asked Graphic Recorders Aly Esguerra and Hans Dimapilis to take us inside their minds when stepping into live Graphic Recording events.

At Pushpin, we use drawings and stories to make complex information easy to understand. Want to know more? Send us a DM or email us at [email protected]!