Mumbaki - Movie Review

The film Mumbaki is about the conflict of modern and folk beliefs being faced by an Igorot named Joseph (played by Reymart Santiago). He was given the opportunity to study Medicine in Manila. The problem here is caused by the different socialization or culture that occurs in the Philippines. There came the time that the lead character has to choose between his dream to work in other country together with his girlfriend, Nancy (played by Rachel Alejandro), or fulfill his duties as a member of his tribe.

It is clearly seen in the film, the opposite socialization that occurs in the Philippines. The simplest manifestation of this is the type of clothing worn by characters in the film: the city has grown to wear jeans, polo, t-shirt, etc. while in the mountains, they wear the traditional “bahag” or barely bold. Also the difference between the alcohol from the city and the once that came from the mountain is shown in the film. Furthermore, the use of modern and indigenous methods of treatment is also shown in the film. The methods of treatment studied in the city are using antibiotics to stop the spread of epidemic illness in the Igorots while the indigenous method is praying to their gods/baki or to their so called ‘mumbaki’. The last is, what is ought to be followed by the main character: the vengeance for his tribe or to use his knowledge in medicine.

I agree on the decision that the main character applied to his problem. As one of the member of his tribe, he chose to fulfill his responsibilities to his tribe to take revenge to the opposing tribe yet he made it to sustain his profession by putting up a health center up the mountain to support the medical needs of the tribal people.

Joining two different cultures is a big deal and it is hard for them to do that, yet the group still managed to help each other to resolve their problem and create a new different culture out of it.