Culion Island, a former leper colony in Philippines -09Oct07

Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas travels to the island of Culion in the Philippines, which used to be called "the island of the living dead", to see what life has been like for the survivors of one of the oldest leper colonies in the world. It is a place of such stigma that many of its residents have been forced to live their entire lives in isolation. The Island has now been declared free of the disease. "I had a dream before ... that is when I was young ... in the place of my birth - a life full of promises," 73-year old Manuel Capao wrote this song of pain and lost dreams. A gifted guitar player, he lost his fingers and was sent here at 18, like many others struck with leprosy. Thanks to modern medicine, he's now leprosy free but he bears the scars. And with other ageing ex-patients, days are now spent in this hospice overlooking their island home. Culion the island itself bears a scar - a health warning to all that they were approaching a leper colony - what was known as "the island of the living dead". Hilarion Guia recalls that the island itself was split into two -- the left side for those considered "untouchable" ... and the right, for the indigenous "un-afflicted" residents. Even in death they were kept apart. This cemetery was solely for those that died afflicted with leprosy. Those that weren't were buried in a separate cemetery on the other side of town.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Al
• Jazeera
• Marga
• Ortigas
• Philippines
• Culion
• leper

[hipstriker]

hey...im from culion palawan...but im not ashamed of it,,,infact im proud of it bcoz of it's rich history,culture and nature,....tenkyu for documenting our place...u did a great job.. :)

[mistergrin]

@Stenkth What's so funny? It's not Mexico, so it could mean something else. Hahahaha! Lmao at you.

[05122010jeskhi]

Healed them by jesus....

[Stenkth]

LMAO!

Culion means Fucker in mexico hahahahaha.

[cannoir]

@redpaul79 ( shudder )

[farjaz]

Merely changed by Him (Jesus)

[redpaul79]

no. ugly people come in all races--seen the new Pope? hideous freak

[redpaul79]

wow no punctuation questionmarks are highly overrated do you mean watching videos on the internet i dont know what you mean by "what(?)"

[estioco26]

Well i've been there last april 29,2009 with my two best friend gem and loyd...great ilands..everyone was very nice..i dont mind if they called ilands of living dead ...because for me the most important we experience the natural beauty of paradise islands and warm hearted residents specially to pavia family.