Culion Leprosy Museum and Archives: Documenting an Island of Healing

Bust of an actual leper at the museum

“I knew that man during my younger years. When I see that bust, I can still imagine him speaking to me” said Pastor Hermie, our guide for that day as we ventured to the farther south regions of Culion Island on a motorbike. He was referring to the grotesque bust figure greeting visitors of the Culion Leprosy Museum and Archive after a flight of stairs to the 2nd floor. Just the thought that the figure was an actual leper sent a chill on my spine as I imagine his mummified figure. Stories such as this is common in Culion Island, whose present inhabitants are one way or another are 2nd or 3rd generation descendants of the thousands of leprosy patients who lived on the island. Its hard not to talk about the leprosy stigma that has befallen Culion when visiting the island and a good starting point to learn more about it is a visit to the Culion Leprosy Museum and Archive within the General Hospital compound.

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Ferry to Culion Island, The Eagle and a Starry Starry Night

La immaculada Concepcion church under the starry night

There are two sides in a story, and for an island that held the stigma of the long-gone leprosy like Culion Island, there’s the view from the people who lived in the island and those who look upon it from the outside like me. There’s this lingering fascination and curiosity of Culion Island that beheld me ever since I’ve heard about it. I wanted delve deeper and see for myself, hear for myself the stories of struggles, perseverance, hope and healing. I know there’s a lot more to Culion Island than what people perceive of it so I made sure when I returned to Coron, I made a trip to this place used to be known as the “Island of the living dead”

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