The first time I saw this albino water buffalo (in Malatapay Market, Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental) the first thing that came into mind was the question of how these sun-drenching, hard-working beasts will ever survive under the extreme heat of the sun and not getting a sunburn. Typically dubbed as “beasts of burdens” and “living tractor of the East”, having an albino skin must be the heaviest of all burdens. I can imagine girls who have excessive self-regard of their skin flinching at the very thought of being exposed under the sun.
In spiritual concept, albino buffalos are sacred, they are preferred for ritual purposes as asking for rain, purifying land, or alleviating diseases and epidemics. This belief may have arisen due to their rare occurrence, and just like eclipses and other rare phenomenon, people would associate them in spiritual context. But in the Philippines, they seem to be just like any ordinary buffalo, domestically used and sold in the market when the need arises.
Kabaw nga Ogis ( “ogis” being the Visayan term for albino), was the reply of the man whom I asked for the name they call for the pinkish buffalo. And yes I recall ogis is commonly uttered by the locals for white monkeys or even the white-feathered chicken the locals also offered for sacrifice whenever there is something new built or inaugurated in a certain place. The sacrificial offering is made in order to ask permission from the spirits or “engkanto” (a.k.a not-like-us).
Having seen them sold in the market, I had an afterthought that maybe this rare variety must be resilient to heat. I even have gone far of thinking about their sunscreen. Well, what else could be the best sunscreen they could get other than the batter-like mud, just a dip away! That must be a natural 100+ Sun Protection Factor.
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