Thy Womb 2012

In a quiet Tausug village in Tawi-Tawi, Shaleha is a steadfast village midwife whose steady hands guide the birth of a child in a stilt hut, with her partner Bangas-An by her side. After the newborn arrives, Shaleha asks for the umbilical cord, and a neatly kept storage cabinet at home reveals cords she has claimed from prior deliveries—a quiet ledger of how many lives she has helped bring into the world.

As the day fades, the couple sits to weave banig, and a practical question emerges: should they adopt a child so there would be someone at home when Shaleha cannot bear one herself? Bangas-An hesitates, recalling that the last adopted child was taken from them, though the film does not reveal how or why. The conversation then brushes against a more traditional solution—an idea that Bangas-An might take another wife under local custom so another woman could bear a child for their home, provided he can support her and obtain Shaleha’s consent.

Military presence and violence thread through everyday life. In one early scene, the couple fishes in open water but are overrun by gunmen; Bangas-An is wounded, their catch is seized, and Shaleha uses folk medicine to tend him. Later, at a floating market, a moment of abundance turns tense as soldiers push through, sending sweet potatoes scattering. The couple then steps into a communal role, helping to shepherd a traditional wedding for Ayesha [Mercedes Cabral] and Nurjay, where the dance of joy is momentarily pierced by distant gunfire, yet the ritual continues.

The search for a suitable bride accelerates as Shaleha and Bangas-An navigate markets and mosques, pursuing a path that might secure their family’s future. Shaleha admires a beautiful veil but steps back, and Bangas-An surprises her by buying it, signaling that he is present and involved in the decisions around tradition and family life. A planned rendezvous at the mosque unfolds into negotiations that push the couple toward inviting a new wife into their home.

A wedding negotiator finally locates a willing bride, Mersila [Lovi Poe], but the dowry is steep: PHP 150,000. With only PHP 50,000 saved, the couple must borrow from friends and even sell the motor of their boat to meet the price. When they and village elders arrive at Mersila’s home to present the offer, the mother accepts the dowry and praises Shaleha for her strength. Mersila asks to speak with Bangas-An alone, and it is revealed that Shaleha has agreed to a condition: once Mersila can bear a child, Bangas-An must divorce Shaleha. Back at home, Bangas-An quietly supports Shaleha in her weaving, and a tender moment gives way to a difficult honesty as they acknowledge the sacrifices each has made.

The household moves forward with a shared sense of endurance, and the couple’s intimate bond remains a quiet, unspoken testament to their resolve. In a poignant final gesture, Shaleha assists in the birth of Mersila’s child, with Bangas-An again acting as midwife. The child is a son, and Shaleha requests the newborn’s umbilical cord, which Mersila grants even with a hint of dismissiveness. As Shaleha cradles the infant, Bangas-An quietly urges that the baby be handed to its mother. Just as the moment settles, a large flock of birds arcs across the horizon, a subtle, almost ceremonial, sign of transition and fragile hope for the future.