MUNICIPALITY OF GUINOBATAN, ALBAY, Historical Data of Part 4

PART IV

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About these Historical Data

The transcription of this page was done using AI technology.

[p. 61]

someday a friend of his will visit their house and ask for the hand of their daughter. This is what we call the “pamalagta”.

2. The parents of the groom together with some of his relatives and friends go to the girl’s home with some fried chicken and pork and liquor. Parents of both parties talk together with regards to their mission. Then the parents of the girl’s call the groom and tells him to stand before them and scrutinizes him carefully. He is confronted with several questions especially if he would be able to support his family when they are already married. When everything is arranged set for the date of marriage, the eats and liquor is served for all of those present. This is what they call the “Sayod” or “pamalae”.

MARRIAGE:–

1. The bride and groom after the marriage ceremony races for home and the first to step on the ladder of the house will be the domineering one in the course of their marital life.
2. Upon arrival the newlyweds are ordered by the old folks to light two candles, before the altar.

[p. 62]

DEATH:–

1. It is the superstitious belief among old folks that when somebody dreams of the removal of all his teeth; grown–ups urinating in beds at night; fruit bearing trees bearing fruits out of season, is a sign that a member of your family or your nearest of kin will surely die.
2. The sound of birds heard in the middle of the night near your house which they usually call “patianak” is also a sign of death.

BURIAL:–

1. It is the customary belief that when the coffin is being carried down stairs, care should be observed not to let it touch any part of the wall of the house for if it touches the wall, it is a sign that a member of the family will soon follow.
2. When the funeral leaves the home, nobody is allowed to be on the window or peep for it is a bad omen.
3. Sweeping the floor is strictly prohibited until after the dead has been buried for three days.

[p. 63]

[p. 64]

TRADITIONS CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS IN
COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

COURTSHIP:–

1. Usually parents of both parties arrange the marriage of their children.
2. Parents of the man and party go to the girl’s home and let her parents know that their son desires to marry their daughter. We call this the “Pamalae.”
3. “Sayod” is the time when parents of both parties agree on the marriage proposal. If affirmatively, all requirements or demands of the girl’s parents are set to the man’s parents. Some parents ask money, pieces of land, palay or house as a form of dowry.
4. After the “sayod” the man begins to “manogang.” The man will have to go to the girl’s home bringing with him some eats, firewood or whatever things he can afford to offer the girl’s parents. The man needs to do some household work in the girl’s home. The main purpose for this is for the girl’s parents to observe the behavior of the man. Misbehavior of the man may cut or cancel the marriage proposal.

MARRIAGE:–

1. Bride and groom to be, must not travel or go out

[p. 65]

2. During the marriage ceremony the bride and the groom try to step on one another’s foot. Whoever steps first will be the domineering party.
3. In going outside the church and in entering the house they have a race in walking because whoever walks ahead will be the boss in the family.
4. If there is dance, the newlyweds will dance the Pantomina. During the course of the dancing, coins are showered upon them. This is a symbol of peace and plenty. Both parents of both parties have a “Venga” or “Lugro.” Each party tries to toss money more than the other party.

[p. 66]

Superstitions and Beliefs

1. When there is a dead person, persons in the house must not comb their hair or sweep the floor as long as the dead is there. After the burial they should do the cleaning in order to begin life anew.
2. Babies who are not yet baptized must not be left alone, otherwise the devil will take them away.
3. Do not cut your nails at night nor dress your wounds. Doing so is harmful.
4. Do not sing when cooking or when moving your vawel; otherwise you will have “Colatay” or stye.
5. Do not eat fruits in the morning before you eat breakfast, so that you’ll not have stomachache.
6. Lightning will not stop until it finds the so called “Mutya.” This mutya has the power to go to some animals, like the cat, dog, carabao or a cow.
7. When there is an eclipse, a woman on the family way must not go out, or if she does, the baby will die or will not be delivered.

[p. 67]

8. During eclipse, a very big snake drinks coconut water.
9. Thunder is the sound of rolling big stones in the heavens.
10. Mountains, rivers and springs are owned by enchanted people who are invisible. When they are offended by human beings they usually take the lives of the offenders.
11. The moon and the stars are God’s light in heaven.
12. House–lizards announce the coming of visitors and the arrival of letters.
13. If you dream that a certain person is dead, that foretells that the person will live long.
14. When one cries before a dead person, he must be careful not to drop tears on the dead body or if he will do so, the dead person will have many hardship on his way to the Great Beyond. The dead person must not be dressed in black.
15. Children must not eat the “Quinocdood,” so that they will be alert when they are commanded to do something.

[p. 68]

SUPERSTITIONS about BIRTH

1. After the baby’s birth, the placenta is buried. A child in order to become good and bright when he or she grows old to study should have his or her placenta placed in a glass, never in shells or any dark container.
2. Care should be taken not to have cats, dogs, mice, and pigs get the placenta otherwise the child may become dishonest.
3. The placenta should be buried outside the house, never under it. The reason behind this is that the child will not become timid.
4. If you want to have your child love more your father, have him be clothed with those made from old clothes of the father.
5. After many days the baby’s skin begins to change. Nobody must say anything about it for the child may not have complete change of skin. The result would be then a dark complexion.
6. If the new–born baby is attractive and beautiful, you must not say so for the baby might die.

––– THE END –––

[p. 69]

OFFERINGS DURING HARVEST

Farmers in the town of Guinobatan and elsewhere usually give feast to the people whom they call the “unseen.” They term this custom “sagugurang” which is done in the middle of the rice field at about 6 P.M. After the food has been set, one of the farmers remains and shouts for the blind, the lame, and others physically disabled to come. Then he leaves the place. An hour or so afterwards, they come back to get the food they served. This they feast among themselves to their hearts’ content.

They do this as an offering to the spirits for a plentiful harvest in the following months.

Corpus Criste (Latin for Christ’s body) is another beautiful custom of offering. People come to the church or a small chapel to hang different kinds of fruit and grain on the small altar (as in the case of a barrio chapel). These are left overnight with nobody coming to steal.

Afterwards, these fruits and grains are taken by the priests.

This holiday is done after the harvest as a sort of thanksgiving.

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[p. 70]

SUPERSTITIONS IN GUINOBATAN

In the town of Guinobatan, Albay as in every other town all over the Philippines, superstition still clings to the minds of the people despite the advent of scientific knowledge in our country. It simply shows how powerful can traditions be.

Superstitions may be divided into three classes: (a) beliefs in evil beings, (b) beliefs in the power of inanimate objects, and (c) beliefs in dreams and bad luck.

Beliefs in Evil Beings. – Most of the people of Guinobatan still believe in the existence of aswang, engkanto, dwende, and mangkukulam. The aswang is believed to be so powerful and so clever as to assume many forms, as those of the bat, dog, pig, cat, horse, and carabao. When anybody walking in the dead of night sees a black cat cross the street, that cat is surely an aswang in one of its forms. The aswang preys on sick people, especially those afflicted with tuberculosis. It clings under the floor and with its long, red tongue sucks the blood of the sick. It can be caught by placing seeds all around the house. In the morning, one will see him trying to pick up the seeds. The reason behind this is that the seeds serve as iron bars.

The engkanto not only frightens people but also plays mischief on them. It can make anyone who accidentally injures it sick and, unless he makes proper amends for the injury, he may die. The engkanto is believed to dwell in big trees with cavernous holes.

The dwende, another of those evil beings, is as small as the thumb. Like the engkanto, it plays mischief on whoever has harmed it through no fault of one’s own. One who gets sick because of a dwende will surely die unless he gets the services

[p. 71]

of an herbolario.

The mangkukulam (para–suniyaw in Bikol) is as wicked as the aswang. He inflicts grave injuries on his victim in the form of a swollen belly or cancer of the face. He does this by taking a doll (which is formed into a miniature likeness of the victim) which he pierces with a needle, thereby causing pain to the victim. Or, he deforms the face of the doll, thus deforming also the victim’s face.

Another evil being is that one which lives in some weird–looking place, such as a big tree, a bridge, or a bamboo grove in which someone had died. One who passes by such haunted place either hears a long wail or sees some headless person.

Beliefs in Inanimate Objects. – Most of these superstitions are so absurd as to send one with a scientific bent of mind reeling with laughter. A superstitious person will tell you that whenever you see a meteorite shooting across the heavens, say immediately all the names of the days and presto! you have already an anting–anting. This anting–anting has the power to protect its holder from all harm even from the atomic bomb. Another way of securing it is by the following: Get yourself one fang of a snake, some roots of a rare herb, a scale of a crocodile, and a monkey’s paw. Then they have them powdered and insert the powder in a small tube, preferably the capsule of a bullet. This you hang around your neck and you have a protector all your life.

Beliefs in Dreams and Bad Luck. – Dreaming that a tooth or some teeth were extracted means that someone in the family will die. Dreaming of a house lizard producing sound near the

[p. 72]

The old folk say it is bad luck to take a bath during Easter days and on Tuesday and Friday. The consequence is that some misfortune will saddle the family. Whenever one is bitten by a snake, one should never go upstairs but should stay in the ground. Failure to comply with this means sure death.

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[p. 73]

SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS

As always we Filipinos are superstitious believers. Like most people throughout the Philippine Islands, the people of Guinobatan believe in so many superstitious beliefs among which may be mentioned the following:

1. During the rice harvest a ceremony called “Sagugurang” is performed. The farmer calls his friends to his house. The women folk bake various kinds of cakes from the new harvest and several viands, and these are placed on the table. Nobody is allowed to eat until after somebody in the group has chanted some prayers, beside a flatiron containing live charcoal wherein some powder is placed to produce a column of smoke. If the smoke goes inside the house, they believe that the souls of their departed ones are still at the table eating the cakes. If the smoke goes out they believe that the souls have already departed. It’s the signal for the visitors to go to the table and eat. Some of the food are thrown down for those souls who are shy and did not want to go up the house with the others.
2. While planting corn it is prohibited to laugh or giggle or else the harvest will be poor.

[p. 74]

3. When ampalaya, upo, patola and other vegetables are planted, bottles and pots are suspended from their trellises so that the vegetables will grow as big as the bottles and pots hanging from the trellises. Others say it is to have as many fruits as possible.
4. Leeches are placed in a bottle or a jar of water and kept inside the house. If the ugly creatures stay in the bottom of the vessel the weather is fine, but if they crawl to the top, it is a sign of an approaching storm.
5. It is customary to plant bananas only when one had just had a hearty meal. Unless this is done the banana fruits will be thin and of a poor quality.
6. When somebody dies in a family nobody is allowed to sweep until after the dead has been buried. Or else another member of the family may soon follow.
7. There is one practice designed to bring good luck to a new house. This consists of putting money (in coins) under the posts of a new house. Putting the money under the posts must be done in secret, however for if anyone sees the act, the charm is lost.
8. It is preferrable to have stairways facing the

[p. 75]

9. Water collected overnight from a banana plant will cure sore eyes. The water is collected in a basin and the eyes are dipped into it for five minutes daily for three days and the sore eyes are cured.
10. When planting tuber crops select a starry night in order to have a good harvest.

[p. 76]

D E A T H S

1. When a person is dead, neighbors usually visit the dead and give alms of any amount.
2. Persons say the Passions of Christ before the dead is buried.
3. Anybody who attended the dead is invited to eat for this is a preparation.
4. Some of the clothes of the dead are placed in the coffin, and if shoes are to be placed they should not be tied.
5. All jewels are removed from the dead.
6. They make a pillow of gamay–gaway leaves for the dead.
7. Before the dead is buried the kins are prohibited to hold round objects, to sweep, or to drag anything on the floor.
8. The kins usually wear black clothes as sign of mourning.
9. Before burial, prayers are said.

B U R I A L

1. Pass the coffin through the door, head first and never let the coffin touch the door.
2. Persons following the dead should never look back, those left in the house must also close the windows so that no one can see the dead.
3. The dead is brought to the priest for the last prayer or the “occasion.”
4. When the dead is ready to be buried, the kins gather around, young ones kiss the hands of the dead for the last time.
5. When the dead is to be buried or lowered to the grave the burial party throws a piece of earth to the grave, as a “pabalon”
6. Upon reaching home of the burial party they stand in group at the gate or near the stair. An old man or woman throws over them a coconut shell of ashes before they could be accepted upstairs.
7. Then prayers are said for the dead for nine days.

[p. 77]

TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS IN
BIRTHS AND BAPTISM

1. Just after the baby’s birth, the cord together with the pillow “inolonan” is buried. This should be buried far away from the house and never under it, so that when the baby grows up he will not be shy and timid.
2. So that the baby’s lips will be red and have rosy cheeks the “midwife” should touch the baby’s lips and cheeks at once with the part of the baby’s cord.
3. The child should be made to lie down with his head at the foot of the mother so that when the baby grows up he will be an obedient child.
4. Several days after the delivery the baby’s skin begins to change and peel off. Nobody must say anything about this, otherwise the baby cannot have a complete change or “pangobac” of skin. Thus he will be dark in complexion when he grows up.
5. New–born babies should not wear new clothes because he will be extravagant with clothes when he grows up. It must be an old garment of either the mother or the father. If the cloth used is of the father, the child will be very close to

[p. 78]

6. The baby’s cord should be kept in a safe place so that the rats will not find it. If not, the child will be a stealer or a robber when he grows up.

B– BAPTISM:–

1. Godparents must be selected as a model to the godchildren.
2. Godparents must pray for their godchildren during the ceremony so that their godchild will be humble ones.
3. During the baptism, godparents usually give the baby a certain amount of money. This is what we call “pakeme.” This is to be kept by the parents to serve as a souvenir.
4. If the parents can afford, parties and dances are held in the child’s honor.
5. Godparents call the mother of the child – “Comadre” or “Made” and the father “Compadre” or “pade.”

[p. 79]

DOMESTIC PRACTICES AND BELIEFS ON DIFFERENT FESTIVALS

NEW YEARS DAY:–

The people avoid spending on New Year’s day so that the year will end without lavish spending. They work hard to make them industrious throughout the year.

GOOD FRIDAY:–

Although this is not a holiday of obligation, the church is jam packed. The people never fail to go to church on the day our Lord died. Children are refrained from making noise when because the Lord is dead.

HOLY SATURDAY:–

On this day

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[p. 80]

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the evening, the table is set with all the foods.

There is one appointed to say the prayer and talk to the souls, after which the members of the family and some other invited guests are called to eat.

They believe that if one eats before the souls are served, something evil would befall on him. These offerings to the souls bring great returns at harvest time.

TOWN FIESTA:–

Believing that their holy patron saint of the town is pleased, every family in the town tries to be hospitable to visitors.

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