Sampa, Santa Teresita, Batangas: Historical Data Part I

PART II

PART I | PART II

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bride and groom are climbing the stairs, rice is being showered on the newlyweds. Before the party is over, the bride and the bridegroom sit at opposite sides of the table. Relatives and close friends of the couple give money to the bride and the relatives of the bride give money to the groom. A cigarette or cigar is given in exchange for the money. Everybody who gives money is listed. This occasion is called “sabogan.” Whenever the relatives have given the money, all the money including the list of persons who gave the money is put together in a small bag. The groom now gives the bag to the bride. This part is called “isinusulit,” and “unang hanapbuhay.” After this, the newlyweds kneel before elder relatives like parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and ask for their blessings. The party breaks up, and the bride gets ready to go to the groom’s house. The relatives of the groom follow a short time later. No relative of the bride is allowed to go with the bride in going to the groom’s house. The belief is that the bride will always go back to her parents if a relative is allowed to accompany her to the groom’s home. Upon reaching the groom’s home, the bride goes direct to the kitchen and puts out the fire. After changing clothes, the bride goes down and sweeps the surroundings of the house. The belief for this is that the bride will get along harmoniously with her husband’s parents and relatives. The couple stays at home and then returns to the wife’s parents after four days.

E. DEATH: When someone dies, all relatives and friends pay a visit [and] offer prayers for the dead soul of a person. Everybody who pays a visit puts a sum of money on a dish placed beside

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the dead person. The sum of money is called “pakandila” which means that the money will be used for buying candles. Relatives and close friends of the dead person watch over the dead body at night until the remains are put in the final resting place. This watching at night is called “puyatan” or “lamayan.” This is done because people say that this is the last time they will see the person. Some who still believe in superstition say that the dead body is watched because a witch like “ike” or “taong panike” or “manananggal” might steal the liver of the dead body, so that the “manananggal” will be afraid to come near and steal [the] liver of the dead person. During the night when the watch is on, games are played to keep the watchers awake. Some of the games are “huego de prenda,” “tres siete,” a game using “bugtungan” [or] guessing riddles. Coffee and bread are usually served.

During the burial of the dead person, a prayer is offered for the dead person every night for nine consecutive nights. On the eighth day, if the person who dies is old, or fourth day, if the person who died is young, relatives and close friends get together in the house where the person died. A prayer is offered for the soul of the dead. This occasion is called “walohang araw” or “apatang araw,” as the case may be. Food is served on these occaions.

From the day one dies, relatives mourn by wearing black dresses for one year. All dresses worn by relatives for one year are black. During this period of the year, relatives cannot be serenaded or even sing a song because they say it is a sign of respect for the dead. One year after the death, the relatives again get together. At noon, a prayers is offered for the dead and the black dresses are taken off and

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thrown out of the window. This day is called “baba-ang luksa” or “laglag luksa” or “ibis luksa.” Food is served on this occasion.

Food served during the eighth day after burial and on a year after burial do not include vegetables that crawl like string beans, squash, and other similar vegetables. Plates are not placed one on top of the other. The belief is that a close relative will soon die in the near future if these things are done.

F. BURIALS: Before putting the dead into the coffin [or] casket, li me in [the] form of [a] cross is spread at the bottom of the coffin. This practice is done to prevent bad odor to emit from the dead body. While the dead body is being carried downstairs, a dipper full of water is thrown down the stairs. In carrying the dead body to the cemetery, the feet point at the direction where the carriers are going. The dead body is carried to the church before proceeding to the cemetery. A prayer is offered at the church and before putting the dead into the grave. While the dead body is being lowered into the grave, relatives get a handful of soil by the grave and throw the soil in to the grave.

G. VISITS: Persons who make visits to relatives bring some presents, especially when they have not seen each other for a long time. Visiting relatives are invited to a meal. Newlyweds pay a visit to relatives, especially those who were not able to attend the wedding. The newlyweds are given a sum of money. This practice is called “manganganak.”

H. FESTIVAL: During Christmas Day, members of the family get together. A prayer is offered and the family eats special meals. Sometimes, a party is given and relatives and friends

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are invited. During the outgoing of the year, New Year’s Eve, many young people and old stay awake and wait for the coming New Year. At the coming of the New Year, that is midnight, firecrackers are fired. People who are awake beat cans. Sometimes, the people who beat cans go around the barrio beating the cans. At the coming of the New Year, the people listen carefully to the sound made by animals. Sounds made by the cow are a sign of good luck and [a] prosperous year. During the Lenten seasons, “Kuresma,” the people read aloud a sort of tune from a book which deals with the life of Jesus Christ. Stanzas are read alternately by males and females. Singing songs, serenading, and dancing are prohibited by the old folks. They say that this is a sign of respect for Jesus Christ.

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OTHER PRACTICES, CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Seeds for planting, especially rice, our drive on Friday only. Not even a single seed is eaten or bitten. The belief is that the remaining seeds will not give a harvest. The plants will be destroyed by rats. Rice seeds for planting are sold on the farms on days having no “R” like Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

In selecting a place where the house is to be built on, one uses a piece of stick. This stick has been measured by stretching the hands. The piece of steak is thrown around the place and after each throw, the stick is measured by the reach of the fingers. The place where the stick becomes longer than the stretch is the best to build a house. The belief is that the life of the people [who] will live in the house that will be built will be prosperous.

Moving into a new house is done on or before the full moon. This is done to make the life of the person who will live in this house prosperous. The first things moved in the house is usually done, our water put into a jar placed in the middle of the house, rice, salt, and a lighted lamp. Moving into the new house is usually done before dawn. The popular songs in the barrio our kundimans. Games played our tubigan, especially on moonlit nights, softball, games using native cards and the native checkers.

Amusements are pandango and subli on special occasions. Besides these mentioned above, there are also some kinds such as cockfighting, horse racing, exfighting [?], and patahan. These kinds of games are done especially during Sundays, holidays and sometimes at noon when everybody is at rest.

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PROVERBS:

1. Huwag ipagpabukas ang magagawa ngayon.

2. Kung magsama-sama tayo’y magtatagumpay, kung maghihiwalay, tayo’y mabibigo.

3. Hindi lahat ng kumikinang ay ginto.

4. Walang matimtimang birhen sa matiyagang manalangin.

5. Ang dila ay hindi patalim, nguni’t kung sugat ay malalim.

6. Ang sapa kung malagaw-law, asahan mo at mababaw.

7. Walang sumisira sa bakal kundi ang sariling kalawang.

8. Kung ang mata ay nilalang upang tumingin, ang kagandahan ang dapat sisihin.

9. Daig ng agap ang liksi at sipag.

10. Hindi lalapit ang bato sa suso.

11. Ang mga ibong may iisang kulay ay siya ang magkakasama sa kawan.

12. Huwag bibilangin ang sisiw hanggang hindi napipisa.

13. Gawin lahat sa kahinahunan, kung sa dahas dadaanin ay walang mararating.

14. Nasa pagkakaisa.

15. Ang dila ay hindi patalim nguni’t kung sugat ay malalim.

I N F O R M A N T S

PART I | PART II

Transcribed from “History and Cultural Life of the Barrio of Sampa,” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.