Social Traditions and Superstition in Malolos
Article by: Apple Lance Oscar
Tagalog Paper No. 582. Social Traditions and Superstition in Malolos By: Neulta Castro
Manila - March 3, 1926
FILIPINO TRAITS
1. Tagalogs are hospitably inclined, without any egotism, without any idea that he is relieving suffering humanity.
2. The Filipinos held the old man to be an object of great veneration, and whenever there existed a family, the younger members of it were always subservient to him.
3. The person who passes through a group of persons who are talking should stop and attain a position to occupy small space as possible to show respect.
4. Whenever a person has pledged his word in business or in love, it is sacred.
5. Filipino women are singularly modest, one with any apparent fancy for flirtation is as rare as a snowball.
6. Reference for womanhood is a traditional Filipino trait. All authorities agree that she merits the respect given her extraordinary intelligence and skill in business or domestic duties.
7. In education women are as anxious to be educated so men assimilate it rapidly. Conversation with one educated woman may be a joy. She could speak about everything going on in China or Japan or America.
8. In business the Filipinos are less diligent and inoxact.
9. If not spoiled by foreign influences a Filipino is originally courteous, even to their enemies.
10. The Filipinos are generally lovers of music. It seems as though they could not live without it.
11. The Filipinos were from the first religions. At the sound of the Angelus, it is customary for the young and old to bow for a moment for prayer in the evening, after which the children come to kiss the hand of their parents.
SOCIAL TRADITIONS AND SUPERSTITIONS IN MY TOWN
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
Courtship and betrothal of the old days are different from nowadays. A man could not directly court a lady without the parents consent. When a young man fell in love with a lady, he had to tell his parents and if they liked her, the parents made a visit to her father and mother. It was often a ceremonial call and done mostly during night when every member of the family was at home. They talked about other things before the purpose of their call was touched. The mother of the man passed to the mother of the girl a piece of money. Everything depended upon this. If the gift was accepted, the proposal was then accepted too. The happy lover who had been waiting all this time outside was called in, while the mother of the girl sent for drink and bottles.
The next day, the lover visited the parents of the woman, who called all the other relatives to see him. The man was put under probation for two or three years. During all this time, he had to spend most of his time serving and working in the house of his fiancee as a member of the family. In this period, if something undesirable or unexpected is noticed, he must leave and bid farewell to his hopes. Sometimes if nothing was discovered the father of the girl tried to invent one in order to free him and to be profited by a new wooer. If it happened that the girl loved the boy, they eloped, but if she didn’t like him she felt happy when he was sent away. The parents sometimes did not ask the opinion of the girl on the matter. Whether she liked or not the man, she had to obey her mother and father. However, if everything went on prosperously with the engagement, the formal betrothal might come in two years, and was a prodigious affair. Before the wedding, all the relatives of both sides are told about it. Some of them, with the man’s parents, went to the bride’s house and talked about the dowry, the marriage portion and the feasting of there was one. When they came to an agreement, they called the bride and groom and were then finally engaged to be married within a few weeks.
This has not always been the case. There are some elopements which resulted from the dislike of the girl’s parents to the boy or the boy’s parents to the girl. There were some engagements done secretly and when they could not asked the parents’ consent they eloped and went to the justice of the peace to be married. A man or woman who was being forced to marry one whom he or she did not like eloped with some other. Four weeks before the wedding day, the priest to marry them is informed and every Sunday during mass a man announces the coming wedding. This is done for three weeks (every Sunday) so that if there is any complaint coming up, it can be settled at once. If there are any inconveniences or each party found by some other persons, they may bring out the problem to be settled.
The couple should have confession and communion before they can be married. This procedure is also observed today. The dowries to the bride might consist of jewels, money or other property. A woman could not be given to a man as a wife unless her parents saw the dowries. In the feast, the mother and father and other relatives of the man were responsible. Relatives of both parties helped.
FIESTAS
The celebration of fiestas (even in the barrios) are observed with pomp. There is always feasting, with bands of musicians and other enjoyments are displayed. Masses are held and at night the procession; some kinds of games are played in the afternoon.
BAPTISM
In selecting the godfather and godmother, the parents should be careful because the child usually inherited some of their traits. The parents may give a feast if they wanted to, but the godfather or godmother must give gifts to the child which should be kept to give good luck of it.
BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITION
ABOUT MARRIAGE
In a wedding, the lady who will remove the veil of the bride will be the next to marry. It is also believed that the first lady to whom the bride gives the orange blossoms will marry next. To make more fun, the bride asks the women to form a crowd and she then throws her bouquets of flowers, and she who gets it is likely to follow. One of the two sisters or brothers who marry in a single year will meet several hardships in life while the other one will be happy and successful. If you sing while you cook, you are likely to marry a widow. During the marriage ceremony, the couple are given each a candle, and the one whose candle is consumed easily will die first. If during the wedding ceremony, the wedding ring drops, either the bride or the groom will die soon or if the veil of the bride drops, she will be unhappy in her marriage life.
ABOUT LOVE AFFAIR
If you want to know your future husband, count nine stars for nine nights and on the ninth night, you will dream of a man who will be your future husband. If you have some courage of doing a more thrilling proof, you have to wake up before 12 o’clock on the night of “All Saints Day” and face your mirror where you will see another face, not yours. If you dream of your sweetheart, turn over your pillow to make her or him dream of you. When you see three priests walking on the street, hold your handkerchief and you will receive a love letter the next day.
ABOUT FORTUNE
Do not start doing anything on the thirteenth of any month (especially August) because that is an unlucky date.
If you leave the house while some people are eating, you may meet misfortune unless the plates are turned around several times. You are lucky if in going out of the house, the first person you meet is a boy and unlucky if it is a girl. Seeing a horseshoe while walking means goodluck. When walking and you see a snake crossing the street, good fortune is expected, but if a lizard is seen crossing it, and bad luck may befall you. It is not good to pay debts at night because your properties are likely to be gone. Cleaning the table before all have finished eating, may bring good or bad luck. When you see a star falling, knot one corner of your handkerchief to have good luck. If you dream that you have been flying or soaring up in the air, you may meet or received some happiness.
SUPERSTITIONS
During the rainy season, if a cat sneezes there will be a flood.
If you whistle at night in a grassy uninhabited place, snakes will come out.
If you take a bath on Fridays, you will be seriously ill if you ever become sick.
A person who has a big ear will live long.
Sweeping the floor at night makes the family poor.
Centipedes will fall if you open an umbrella inside the house.
She who breaks a lizard's egg is liable to break anything she touches especially the plates and glasses
A woman who is to give birth must not stay on doorways because she will labor hard.
If it does not rain on "All saints day" there will be a drought.
If you choke while eating or drinking, someone is talking about you or thinking of you.
A woman who is to give birth must bring salt with her when she goes in the field to spring along the bamboo trees so that she may not get lost.
If you dream that one of your teeth fall, one or your nearest relatives may die.
Jewels endanger one when there is thunder and lightning.
If you come near a cat or a mirror when there is thunder, you will be struck by it. But if you have a child with you, you will be saved.
One must not sleep with his feet towards the door for when he dies he will go straight to hell.
If a child is between two dead brothers or sisters, he is gifted with the power of curing sickness.
Put the nails (the first time you cut them) of a child in the holy water so that she may be religious.
SOME FILIPINO FOLKLORES
“THE ADAM AND EVE OF THE TAGALOGS”
Many hundred of years ago, when Luzon was still inhabited, Bathala, our supreme god, was envious of Loan, the god of the Visayas, because Loan had many subjects while Bathala's Kingdom was a barren desert. It was within the power of Bathala to create human beings, but not food for them; and so he asked for advice from Diwata, the supreme god of the universe.
Diwata told Bathala that the next day he would send an angel to earth with seeds to be planted. The promise was fulfilled, and Bathala, scattered the seeds all over Luzon. Within a short time, the island was covered with trees and shrubs, and was then ready for human habitation; accordingly Bathala created Adam and Eve, the ancestors of the Tagalog. In spite of the fact that they were forbidden to eat the green fruit as a certain plant they disobeyed and ate it; so as a punishment, they were poisoned and made very sick. They did not die, however as a result of their experience, they gave the name "Lason" (poison) to this plant. Conscious of their fault, Adam and Eve implored forgiveness of Diwata. By order of Diwata, Bathala forgave the criminals, but the "Lason" still remained poisonous. In order to rid of its dangerous properties, an angel was sent to earth, He put the marks of his finger nails on the surface of the pulp of each Lason-seed, and these marks may be seen to this day. Afterwards the name of the plant was changed from "Lason" to "Lanson", the name by which it has been known ever since.
HOW LANZONES BECOME EDIBLE
The little town of Puerto, on the Southern and weather shore of Laguna de Bay, produces more "lansones" than any other town in the province. Steamers call daily at her whereas for the fruits which have made her famous. In the church of this town may still be seen the image of the mother god, the Virgin's Mary, lending the child. One evening long time ago, it was discovered that the beautiful image was missing from its accustomed place in the church. The news appeared like wildfire, and all the people were in the great announcement and consternation. While all was confusion in the town, a heavenly sight was being presented in a little places outside the municipality. A beautiful woman was dressed in white was walking over the grass with a child in her arms. They were going towards a "Lanson-tree" on the other side of the meadow. The boy who was evidently tired of being carried, asked to be put down. When the child saw the fruits scattered all over the ground, he felt very thirsty, and picking up one of the tempting fruits, began to open it. The mother told her son that the fruit was poisonous; but the child said that he was very thirsty, and could go no farther if he did not have a drink. Then the mother took the fruits from his hands, and with her delicate white fingers pinched the pulp gently. Turning to her son, she said, "Now, you may take this and eat it, you will find it the most delicious and refreshing of all fruits". The child obeyed and the Fruit was indeed sweet. This is the way by which the "lansones" were transformed from a poisonous, dangerous fruit to a sweet, delicate food. If any one discredits this story, all he needs to do to prove it's truth is to open up any Lanzon he finds, and he will see without fail the fingerprints of the Virgin.
WHY BATS FEX AT NIGHT
Many years ago the earth was inhabited by only one man. His body was composed of minute organisms that were incessantly worrying against one another. One day, this man became so weak that he could not obtain food for his support. He laid himself down on some soft mows by the bank of the river, and there he remained till night. The organisms that lived in his body began to fight against one another fiercely. Each ate his fellow until he became very big. At last the man died, and only one organism remained alive. This organism then flew away, and became the ancestor of the bats. The light of day so dazzled his eyes that he could not fly very far, so he decided to fly only at night. And ever since, his descendants too, have hidden themselves in the daytime and come out only when it is dark.
THE ORIGIN OF THE MONKEY
A long time ago the world, which was divided into oath and heaven, was very lonesome for Bathala was the only living being in it. He lived in heaven. One day Bathala felt so lonely, that the thought of creating some living beings for his companions came into his mind. He had never thought of this before, although with his infinite power he could do anything he pleased. So he came down to earth to get some clay; but he found the ground very dry, for there was no such thing as rain on the earth. Immediately he said, "Let there be rain!" and the rain fell down. Then, with a large load of slippery clay, Bathala returned to heaven and began the work of creation. He created man, birds, plants, mountains, and rivers (etc). While he was in the act of creating man, however, an accident occurred. As he was molding a piece of a clay into the shape of a man, the mold slipped from his left hand. Bathala was quick enough to grasp the back of this lifeless mass of clay; but the clay was so soft that it stretched out into a long rope, and the mold fell into a tree. In his anger, Bathala said "I cursed thee. Thou shalt have life, but thou shalt inhabit trees. The part of thy body that has been stretched out into a rope shall become thy will." The lifeless mold was at once changed into a monkey, the great-grandfather of all the monkeys.