Ilijan, Batangas (Town), Batangas: Historical Data - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Ilijan, Batangas (Town), Batangas: Historical Data - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Ilijan, Batangas (Town), Batangas: Historical Data

Batangas History
1 Jan, 2018
Historical Data graphic
Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Ilijan, Batangas Town, Batangas, the original scanned documents at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections not having OCR or optical character recognition properties. This transcription has been edited for grammar, spelling and punctuation where possible. The original pagination is provided for citation purposes.

[p. 1]

HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF ILIJAN

1. Present official name of the barrio: Ilijan.

2. Popular name of the barrio: Ilijan which was derived from the word “Iluhan” which means sugar mill that was erected by the Spaniards during their time. The sitios included are: Lilinggiwan, Palindan, Mormor, and Ebreo.

3. Date of establishment: 1865

4. Original families: The Claros, Jimenezes, Sanchezes, Manguerras, Evangelistas, Goots, Bajas, and Furtos.

5. List of tenientes del barrio:

Spanish time:
a. Nicomedes Claro
b. Fidelino Antenor
c. Victorio Aguila
d. Alberto Concepcion
e. Andres Ebora
f. Cornelio Pagkaliwagan
g. Froilan Jimenez
h. Pedro Hernandez
i. Miguel Silang
j. Juan Manguerra
k. Miguel Silang
l. Potenciano Silang
American Time:
m. Mariano Añonuevo
n. Juan Perez
Present
o. Juan Perez
p. Juan Manguerra
q. Doroteo Magadia

6. No sitios are depopulated or extinct.

7. Date of historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins. The former big sugar mill from which the name of Ilijan was derived was still traceable.

8. Important facts, incidents, or events that took place.

A. During the Spanish time
1. None
B. During the American Occupation to World War II
1. None
C. During and after world War II
1. Inauguration of the newly constructed church on December 17, 1951.

9. Destruction of lives, properties and institutions during wars, especially in 1896-1900 and 1941-1945.

None

[p. 2]

10. Measures and accomplishments toward rehabilitation and reconstruction following World War II

1. Reconstruction of the school building and the church.

F O L K W A Y S

A. Panganganak: Ang bata ay kinakailangang bantayan lalo na sa gabi ng mga kamag-anak upang iligtas sa mga espiritu na lalapit sa bata. (A child after birth needs to be guarded by the relatives especially at night to be free from bad spirits.)

B. Pagbibinyag: Tuwing may bibinyagang bata ay may kaunting salo-salo at ang pagbibinyag ay ginagampanan ng pari or dili kaya’y isang matanda sa nayon na maalam magbuhos o magbinyag. (When a baby is to be baptized, there is always a sort of a party. Baptism is either done by a priest or an old man in the community who knows how to perform the ceremony.)

C. Pagligaw: Ang binatang maniligaw pagkatapos ng ilang pagbisita sa bahay ng babae at sa pahintulot ng babae ay pumapasok ng kung tawagin ay pangangasawa. Sa pagkakataong ito, siya ay nagtatrabaho sa bahay ng dalaga. Tinugungkol niya ang pang-araw na Gawain katulad ng pag-igib, pangangahoy, at pagbayo ng palay. Habang siya ay gumagawa nito, siya ay nasa mahigpit na pagmamasid ng magulang ng dalaga at kamag-anakan. Pagkatapos ng ilang araw o sa gusto ng magulang ng dalaga ay ipinatatawag ng magulang ng dalaga ang magulang ng binata upang pag-usapan ang kasalan o ang pangingibig ng binata. Kung sakaling naiibigan ng dalaga ang binata sampu ng kanyang mga magulang, dito sa pag-uusapan ng mga magulang ay kanilang mapapagkasunduan ang tinatawag na bilang at anyo ng kasalan.

Courtship: A man after several proposals and with the permission of the girl has to show that he knows to work by doing all the household work in the lady’s home like fetching water, getting fuel, and pounding rice. After several days, a conference is held by the parents of both parties. The dowry to be given, the expenses to be incurred, and when the wedding day will be held is taken up in case the man passes the test.

[p. 3]

D. Pag-aasawa: Ang kasal ay isinasagawa ng pari. Lahat ng kamaganakan ng dalaga at ng binata ay nadalo sa kasalan. Ang kamag-anak ng dalaga ay maaaring hindi tumulong sa paggawa ngunit ang kamag-anak ng binata ay dapat na siyang gumawa. Pagkatapos ng kainan ay may sabugan. Sa pagkakataong ito ay may ipinagbibiling alak, kalamay at iba pa sa mataas na halaga at ang napagbilhan ng mag-asawa ay maaaring paragdagan ng kanilang paghahanap buhay sa kanilang pagsasama.

Marriage: Marriage is solemnized by the priest after which a wedding party is held. All the relatives of both parties are invited to the occasion. [The] girl’s relatives are not obliged to help, for which the man’s party is responsible. After the feast, a sabugan follows. During this time, food and drinks are sold by the couple at high prices for which the money they may use them as their first stage in their livelihood.

E. Pagkamatay: Ang patay ay dinadala sa kamposanto matapos bendisyonan ng pari. May pagkakataong ang mga naulila ay kumakanta habang ihihahatid ang bangkay sa kanyang hantungan. Bago ihulog ang patay ay muling nagdarasal ang mga naiwan sa libingan. Ang mga naulila ay hindi kumakain ng anumang gulayin hanggang sa ika siyam na araw. Hindi nila pinagpapatong ang mga pinggan sa kanilang pagkain sa kanilang paniniwalang may sumusunod na namamatay.

Burial: The dead is buried as usual in the cemetery after being blessed by the parish priest in the church where a short prayer is offered for the repose of his soul. Sometimes, the relatives of the deceased sing hymns as they accompany the dead to the cemetery. Another prayer is offered before the body is lowered into the grave. The relatives of the deceased do not eat sappy or climbing vegetables because they believe that a member of the family may follow.

F. Pagsasaya: Taon-taon ay may isang araw na ipinagdidiwang ang pista ng mahal na Patron ng nayon.

[p. 4]

Ipinagdiriwang din nila ang Flores de Mayo. Halos gabi-gabi ay may novena ang mga binata at dalaga sa buwan ng Nobyembre hanggang bago mag mahal na araw.

Festivals: Every year, a specific day is set aside for a fiesta in honor of the Patron saint of the barrio. [The] Mayflower festival is also held almost every night during the month of May. Novenas are held every night by young men and women especially during the month of November till before the Holy Week.

G. Parusa: Wala pa namang napaparusahan sa nayon ngunit inaayos na ng Pangulo ng mga gusto na di naman lubha. Dinadala ng Pangulo sa bayan upang maayos ang mga kaso na di niya kaya.

Punishment: There is no punishment done in the barrio whatsoever but cases that are not serious are taken care of by the Pangulo. Serious cases are brought to town.

H. Paglilibing: Ang lahat ng maglilibing kapag napalapit sa hukay na huhulugan ng bangkay ay dumadakot ng kaunting lupa at itinatapon sa hukay.

Burials: Relatives of the deceased when they get near the hole get a handful of soil to be thrown at the hole.

Paniniwala ukol sa panahon:

a. Nalalaman ng mga tao ang pagpapalit ng panahon sa pamamagitan ng amoy ng dagat, anyo ng lubugan ng araw, at sa pamamagitan ng alon. Alam nilang babagyo sa pamamagitan ng pagtingin sa alapaap at sa hangin.

Changes in climate: People can foretell changes in climate by means of the odor of the sea, appearance of the sunset, and the movements of the waves. They can tell the occurrence of earthquakes by means of the temperature and the typhoon by means of the direction of the wind.

[p. 5]

b. Kambal: May paniniwala silang ang pag-anak ng kambal ay dahil sa pagkain ng kambal na prutas tulad ng saging.

Twins: They believe that twins are brought about by eating twin fruits as bananas.

c. Pagkakasakit: Kapag ang iloy ay tumigil ng pag-agos ay tanda ng pagkakaroon ng sakit o salot.

Sickness: They believe that when the river becomes stagnant, sickness is likely to occur.

Karaniwang Awitin at Laro: Walang karaniwang awitin ang mga tao kundi ang kundimang nakikita nila sa basahin. Paminsan-minsan ay kinakanta din nila ang Silanganin. Ang karaniwang laro ay ang patentero o tubigan na kanilang ginagawa kapag maliwanag ang buwan. Ang mga matatanda ay ang larong dama ang kinagigiliwang laruin kung gabi sa harap ng tindahan. Mayroong ding naglalaro ng tres siete.

Popular Songs and Games and Amusements: People are fond of singing kundiman from song hits published monthly or those songs found in the weekly magazines. Older ones sing the Silanganin when they get drunk. Young boys are fond of playing games, the most popular being the patentero or tubigan and the skyo, which they play during moonlit nights. Older ones are engaged in the game of checkers.

Bugtong: – Riddles

a. Mag-ulan, mag-araw hanggang tuhod ang salwal. Manok.
Rainy or sunny days, his pants are under the knee. Chicken.

b. Dala ka niya, dala mo rin siya. – Bakya
You carry him, he carries you. – Wooden shoes

c. Pantas ka ma’t marunong, nag-aral ka man ng malaon turan mo kung anong kahoy ang dumapo sa ibon – Paniki
You may be intelligent, you may have learned much, can you tell me what kind of a tree that alighted on the bird - Bat

[p. 6]

Salawikain – Proverbs and sayings:

a. Kapag may sinuksok ay may titingalain.
If you have kept something, you can look for something.

b. Ang di lumingon sa pinanggalingan, ay di makararating sa paruruunan.
If you don’t look back, you cannot reach where you are going.

c. Ang hipong tulog ay nadadala ng agos.
Sleeping shrimps are carried away by the current.

d. Kung walang magawang magaling, ang masama ay huag ng gawain.
If you cannot do good, do not try to do something wrong.

e. Ang iyo ay atin, ang akin ay akin.
Yours is ours, mine is mine alone.

f. Walang masamang akin.
All my things are good.

g. Ang lumakad ng matulin, matinik man ay malalim.
If you do not hesitate in what you will do, you will surely meet misfortunes.

Other folktales: None

No author residing in this place.

Notes and references:
Transcribed from “History and Cultural Life of Ilijan,” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.
Next Post Previous Post