Coliat, Ibaan, Batangas: Historical Data
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Coliat in the Municipality of Ibaan, 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 THE BARRIO OF COLIAT
Part One: History
1. Present official name of the barrio – Coliat
2. Popular name of the barrio, present and past; derivation and meanings of these names. Names of sitios included within the territorial jurisdiction of these barrios.
The word COLIAT was derived from a vine called coliat. Old folks say that these vines grew very well in this barrio when it was still a wilderness. The fruits of these plants were so delicious, round and similar to those of the lanzones, so when the barrio was established, it was called COLIAT.
3. Date of establishment –
This barrio was established during the Spanish regime in the early part of the 18th century.
4. Original families:
The families of Anonuevo and Perez were the original settlers of this place.
5. No records
6. Names and Social Status of the Founders.
Old folks of the barrio could not tell the founders of the place.
7. Data on historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins.
A stone quarry where the stones used to build the town church were taken from this place.
8. Important facts, incidents or events that took place:
a. During the Spanish Occupation (Concentration of the barrio people by the Guardia Civil). This was done because during those days, tulisanes roamed the barrio and robbed the people of their valuable possessions. In order that the Guardia Civil could recognize the tulisanes from those who were not, the above procedure was practiced.
b. During the American Occupation to World War II
This barrio was an evacuation center during the early years of World War II. Those people from the neighboring towns of Batangas, Lipa, and Rosario had come to this place to seek refuge.
c. During and after World War II
9. Destruction of lives, properties, and institutions during wars, especially in 1896-1900 and 1941-1945.
10. b. Measures and accomplishments toward rehabilitation and reconstruction following World War II
[p. 2]
PART TWO. Folkways
Traditions, customs, and practices in domestic and social life; birth, baptism, courtship, marriage, death, burial, visits, festivals, punishments:
Birth –
1. If the offspring of the family were all females and a boy is desired, it is believed that when a mother steals a man’s article, the child that will be brought forth is a boy.
2. During the period of pregnancy, it is bad for the family to have the back porch (batalan) built or repaired. This means that the mother will have to undergo [a] difficult delivery.
3. A pregnant woman should not sit on the steps of the stairs for the same reason.
4. During the menstrual period, it is not advisable to eat sour things.
5. It order that a newborn child will acquire some special talent, something must have to be buried with the placenta, e.g. needle and thread to become a good dressmaker.
6. A pregnant woman must not wrap anything around her neck. This means that the umbilical cord of the child might also entangle the neck.
7. A pregnant woman followed by a “tianak” or a premature child which was not baptized is bad. It means abortion.
8. Anything asked for by a conceiving woman must be heeded, for it will have a direct effect on the child, e.g. physical deformities might resemble the fruit conceived upon.
9. A plant conceived by a conceiving woman will turn sour and will eventually die.
Baptism –
Courtship and Marriage –
Courtship today is quite a contrast to courtship during the early years. During the early days, a man should be very courteous and respectful. When he visited a girl, right after entering the door of the house, he should walk in kneeling position up to the one whom he wanted to pay due respect.
Conversation between the girl and the man was very limited because the old folks were watching each other’s moves. When it was already late in the night, the parents would have to close the windows, meaning the time was up.
It [was] quite common [in] those days for a man to be married to a woman he did not love or he did not know because it was the parents who made the arrangements. So, when a woman eloped with a man, the parents were very angry because their agreements or compromise did not materialize.
When a woman was set to be married, the groom-to-be usually gave a very big bundle of selected fuel. This bundle was kept under the house and was used after the marriage. That bundle of firewood signified the burning love.
The man before marriage underwent an acid test. He offered his services freely by getting water, helping in the daily chores of the household, farming, repairing the house, and etc. And before they were married, the man had already lost pounds in weight. If, however, these services were not done faithfully, the marriage might still be annulled [cancelled is probably a better word].
[p. 3]
Dowries sometimes determined much the success of the proposed marriage. If a woman did not like the man, she could exact a large amount of dowry or bigay-kaya such as hectares of land, money, animals, etc. from the man and if the latter could not live up to her wishes, his love could be spurned.
In the church, some crude practices also prevailed such as the stepping on the foot of the man without being noticed. This was so that when you had stepped on the foot, you would gain control of him.
When they reached the house of the bride, where the wedding feast was held, they were showered with rice, meaning to say that the couple would not starve.
The first set of the table was for the relatives of the bride exclusively until everybody of the bride’s family had all eaten. The rest of the setting might be for the rest of the guests.
After the feast came the shower, where all the relatives and friends of both parties were enjoined to share.
Then, the bride was taken away to her new family. She was accompanied by a throng of the groom’s relatives and friends. While she was leaving her family, she should not look back for she might think of her former home always. When they reached the house of the groom, she kissed the hands of the old folks there. She sat down on the mat together with the new family. The groom, who was left behind, followed her when the sun set.
It is very interesting to note that in a one room house where all the members of the family were sleeping, the wedded folks could have their romance successfully.
Death –
When death comes, people say it is the will of God. In a certain family, when [death] comes so often, the cause is attributed to the structure of the house, its no good location or whatnot.
It has been the custom of our women to wear black and for men to wear a black band around the arm when one in the family dies. Special evening prayers are said up to the ninth day by the members [of the family] and relatives of the deceased. On the fourth and ninth days, feasts are held. The thirtieth day, if a woman, and the fortieth day, if a man, are also celebrated.
People believed that the souls of the dead return. If he or she had worn shoes when buried, one will hear the clicking of the heels at night. When the dead had some hidden money that was not divulged during the time when he or she was living, [the] where-about of the money is discovered.
Burial –
A pregnant woman is forbidden to enter the cemetery.
Persons with skin diseases must refrain from entering the cemetery for it may get worse.
When one of the spouses is being buried, the other must not look, for it [he or she] may marry soon.
Myths and Legends –
[p. 4]
Myths and Legends –
THE STORY OF JUANANG ILAYA
Juana was a beautiful woman. She was a newly-wedded woman. A witch (tigbalang) fell in love with her and snatched her. She became possessed with supernatural powers like those of her witch husband. As the story went, she roamed the barrio courting other men. She wore a red dress and if she wanted a man, she misled the man on his way, thus the man got lost on his way. The man would have the forest as his home where Juana could give him the best reception. This man would also become a witch because of the food given him.
Mga Pamahiin:
Ang dalagang kumakanta sa harap ng abuhan o kalan ay magkaka-asawa ng balo.
Kung matutungtungan ng lalaki ang belo ng babae sa oras ng kanilang kasal, ang lalaki ay siyang makaka-pangyari sa buhay nilang mag-asawa.
Kapag ang anak ay pinagapitan sa pagtulog ng mag-asawa, hindi magtatagal at mamamatay ang bata sapagka’t ang ayos na iyon ay tulad ng isang kabaong.
Kung maunang tumindig ang babae sa pagkaluhod at matuunan ang balikat ng lalaki, ang babae ang siyang magiging makapangyarihan sa kanilang dalawa.
Kung ang pusa’y naghihilamos sa pintuan ay may darating na bisita.
Kung ang apoy ay tumatawa, mayroong darating na bisita.
Masama ang lipon ng tatlo sa pagpakuha ng litrato.
Ang kakasaling binata ay huwag magpapagawa ng batalan at baka hindi matuloy ang kasal.
Huwag manhihinuko kung araw ng Biyernes at Martes at baka magtayngahin ang kuko.
Pag bagong galing sa patay, huwag kaagad pupunta sa halamanan sapagka’t mamamatay din ang halaman.
Pag ikaw ay nag-anak sa binyag ay agad uunahan sa paglabas sa pintuan na ang iyong inanak ay lumigsi.
Kung may butig at gustong alisin ay pagtugtug ng hustia sa simbahan ay kamutin at iyon ay maaalis.
Pagputok ng Bagong Taon at unang narinig ay hini ng kabayo o tahol ng aso ay ibig sabihin ay masama ang lalakad ng panahon.
Huwag magbabayad ng utang sa gabi ang nang huwag mabagal ang salta ng kuwalta.
Huwag mong papatakan ng luha ang patay at baka hindi tanggapin sa langit.
[p. 5]
A maiden who sings in front of a stove will be married to a widower.
If the groom steps on the veil of the bride at their wedding hour, the man will be the boss in their conjugal life.
If the daughter or son sleeps between the father and mother, very soon the son or daughter will die.
During the wedding ceremony, the one who first stands up from the kneeling position and at the same time pressing the shoulder will be the dominant one.
If a cat washes its face in front of the door, a visitor is expected.
If the flame wavers, thus producing a sound as if it seems to laugh, a visitor will come.
Three in a group is not good for picture-taking, for one of them will die soon.
Don’t go to your plantation just after visiting a dead person. Your plants might suffer the same fate.
Don’t cut your nails on Fridays and Tuesdays for it will make your nails grow poorly.
Don’t pay debt at night because it will be hard for you to earn, [and] thus be bankrupt.
Don’t let your tears drop to the deceased person, otherwise the dead person will not be admitted to heaven.
Puzzles –
Mayroong mag-amang nangingisda sa dagat. Nang sila’y may huli na ay tinanong ng ama sa anak, “Ilan ang huli?” “Tatlo pa po at apat.” Ilan ang huhulihin pa ng anak?
Sagot – Tatlo
Anong pangalan ng tao na kung bigkasin ay nakaikum ang bibig sa katapusan.
May isang binata na naglilinis ng kaingin. Noong matapos niyang malinis ay dumaan ang napakagandang dalaga. Ang sabi ng dalaga, “Iniibig ko ikaw, binata!” Ano kaya ang nasa kalooban ng binate? - - Itak (bolo)
Bakit pumasok ang aso sa simbahan? (Bukas ang pinto)
Ako’y nakahuli ng dalag. Ano ang masarap sa dalag? – Makaalpas.
Pitong Sabel at isang Petra, ilan lahat iyan? Ans. 3
May isang matandang namamangka ay pisik ng damot. Maraming lulang siyang mansanas. Mayroon namang isang bata na [blurred word] na ibig ng mansanas. Kumayat ang kanyang laway sa kagustuhan na sa mansanas ngunit hinding-hindi siya bigyan ng matanda. Nabili ay ayaw pa ring magbili. Ano ang ginawa ng bata upang siya’y makakain ng mansanas? (Binato niya ang matanda at noong magalit naman ay binato ang bata ng mansanas palibhasa’y walang madamput.
[p. 6]
Salawikain –
Ang palalong walang tuto
Api saan man patungo
At sa hirap nanagano.
Kilala sa labong ang magiging bungbong.
Sabihin mo sa akin ay iyong kaibigan
At sasabihin ko naman kung sino ikaw.
Kung saan ang hilig ng kahoy ay doon din mabubuwal.
Ang kasipagan ay ugat ng kayamanan.
Pag may hirap may ginhawa.
Walang masamang tabako sa magaling manguwako.
Magkapula-pula ang saga ay maitim din ang kabila.
Ang hanap sa bula-bula ay biglang wala.
Pedro’y iyong tandaan, kapag buhay ang inutang ay buhay rin ang kabayaran.
One who is very proud will live in poverty.
From the bamboo shoots, one can tell which one can be made into a coater pole.
Tell me who your companion is and I will tell you who you are.
Where the post leans, it will surely fall into that direction.
Industry is the root of wealth.
One who suffers will reap due reward.
No bad cigar for a vicious smoker.
However red is the (saga), the other part is always black.
Easily earned; easily spent.
One who obeys the parent becomes rich.
You must remember Pedro, if you owe a life, it will be repaid by [a] life also.
Mga Bugtong –
Kung araw ay yumaon ka; kung gabi’y halika na. – bintana
Isang lupa-lupaan sa dulo ng kawayan. – Titis ng sigarilyo
Karga ng karga; wala namang upa. – haligi ng bahay
Alisto ka pandak; daratnan ka ng mabigat. – dikin
Di naman isda, di naman itik, nakakahuni kong [kung] ibig.
[p. 7]
Isang senyora, hila-hila ang saya.
Lahat sa akin ay nagmamahal suot, iyo’y putian at puso ko’y dilaw.
Ako’y nagtanim ng isip sa ilalim ng tubig daho’y makikitid at bunga’y matutulis. – palay
Noong ihulog ay but-o; nang hanguin ay trumpo. – singkamas
Pag bata’y nagtatapis; pag tanda’y nagbibihis. – kawayan
Sunod-sunod ang sisidlan; may takip ngunit walang laman. – kawayan
In daytime it goes there and at nighttime it comes here.
A piece of land at the top of a bamboo pole.
Always loaded but not compensated.
Shortie, you may get ready for a heavy load will come to you.
I wound and wound it; then I throw it.
A beautiful maiden pulling her skirt.
Neither a fish nor a duck; but it can chirp whenever it likes.
Everybody loves me. My dress is white and my heart is red.
I planted wisdom beneath the water. Its leaves are narrow and its fruits are pointed.
When I drop it, it is a seed; when I pick it up, it is a top.
When she is young, she puts on a skirt but when she grows up, she takes it off.
The receptacle is one after another with a cover in each but is empty inside.
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