Bayorbor, Mataasnakahoy, Batangas: Historical Data

Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

Bayorbor is the present official name of the barrio. It was the name given to it since its establishment.

Since this barrio came to existence, the popular name given to it was Bayorbor. It has no derivation whatsoever. It was the whim of the old settlers to call it so.

As a barrio, it has three different sitios [known] as Mahabang Parang, Munting Sulok and Tangkaban. Tangkaban and Mahabang Parang are well-populated.

Bayorbor as an important barrio of the Municipality of Mataasnakahoy was established during the middle part of the 17^th century by its early inhabitants.

The original families of this barrio were the Landichos, the Ariolas and the de Ocampos. These families were the descendants of the Taaleños who settled along Taal Lake. To this day, they are still the leading families of the place.

Bayorbor has a line of eight tenientes del barrio. They were all good leaders and no trouble of [a] grave nature occurred during their incumbencies. These tenientes were Santiago Landicho, Alejandro Landicho, Epifanio Landicho, Mariano de Ocampo, Benito Landicho, Felix Landicho, Jose Landicho and Wenceslao Landicho.

During the early settlement of Bayorbor, the people gathered themselves to live in the small yet fertile sitio of Munting Sulok. As time went on, a narrow road was constructed passing through the middle part of Bayorbor. The people then in Munting Sulok left their hilly places and moved to places along this road. Munting Sulok since the construction of the road became depopulated.

No data on historical events is worthy of being mentioned.

a. During the Spanish Occupation –

During the Spanish occupation, some insurgents, to escape the Spanish tyranny and punishments, took refuge in some of the thick forests and deep caves along the river banks in Taghaban, a sitio of Bayorbor.

A. Baptism – It has been the custom of the people of this place to have the newborn child baptized in bed by the grandparents or by the oldest folk in the place a day or two after birth. They usually celebrate this with eats and drinks. Then afterwards, they have a real baptism done in the church with [a] better and bigger celebration.

B. Courtship and Marriage – In the early days, courtship was not known to men and women. Oftentimes, children were married to one another without [their] knowledge and consent. They were only informed that they were to be married. Their parents made the courtship and the arrangements for marriage.

At present, this practice seldom happens even in low families of the barrio.

C. Death and Burial – When a person dies, it is the common practice of the people to entertain and serve all those who come to sympathize with them and join the interment. The poor, especially, used to put a plate near the dead for the people to give alms. They call this “pakandila.” All the members and near relatives of the family stay together for at least four days after the death of the patient. The fourth day is celebrated with prayers and eats for those who pray for the deceased.

A. Legend

THE LEGEND OF THE SOUR TAMARIND

[A] Long, long time ago, [the] tamarind was sweet. Ladies and gentlemen flocked under the tree to enjoy eating the sweet fruit.

One [day], a young couple happened to think of the sweet fruit. The woman desired to taste at once a fruit and her mouth watered so much. The couple went out together to look for a tree bearing fruit. They saw one and the man climbed it [and] gathered some fruit. The woman ate and ate the sweet fruit. To the people’s surprise, the same tree bore sour fruit the next bearing season. They attributed the sourness of the fruit as a result of the great desire to eat it by the conceiving woman.

THE ORIGIN OF THE CORN

In the old days, there was a queen named Ma-iz. She was very beautiful, with golden hair. She had many suitors, but she turned them down, telling them that she was going to spend her life serving the people. The people were eager to know as to who will be the heir to the throne.

Not long afterwards, there came a young man with a bottle of water of goodwill and a few drops of it would make any old folk young and immortal.

After several years, the queen the same man bent with age. The queen was surprised and asked him why he did not make use of his water of goodwill. The man’s answer moved the queen so much that she drank from the bottle of goodwill and [all] of a sudden, she grew older and older and died of old age. The people buried her and a few months after, a plant with [an] ear of corn with golden hair grew on her grave. The people called it the “Maiz.”

THE “IKE”

[A] Long, long time ago, the world was believed to be ruled by malignant spirits of darkness. They loved darkness and avoided the sunlight. They lived in the forests, in the mountains and caves. When the night came, they roamed inflicting suffering or doing harm to the people.

One of these children of darkness was called the “Ike.” It was a wicked creature, half-man and half-bird. It could change itself from [a] human being during the daytime to a bird during the night. It rested and slept during the day and flew out into the night to look for houses where there were sick persons. People did not notice him look like a night bird. It alighted on the roof of a house of a patient hovering between life and death. Its thread-like tongue could be seen dangling from the roof to the sick body to get the digestive organs of the sick person. Thus, the patient felt the inflicting pain and soon died. All that could be heard was the flapping of wings and the squeaking sounds of the “Ike.” “Ike” as the bird flew away.

To overcome them, garlic used to be pounded and scattered over the roof and a lamp had to be hung under the house of a sick person.

Superstitions

A. Popular songs –

B. Games and Amusements –

a. One who does not look back [page torn] never reaches [page torn]
b. The road to failure is easy to pass [page torn] way to success is narrow and hard.
c. If you have the feeling, distance does not count.
d. Modesty is an emblem of virtue.
e. Clean thoughts manifest themselves in clean deeds.
f. The open trunk will cause the holy man to sin.
g. Although you are wealthy and well-dressed, if you have no manners, you are not worth a grain.
h. Though you like him not, humiliate him not.
i. A soft answer turneth away wrath.
j. Speak modest words so that you will hear good sounds.
k. Politeness costs nothing and wins everything.
l. Praise to the face is pure mockery.
m. Let your failure be a stepping stone to your success.
n. Everything is possible to the strong in heart.
o. If you don’t trust in luck, you can never cross the sea; for a will that is strong is tested through hardship.
p. Difficulty is a stepping stone to success.
q. It is better to have something than to have nothing.
r. A person who is not contented with what God has given him oftentimes sees the dark side of life.
s. A choosy person chooses poorly in the end.
t. Rather be tranquil though poor than rich but in trouble.
u. If a man often washes his hands, it is a sign that he is dirty.
v. The true life of a man is not measured by its length but by its virtue.
w. Your appearance and actions speak of your manner and on conduct.
x. Learn to rise early and you shall live contentedly.

1. Position of the sun.
2. Position of the stars at night.
3. The crowing of the cocks at night.
4. The opening of the patola flowers in the afternoon.

Notes and references: