Natatas, Tanauan, 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 Natatas in the City of Tanauan, 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.
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HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE BARRIO (of Natatas)
PART ONE: HISTORY
1. Present official name of the barrio: N A T A T A S.
2. Popular name of the barrio, present and past: NatatasNames of sitios included within the barrio:
b. Pook
c. Gaong
3. Date of establishment: More than 150 years ago.
4. Original families:2. Nuñez family
| 1. Alejandro Gonzales | 1901-1907 |
| 2. Ciriaco Plete | 1907-1913 |
| 3. Mario Castillo | 1913-1916 |
| 4. Gregorio Molino | 1916-1922 |
| 5. Rufino Ortiz | 1922-1925 |
| 6. Crispulo Magpantay | 1925-1928 |
| 7. Eugenio Paz | 1928-1934 |
| 8. Doroteo Magpantay | 1934-1937 |
| 9. Toribio Nuñez | 1937-1940 |
| 10. Juan Casapao | 1940-1953 |
6. Story of old barrios or sitios within the jurisdiction that are now depopulated or extinct: N o n e.
7. Data on historical sites, structures, buildings, old ruins, etc.: Ruins of the Sugar Mill owned by the Almeda family of Tanauan, Batangas.
8. Important facts, incidents or events that took place:
2. Establishment of chapels.
3. Teaching of the “Cartilla,” “Caton,” and other prayer books.
4. Teaching of good manners and right conduct.
2. Emphasis on hygiene and sanitation.
3. Construction of semi-permanent and decent homes.
4. Free public instruction to children in public schools.
2. Organization of socio-civic clubs, recreation centers, and athletic clubs.
3. Active participation in health campaigns.
4. People were encouraged to enter in business and farmers were give more aid, financially, by the rural banks and, materially, by the MSA and PHILCUSA.
| (1896 - 1900) | American soldier killed by “insurrectos.” |
| (1941 - 1945) | Massacre of inhabitants and looting or burning of their properties by Japanese soldiers. |
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Tagalog translation: Matapos mailuwal ang sanggol ay ang ama ng bata ay madaling nagpapatay ng mga manok upang ma pagsalu-saluhan ng mga taong naroroon bilang pasasalamat sa Diyos sa maluwalhating pagkasilang ng sanggol. Sila din ay nagsisipag dasal matapos na ang bata ay mai-anak.
Baptism: Several days after the birth of the child, the parents decide on who will be the sponsor for the baptism of their child. Preliminary to the baptism, which is customarily officiated by a priest, a so-called “buhusan” use made where in anybody, usually the oldest man in the barrio, officiates. A small piece is held and later on, a day is fixed or set for the actual baptism which is performed in the church. The sponsor provides the baptismal dress for the baby, pays for the baptismal fee, and usually buy drinks (liquors) and other gifts for the celebration and his or her godchild. After the celebration, the parents of the child give their “compadre” or “comadre” gifts, usually in the form of the best food available and their fattest chickens.
Tagalog translation: Pagkalipas nang ilang araw na maisilang ang sanggol ay ang ama at ina ng bata ay pumipili ng magiging ina o amang binyag ng kanilang anak. Bago dumating ang takdang araw ng binyagan ay magkakaroon muna ng tinatawag na buhusan o buhos tubig at karaniwang nagkakaroon din ng kaunting pagdiriwang o salu-salo. Pagdating ng araw ng pagbibinyag, ang padrino o madrina ay siyang bumibili ng pabinyagan at siya din ang nagbabayad ng ukol na kaupahan sa simbahan. Nagdadala din siya ng mga regalo at mga inumin (alak) para sa kanyang inaanak at sa handaan na gaganapin pagkatapos ng binyagan. Sa pag-uwi ng padrino o madrina ay karaniwan siyang nireregaluhan naman ng mga magulang ng bata ng pinakamasarap na pagkain at pinaka matabang manok.
Courtship: Courtship during those days was rather very difficult in comparison to our present day courtship. Those days, men had to seek first the permission of the parents of the girls before they could talk to them (the ladies). Usually, the mother or grandmother of the girl sits beside her while the gentleman did all the wooing. He also helped in all household chores like chopping firewood, fetching water from the well or river and plowing the fields. This procedure went on for months or even years, until the parents of the girl were satisfied or convinced that the gentleman was really worth to be their daughter’s husband. Then, the gentleman’s parents arranged for a night for the so-called “bulungan,” wherein they (the man's parents) ask the girl’s parents for their consent to the marriage of their children. This night, the wedding date is also set and all the prerequisites arranged (this includes the dowry, the wedding dress, the feast, etc.).
Marriage: After marriage, the couple was not allowed to live with each other until after four days had elapsed. The bride lived with her in-laws while the groom was left behind doing everything expected of a man in his bride’s home. After four days, they could settle in their own house (which was built before the marriage, a prerequisite which was agreed upon during the “bulungan”).
Tagalog Translation: Bago makapanhik ng panliligaw ang binata ay kailangan munang humingi siya ng pahintulot sa mga magulang ng babae, at kung sakali na siya ay pahintulutan ay hindi pa rin niya nakakausap ang dalaga nang wala itong katabi o kapiling na kasama na ang karaniwan ay ang kanyang ina o nanay (lola). Kung araw naman ay ang binata ay tumutulong sa mga gawain sa
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bahay ng dalaga, gaya ng pagsisibak na kahoy, pag-igib, at pag-aararo sa bukid. Makatapos makalipas ang ilang buwan o taon at inaakala ng mga magulang ng babae na ang binata ay karapatdapat sa kanilang anak ay ang mga magulang naman ng binata ay makikipag-usap sa mga magulang ng dalaga upang hingin ang kanilang pahintulot upang makapagisang-dibdib ang mga bata. Kung sakaling magka-isa ang mga magulang ng binata at dalaga ay itatakda na nila ang araw ng kasal, ang paghahanda, at ang bilang o lagak na salapi ng magulang ng binata para sa mga ikakasal, atbp.
Translation: (Marriage): Ang kasalan ay kaugalian na idinadaos sa simbahan at ang nagkakasal ay ang pari o cura. Matapos ang kasal at mga kasayahan ay ang babae o nobya ay sa bahay ng lalaki o nobyo titira ng apat na araw samantalang ang lalaki naman, o nobyo, ay sa bahay ng babae titira ng gayon ding katagal bago sila magkasama.
Death: After death, the dead is usually laid in state for some twenty-four hours or less in the house where prayers are constantly said for the eternal repose of his soul. Before burial, [a] final or last benediction is given by the priest in the local parish.
Translation: Karaniwang ang bangkay ay ibinuburol sa kanyang bahay sa loob ng maghapon at magdamag. Samantalang hindi pa nalilibing ang bangkay ay ang mga taong dumadalaw ay nagdadasal o nananalangin upang ang kaluluwa ng yumao ay maluwalhating makarating sa langit. At bago ilibing ang bangkay ay ito ay idinadaan muna sa simbahan upang mabigyan ng huling bendisyon ng pari.
Visits: When somebody is sick, his or her friends come daily to the house with some gifts in the form of flowers or fruits of some kind which will not be detrimental to his (or her) health.
Translation: Kung ang isang tao ay may sakit ay karaniwa’y ang mga kanyang kaibigan at kamag-anak ay dumadalaw sa kanya at naghahandog ng mga regalo na katulad ng mga sariwang bulaklak at bungangkahoy o pagkain na inaakala nilang hindi makapinpinsala sa may sakit.
Festivals: The “Flores de Mayo” is an annual affair among the barrio folks. It usually begins in the month of April and ends in the early part of June when the barrio fiesta is celebrated. The barrio fiesta is always a gala affair, with food aplenty and several bands imported from other towns furnishing music from early dawn to late at night.
Translation: Ang Flores de Mayo o “alayan” ay karaniwang ginagawa simula sa buwan ng Abril hanggang sa mga primerong araw ng Junio, na karaniwan din na idinadaos ang fiesta ng nayon. Ang alayan ay araw-araw na ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng paghahandog ng mga bulaklak na sariwa sa Mahal na Birhen sa kapilla o tuklong ng nayon. Ang araw naman ng fiesta ay higit na maringal ang pagdadaos; lahat ng mga bahay ay may handa at ang mga banda ng musiko na naglilibot sa buong nayon simula sa medaling-araw hanggang sa malalim na gabi.
Superstitions:
When a cat washes its face inside the house, it is a sign that a visitor will come. (Kung ang pusa ay sa loob ng bahay nakaharap at kanyang hinahagpos ng kanyang mga paa ang kanyang mukha, ito ay tanda na may panauhing darating.)
The presence of a white butterfly in the house is a sign of happiness, while that of a black butterfly is a sign of sorrow. (Ang puting paru-paro sa loob ng bahay ay nagdadala ng kasiyahan samantalang ang itim na paru-paro naman ay nagdadala ng kalungkutan.)
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When a hen cackles in the middle of the night, it is a sign that an unmarried woman is on the family way. (Kung ang inahin ay pumuputak sa hatinggabi, ito ay tanda na may dalagang nagdadalang-taon.)
Putting reading matters like books under the pillow when one sleeps makes one wiser. (Ang paglalagay ng ano mang babasahin tulad ng libro sa ilalim ng unan ay nagbibigay ng talino.)
When dishes are unintentionally broken at a wedding party, it is a sign that the couple will have plenty of children. (Kapag may nabasag na pinggan sa isang kasalan, ito ay tanda na ang mga ikinasal ay magkakaroon ng maraming anak.)
Sweeping the floor at night is sweeping away the good luck from the house. (Kapag nagwalis ng sahig sa gabi ay winawalis ang magandang biyaya sa bahay.)
Planting jackfruit with many children behind means that the tree will bear many fruits. (Kung sa pagtatanim ng nangka ay maraming bata sa likuran, ito ay nangangahulugan na maraming ibubunga ang iyong itinanim.)
When you smell a burning candle, it means that a relative is dying. (Kung may amoy ng kandila, ito ay tanda na mayroong kamag-anak na mamamatay.)
12. Popular songs, games and amusements:
(b) Kundimans
Games: (a) Softball
Amusements: (a) Suble [subli]
13. Puzzles and riddles:
(2) Hugis puso, kulay ginto; mabanog kung amoyin, masarap kung kainin. (Mangga)
(3) Kung araw ay bombing, kung gabi ay dagat. (Banig)
(4) Aling itlog ang may buntot? (Lisa)
(5) Nagtanim ako ng dayap sa gitna ng dagat; marami ang nagsihanap, iisa ang nagkapalad. (Pagligaw)
(6) Maitim na parang uwak, maputing parang busilak; walang paa’y nakalalakad, sa hari’y nakikiharap. (Sulat)
14. Proverbs and sayings:
(2) A word is enough to the wise. (Husto na ang isang sabi sa marunong umintindi.)
(3) Repentance comes too late. (Walang na-unang pagsisisi.)
(4) Don’t count the chicks before they are hatched. (Huwag bibilangin ang sisiw hanggang hindi napipisa ang inahin [itlog].)
(5) If you are far from what you are cooking, it will be either uncooked or overcooked. (Kapag malayo ka sa sinigang, pag hindi sunog ay hilaw.)
15. Methods of measuring time, special calendars:
2. Shadow and the sun.
3. The crowing of the cocks.
16. Other folktales: N o n e.