Taysan, Batangas: Historical Data Part I

PART I

PART I | PART II | PART III

Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the Municipality of Taysan, 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.

[Cover page.]

DIVISION OF BATANGAS
District of Lobo
TAYSAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

---ooo0ooo---

HISTORICAL DATA OF THE
MUNICIPALITY
OF
T A Y S A N

[Map, graphic.]

[Preface.]

P R E F A C E

[Credits.]

DIVISION OF BATANGAS
District of Lobo
TAYSAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

H I S T O R Y   A N D   C U L T U R A L   L I F E
O F   T H E   P E O P L E   I N
P O B L A C I O N
T A Y S A N

---ooo0ooo---

[p. 1]

HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF THE PEOPLE IN
POBLACION TAYSAN

The traditions, customs and practices in domestic and social life, birth, baptism, courtship, marriage, death, burials, visits and festivals are quite interesting.

Domestic and Social Life, Customs and Practices:

In every home, a family has usually a backyard with vegetables and plants, with pigs and chickens or other pets. Women usually stay at home and do the household duties and the men earn their livelihood. Women do their knitting, weaving, embroidery and household duties. People are good entertainers during social gatherings especially during fiesta. Nearly in all homes, they kill pigs and chickens to serve their friends and visitors during fiesta. It has been the practice of the people, rich or poor, to buy beautiful attires for fiestas and social gatherings. During the olden days, women go to parties with their parents or chaperones, but nowadays, they become sociable. Girls can go to parties without their parents.

Marriage customs:

They are married in churches before a priest, although some are married before the Justice of the Peace or Municipal Mayor.

The Betrothal:

During the olden days, when a young man desired to marry a young woman, he did not go and tell her that he wished to marry her. It was the parents of the man who chose the life partner for him. Then the parents of the man went talked with the young woman’s parents. After an agreement, the men stayed mostly

[p. 2]

in the girl’s home and did all the man’s work. We call this “serbe.” Sometimes, a “serbe” lasted for almost a year. Today, a girl will not marry a man unless she loves him.

The dowry:

Before the marriage took place, the amount of dowry that the bridegroom should give to the young woman’s parents was agreed upon. The dowry was called “bigay kaya.” It was given by the parents of the bridegroom. Part of it went to the young woman’s parents, and part to the newly-married couple.

The marriage ceremony:

The marriage ceremony might be simple or elaborate. When the groom and the bride belong to a well-to-do family, it is elaborate; to a poor family, it is simple. It is usually performed in the bridegroom’s house. There is a great feast. Sometimes, supper and breakfast are served. Dances, song and music are usually held. There is a nice thing practiced in connection with the celebrations. That is what we call “sabugan.” The bride and the groom are seated at a table with things to sell, very often kalamay, suman, cigars, and bread. All friends and relatives of both [the] bridegroom and bride buy anything they like. What is very funny is that the things sold are very dear. It’s just a sure way to get money for the couple. Oftentimes, it reaches from hundreds to thousands of pesos. It depends upon the financial standing of the families united. Today, sometimes the “sabugan” is not done. The relatives of the couple just give gifts. Another very interesting practice is the “dapitan.” The “dapitan” means the transferring of the bride to the bridegroom’s

[p. 3]

house. In this practice, the man is left behind in the girl’s house and the bride goes with all the relatives of the man. It is a custom that during this “dapitan,” a certain utensil, mostly a pot, is thrown on the ground and if it is broken into several pieces, it is said that they will have many children. When the girl reaches the bridegroom’s house, she sits on the floor at the center of the house. Then, the bride gives all the money (sabog) to her mother-in-law.

Customs and practices in birth:

When a woman gives birth to a child, it is a common practice that every night, people, mostly friends and relatives of the woman, stay until 12:00 at night until the child is baptized. It is also a practice that they kill chickens as thanks to our Lord for having given birth nicely.

Courtship:

During the olden days, we had a very different custom and practice in courtship than that of today. They courted the parents of the girl. If the parents approved you, then you would be the husband of the girl. When you had already an agreement, then every day the man visited the woman just to see her but not to talk with her. He is then satisfied of seeing her. In some cases, they also had an agreement. Today, our custom is very different. A girl and a man can’t be married if they don’t love each other. A man visits at night the girl he loves, mostly from 7:00 to 8:00. When he wins her love, they are engaged to be married. Sometimes, they are engaged for several years, but when fate is cruel to them, they

[p. 4]

might not be husband and wife. When they are both sincere and true, then they are married, although their parents do not approve them. Sometimes, they elope when both of their parents disapprove their engagement.

Baptism:

It is our practice to run to the door of the church after the child is baptized so that the girl will not become a spinster. During the baptismal ceremony, the sponsor of the child prays continuously the “Creed” so that the child may become intelligent. When the ninong or ninang reaches home, he gives the child to the mother and tells the name of the baby, both kneeling down with a lighted candle.

Death:

When a member of a family dies, in that house, there will be 9 vigil nights. Every night, people say prayers for the soul of the departed. It is our practice that in the fourth and ninth days after the death of a certain person, we say prayers during which pigs and cows are killed by the people. Even [if] we have no money, we make debts just to fulfill this custom. This custom is too unwise for poor families.

The people of the poblacion are patient and tolerant. They engage in merchandizing, carpentry and farming as their means of living. They measure the time by means of the position of the sun. It has been our practice to visit a sick friend and give everything that will be of help to her.

During our leisure hours, people play softball, basketball, and

[p. 5]

cockfighting. Some people spend their leisure time in hunting wild birds and chickens in the nearby ravines. Still some spend their leisure time in reading books and novels in the “Community Reading Center.”

Our Popular Songs:

Sa Dakong Sikatan; Ang Bayan Ko; Bayang Masagana; Amor; Kundiman; Anak ng Dalita; Gulondrina; La Paloma; Pipit Puso; I Went to Your Wedding; I Belong to You; Nasaan Ka Irog; Giliw; Madaling Araw; Paki-usap; Tampuhan; Hatinggabi; Kalisud.

PART I | PART II | PART III

Transcribed from “Historical Data of the Municipality of Taysan,” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.