Bilogo, Taysan, Batangas: Historical Data Part IV

PART IV

PART I | PART II | PART III| PART IV

[p. 21]

FIRST MAN AND WOMAN

God created the living things and nonliving things in the world. Included here was the creation of our first parents, Adam and Eve. First of all, God created Adam, our first father. God realized that Adam could not live happily alone in the world. So, out of his breast, God got one of his ribs and Eve was created. They lived happily in Paradise. A devil approached them and there they were tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. God was very angry and they were sent out of the garden.

Outside Paradise, they went to work for their living. Adam and Eve here bore many children. They became the grandparents of their children’s children. Our Lord became very sad when he found out that every person committed sins. He thought of a plan to punish the people. There was a deluge as punishment to those who sinned. Nobody survived except Noah and his family. God told him to build an ark for protection. As soon as an ark was finished, he collected all his necessities. He took with him all his pets; a dog, a pig, and other birds. The water began to rise and his boat floated safely until the flood was over. He found himself on the top of a mountain and all around was covered with water. He found out that all human beings perished. His family was the only one saved. Since then, he started a new life.

[p. 22]

BIRTH OF TWINS

According to old folks, mothers delivering twins are always eating twin bananas. Others claim it is inheritance.

SICKNESS

One’s sickness is caused by small anitos believed to be staying under sacred places like springs. They are the ones causing illness to persons who happen to play with, or to persons who made those anitos angry. They believe also in [the] mangkukulam, dwende and the tikbalangs.

POPULAR SONGS, GAMES, AMUSEMENTS

Young men engaged in serenading a lady in the late evening. [The] Songs sung are the common tunes aired by radios, often heard from actors of the movies, and songs of their late ancestors.

The old folks [who are] lovers of music also love very much the pandanggos, or Sinilangan. [The] Common games played are softball, patintero, flying the kite or juego de anillo. In the earliest time, the people engaged in cockfighting, card playing and jueteng. Professional gamblers spent most of their time in gambling dens. This is still enjoyed at the present time. The traditional habit seems hard to eradicate. The popular game played by the young generation is the bulaklakan, especially when there is someone dead in the neighborhood.

[p. 23]

BULAKLAKAN

“Bulaklakan” is one of the popular games used by men and women to forget the pains acquired in the field. The game is played in this way:

The group will choose their king. The king should know the rules in playing the game. Each one in the group will choose his name, any flower. Then, the king will say: “the butterfly of the king flew and alighted on…” He selects any flower. Then, the flower chosen will answer: “No, it is not here.” The king will reply: “Where is it?” The flower will say, “It flew to…” The flower will mention another flower, and so on and on. If the flower mentioned will not be able to answer at once, the king will count 1, 2, 3 and the flower is caught. A certain punishment will be given.

The game will go on, and if there are a number of flowers caught, the king will begin to give punishments. No one must disobey the punishment of the king because there is a saying: “Ang utos ng hari ay hindi nababali.”

[p. 24]

RIDDLES AND PUZZLES

1. Nagsaing si katongtong, bumulak ay walang gatong. (bula ng sabon)

2. Nagsaing si kapirit, kinain pati anglit. (bayabas)

3. Baboy ko sa kaingin, tumataba ay walang pakain. (camote)

4. Baboy ko sa pulo, balahibo’y pako. (nangka)

5. Maliit pa si Tsikito, marunong nang manusko.

6. Nanganak ang birhen, itinapon ang lampin. (puso ng saging)

7. Nanganak ang tigbalang, sa tuktok nagdaan.

8. Hayan na si Kaka, bibika-bikaka. (gunting)

9. Manok ko sa parang, maunti’y matapang.

10. Nagligo si Pedro, labas din ang ulo. (gabi)

11. Buhok ni Adan, hindi mabilang. (ulan)

12. Dalawang bumbong, palusong.

13. Isang bayabas, pito ang butas. (mukha)

14. Talo ako ng isa, panalo ako sa dalawa.

15. Dalawang magkumpare, mauna’t mahuli. (paa)

16. Bahay ni Kiring-kiring, butas-butas ang dingding. (bithay)

17. Baka ko sa Maynila, abot dito ang unga. (kulog)

18. Eto, eto na, wala pa. (hangin)

19. Ha-pula, ha-puti, eskuwelang munti. (itlog)

[p. 25]

PROVERBS AND SAYINGS

1. Pag may isinuksok ay may madurukot.

2. Pag may ibinitin ay may titingalain.

3. Daig ng maagap ang masipag.

4. Ang hipong tulog ay nadadala ng agos.

5. Ang lumura ng patingala, sa mukha rin ang tama.

6. Ang lumakad ng marahan, matinik man ay mababaw.

7. Ang lumakad ng matulin, matinik man ay malalim.

8. Pagkahaba-haba man ng prusisyon, sa simbahan din ang urong.

9. Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay ramdam ng buong katawan.

10. Kung ikaw ay liligo sa tubig ay aagap,

11. Ang maniwala sa sabi-sabi ay walang bait sa sarili.

12. Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paruruunan.

13. Bago mo sabihin, makapito mong isipin.

14. Kapag humipo ng palyok ay mauulingan.

15. Bahay mo ma’y palasyo at nakatira ay kuwago

16. Walang matimtimang birhen sa matiyagang manalangin.

17. Ang kita sa bula-bula ay sa bula-bula rin mawawala.

[p. 26]

METHODS OF MEASURING TIME AND SPECIAL CALENDAR

The present generation has clocks and watches in telling the time. They use meters, yards and kilometers in measuring the distance. They use the calendars to tell the days and months. Some tell the time by looking at the stars, moon and sun. This is but the traditional talent of the people. They can tell also the season by means of plants and animals and insects that appear.

There were no books and documents published in this barrio.

No author was born here.

PREPARED BY:

PART I | PART II | PART III| PART IV

Transcribed from “Historical and Cultural Life of the Barrio (of Bilogo),” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.