Calaca, Batangas: Historical Data Part IV - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore Calaca, Batangas: Historical Data Part IV - Batangas History, Culture and Folklore

Calaca, Batangas: Historical Data Part IV

Buhay Batangas
3 Jan, 2018
Historical Data graphic
Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

PART IV

PART I | PART II | PART III | PART IV

[p. 14]

The Legend of Santa Monic

Very recently, the south eastern part of the poblacion of Calaca was named Santa Monic. It was in a month of May during the May flower offerings when it happened. The different sections of the tongue we're lavishly celebrating flower offerings to the Virgin when the people gave it the name Santa Monic in honor of the Virgin. It was also given simply to identify easily which part of the town celebrated the May festival happily.

Beliefs: - It has been the common belief that when a young woman sings before a stove cooking food, she would marry an old widower. When a hen cackled at midnight, and unmarried woman is getting pregnant and would soon give birth to a bastard child. When a cat wipes its face with its paws, a visitor is coming to the house. When a comet appears in the sky, war, famine or any catastrophe is coming. When a person dreams that one of his teeth falls, somebody in the family will die. When a married woman eats twin bananas, she will give birth to twin children. When a python stays in the house, the owner will be rich. When the sky looks like the skin of the crocodile, the fisherman will catch plenty of fish. When a star is very near the moon, young women will be very submissive to young men and will easily elope with them.

Popular songs: - The kundiman, a tender song of love has been very popular among young men and women. [The] Other favorite song was the Tagalog song of victory called "Tagumpay." some spanish songs have been common, but the most favorite where the kundimans which until the present are much liked. The present song hits are popular. The Tumbukan yes a religious song commonly song during the Lenten season.

Dances: - Picturesque folk dances are the "sarao," "bati," "fandango," and "subli" which are religious dances. They are danced by beautiful young women and handsome young man to celebrate the fiesta of the Patron Saint. The modanza is a farm dance to pull up the weeds in rice plantations. Some Spanish dances such as the "vaylable" and others were danced on social occasions. Many young men and women are very fond of the modern dances. Informal dances are common.

[p. 15]

Puzzles and Riddles : -

1. Isang bayabas pito ang butas. (ulo)
It is a guava with seven holes. (head)
2. Nang maglihi’y namatay
Nang manganak ay nabuhay. (siniguelas)
When it conceived, it died
When it gave birth, it lived. (siniguelas tree)
3. Pagkabata na ay sacristan
Hindi pumapasok ng simbahan. (sisiw ng manok)
A sexton since birth
But never enters the church. (hen’s chicks)
4. Hayan na, hayan na
Hindi mo pa nakikita. (hangin)
It is here, it is here
But cannot be seen. (wind)
5. Takbo roon, takbo rito
Hindi makaalis sa tayong ito. (duyan)
It swings here, it swings there
But never gets away here. (cradle)
6. Maitim na parang tinta
Pumuputi hindi kinukula. (uban)
It is black as ink
It turns white though it is not bleached. (white hair)
7. Buto’t balat nguni’t lumilipad. (saranggola)
It is bone and skin but it flies. (kite)
8. Naghabla ang may sala
Nagtago ang hustisya. (pare at ang nagkukumpisal)
The culprit confesses his crime
But the judge hid. (priest and the person confessing)
9. Tangnan mo ang buntot ko
At sisisid ako. (tabong may tangkay)
Hold my tail and I shall dive. (dipper with handle)
10. Ang paa’y apat
Hindi makalakad. (lamesang apat ang paa)
It has four legs
But it cannot walk. (table with four legs)
11. Itinapon ang laman
Balat ang pinagyaman (uway)
The flesh is thrown
But the skin is kept. (rattan)

[p. 16]

12. Aling mabuting retrato
Kuhang-kuha sa mukha mo? (sa salamin)
Which picture of yours
Is exactly your image? (at the looking glass)
13. Buhat sa puno
Hanggang dulo, puro kuarto. (kawayan)
Form the trunk to the bough,
All are rooms. (bamboo)
14. Alin dito sa mundo
Laging natangis sa
Harapan ng santo? (kandila)
15. Inayos at pinagsama
Saka ko pa nabasa. (titik ng limbagan)
They were mixed and fixed
Before I could read. (letters of the printing press)
16. Bumuka’y walang bibig
Ngumiti ng tahimik. (bulaklak)
It opens without [a] mouth
It smiles in silence. (flower)
17. May katawa’y walang mukha
Walang mata’y lumuluha. (kandila)
It has [a] body without a face
It sheds tears without eyes. (candle)
18. Eto na si amain
Nag bibile ng hangin. (musiko)
Here comes stepfather
Selling wind. (musician)
19. Apat na magkakasama
Pumasok sa kueba
Lumabas ay mapula. (tabako, ikmo, apog, bunga)
Four companions went into a cave
When they came out, they were red. (tobacco, betel leaves, lime, betel nut)
20. Gintong binalot sa pilak
Pilak na binalot sa balat. (itlog)
Gold wrapped by silver
Silver wrapped by shell. (egg)

[p. 17]

21. Alin sa mga ibon
Ang di nakakadapo sa kahoy? (pugo)
Which bird could not alight on trees? (quail)
22. Malayao pa ang sibat
Nganga na ang sugat. (bibig na susubuan)
The spear is still far
But the wound is already opened. (mouth to be fed)
23. Walang pintong pinasukan
Nakarating sa kalooban. (pag-iisip)
No doors to enter
But it gets inside. (thinking)

Proverbs and Sayings: -

1. Walang utang na hindi pinagbabayaran.
There is no debt that will not be paid.
2. Pag wala ang pusa, magulo ang daga.
When the cat is away, the mice will play.
3. Ang pangako ay utang, huag kalilimutan.
A promise is a debt, don’t forget.
4. Kung sinong matiyaga, siyang nagtatamong pala.>
He who perseveres, succeeds.
5. Ibang pare, ibang ugali.
Different priest has different mind.
6. Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo.
Of what use is the grass when the horse is dead.
7. Ang buhay ng tao ay parang gulong,
Nagulongan at makagulong.
The life of a person is like a wheel
It may roll on or be rolled under.
8. Kapalaran ko’y di man hanapin
Dudulog, lalapit kong [kung] talagang akin.
Though I do not seek my fate
It will come to me if it is mine.
9. Walang matimtimang birhen
Sa matiyagang manalangin.
There is no pertinent virgin
To a persistent man.
10. Ang magdaraya’y hindi nagdadalang pa.
The cheater will never be rewarded.

[p. 18]

11. Walang pagwawaging di may pagbabaka.
There is no triumph without struggle.
12. Walang karneng tinangay ng aso
Na di nalalawayan.
No meat being carried by a dog
Is free from its saliva.
13. Kung walang busabus, walang mang-aalipin.
If there are no slaves, there can be no masters.
14. Kanina pa ibibigay ang sarap kung di sa kamag-anak.
To whom will the good taste be given but to the cousin.
15. Kung sino ang palasumpain ay siya ang sinungaling.
He who often swears is the liar.
16. Hindi lahat ng nakinang ay ginto.
That all the glitter are gold.
17. Kahoy mang babad sa tubig, sa apoy ay huag ilalapit,
Pag nadarang ng init sapilitang magdirikit.
Though the wood had long been in water
Do not put near the fire
For if it dries by the heat
It will surely burn.
18. Ang pag-ibig ay sa gawa hindi sa salita.
Love is through deeds, not in words.
19. Ang masamang pamahalaan ay kasalanan ng bayan.
Bad government is the fault of the nation.
20. Kung ano ang sarap, siyang saklap.
Its sweetness is its bitterness.
21. Pag naugong ang dagat ay mababaw.
When the sea is noisy, it is shallow.
22. Lumilipas ang kagandahan ngunit hindi ang kabaitan.
Beauty fades but not kindness.
23. Walang kagandahan di may kapintasan.
There is no beauty without criticism.
24. Kung ano ang ginawa mo ay siyang gagawin sa iyo.
What you have done will be done to you.
25. Ang umilag sa panganib ay di karuwagang tikis.
Discretion is the better part of valor.

[p. 19]

26. Masarap ang gulay na galling sa kapitbahay.
Vegetable is good when it comes from the neighbor.

Method of telling time: -

1. Crows of chickens or cocks
2. Jeckoo’s call
3. Fowls’ call
4. Birds’ call
5. Position of the sun
6. Position of the moon and the stars
7. By the shadow

Methods of measuring time: -

1. Smoking cigar or cigarette
2. Doing a certain piece of work
3. Position of the sun
4. Position of the moon and the stars

Part Three

In spite of the painstaking efforts, no printed or in manuscript form could be located in the community about certain historical data about the town.

Acknowledgment and credits are hereby given to Mr. Ananias Bihis, an old resident and formerly municipal president of the town; Mr. Silvestre Hernandez, another reliable old resident; Mr. Pedro Inumerable, a former policeman during the Spanish regime; Mr. Isabelo Panganiban, an old man who is the uncle of the present incumbent municipal mayor; and other old folks of the town who willingly gave some genuine information concerning the town long ago so that they could remember. Acknowledgment and credits are also given to Mr. Jose Mercado of the Calaca Elementary School who exerted much effort in the gathering of data and researches in order to get the most authentic historical events of Calaca.

Prepared by:
FRANCISCO MARTINEZ
Teacher, Calaca Elementary School

PART I | PART II | PART III | PART IV

Notes and references:
Transcribed from “Historical and Cultural Life of the Town of Calaca” 1953, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.
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