Munlawin 1st, Alitagtag, Batangas: History and Cultural Life of (Part II)

Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

several times the same question, but of course the man kept silent, not knowing a word of the soldiers. Out of patience, they slapped the man, and with pity, they offered him to eat some of the fruits with them. The man became angry with them, and shouted in his native tongue, “sampal bago alok,” meaning slapped and then offered. The soldiers overheard those words. They shouted in surprise, “Oh, it is Sampalok.” Ever since, they have been calling the fruit and tree “sampalok.” This has been transmitted from generation to generation up to the present.

MY NIPA HUT

My nipa hut is very small
But the foods that I grow
See it houses them all
There are beans, many kinds,
Sigarillas, turnips, too
Bataw and peanuts for you.
Kundol, patola, and squash forming a head,
While the mustard grows tall
And the radishes red
There are onions, tomatoes, and garlic, too are found
Side a fence grows the green sesame round.

THE MEADOW BUTTERFLY

Flutter all the daytime, little pretty wing,
Flutter all the playtime, little sorry thing,
Flutter from the meadow, where the pathway lies
There’s a bit of shadow, for the gay butterflies.

See her comb, made of gold, Uy!
She has one big and bold Uy!
Petticoats are swinging, as she walks up and down
At the glaze see her stand, Uy!
Red and sails, wave the hand,
Then, she makes a curtsy in her beautiful gown.

SUBLI

Subli was an original native folkdance in this locality. Any number of dancers may take part depending upon the space. They wear native costumes to give local color. Girls have hats on their heads. Boys have castanets made up of two pieces of bamboos. Two rows are composed of boys and the other girls. The steps used are little running steps and waltz steps. Music is provided by the “kalatang” made of round wood hollowed in the center and covered with lizard skin. Two rounded sticks are used to beat the “kalatang,” usually there are three of them. The other members of the group sing “Santa Cruz de Mayo.”

HOW TO DANCE THE SUBLI

Figure I – Partners exchange places, girls kuominting [unsure, word blurred] while boys click their castanets.

Figure II – Boys and girls dance around in place, girls moving hats up and down in their right hand and boys clicking their castanets.

Figure III – Boys and girls dance around in a circle, girls followed by boys.

Figure IV – Four partners dance in place as in Fig I and one pair dances in from the boy moving after the girl in little running steps. Then the boys fall down as in Japanese sitting position following the girl in this position.

a.	I planted a dayap tree In the middle of the sea Hunted by many But only one is lucky - Lady
b.	The one who uses it does not see it. The one who buys it does not use it. - Coffin
c.	My pig in the mountain The hair is of nails. - Jackfruit
d.	If I add "U" in the "sun" And take "U" and put "I" What will be my name? - Sunni
e.	I am thinking of a seafood with eight tentacles. - Octopus
f.	The beat of the napkin Cannot be stepped on. - Snake
g.	What eggs have a tail. - nit (looks like incomplete word)
h.	In the lan there is a "so

	In the "so" there is a "nes." - Lanzones
i.	I am a coward at one But brave in two - Bamboo bridge
j.	The hen eats the shell It makes an egg shell. - Sand
k.	Wet season and dry season The pants are in the knees - hen
l.	The lady is walking The sampaguita is open. - umbrella
m.	A riddle, a riddle A man in the middle - centavo
n.	I touch the sun Bonifacio runs. - Spider
o.	Step, step Did not reach United States - Stern
p.	I am thinking of an umbrella That grows overweight. - mushroom
q.	It is thin It is white It has line It is good to write on. - paper
r.	I am thinking of [a] creature With ten legs and two eyes And lives mostly in water. - crabs

a. Pains in the finger is felt by the whole body.

b. Never make promises that you cannot fulfill.

c. Of what use is the food when the horse is dead.

d. Be thrifty if you want to be wealthy.

e. He who has saved for the rainy day has something to fall back on.

f. A young bamboo is easy to bend.

g. The stone does not go to the shell, but the shell to the stone.

However, when it is directly overhead, it is twelve o’clock sharp. The same thing holds true with the stars.

Cat’s eyes: When the pupils of the cat’s eyes are round and big, more or less the time is seven o’clock A.M. When they are half, it is nine o’clock A.M. When they appear as streaks of black, it is twelve noon. At three o’clock P.M., the pupils are just one half size, and when they are in full size, it is six o’clock P.M.

No other folktales could be given.

No information on books and documents treating the Philippines could be given.

No Filipino authors born or residing in the community.

Notes and references: