Muzon 2nd, Alitagtag, Batangas: Historical Data Part II
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| Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines. |
PART II
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Andres Abreu of Cupang.
After a month, the company which took charge of the work in the disposal of the bombs gave money to the homeless for the rebuilding of their houses.
9. (a) Destruction of lives, properties and institutions during wars, especially in 1896-1900 and 1941-1945.
Part Two: Folkways
10. Traditions, customs and practices in domestic and social life; birth, baptism, courtship, etc.
Birth: After giving birth, the mother takes her first bath only after the 6th month. She is covered around with a mat and the smoke from a fire with different leaves used in boiling the water that she used first in her bath is driven to her inside the mat.
The newly born baby after giving a bath is wrapped tightly with cloth. What is very bad in wrapping the baby is the tight tie of knees and the feet.
A hen is dressed and cooked for the newly delivered mother.
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Baptism – After the baptismal ceremony in the church and there are two or more babies also baptized, the godparent of the baby should try his best to come out first of the church with the baby.
The godparent gives a baptismal gift either money or material thing he wishes.
The first diners on the table are the godparent and those who went to town for the ceremony.
Courtship – A suitor sits on the floor, foot crossed over the other. To sit on the bench with the feet dangling to the floor is a sign of disrespect.
Suitors sit in the order they come to the house. The first to come should be seated at the farthest end of the bench, the second should sit next to the first, and the third next to the second and so on.
Suitors bring water at night to the house of the girl.
A hat is passed around among the suitors and into it, everyone must drop a pack of cigarettes. The hat, when full of cigarettes is given to the girl.
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Marriage – After the ceremony and everyone in the celebration has eaten, the newly-weds will sit in opposite directions of a table with the sponsors and have “sabugan.” All relatives of the two parties will give their usual gifts of money. The relatives of the girl will put their money on the plate of the man and the man’s to the plate of the girl.
After the “sabugan,” the girl goes to the house of the man with the relatives of the man. The groom is left at the house of the bride till the next day.
When the new couple reaches the house of the girl from the church, they are offered sweets and showered with rice.
Death – The relatives and neighbors of the deceased come to the house of the dead and arrange a night vigil over the dead.
Relatives and friends will give money to the deceased’s family.
The 4th, 9th, 40th and yearly anniversary of the death are celebrated with sets of prayers and sometimes with food serving.
11. Myths, legends, beliefs, interpretations; origin of the world, land, mountains and caves, seas,
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lakes, rivers; plants, trees, animals; sun, moon, stars, eclipses, earthquakes, lightning and thunder, clouds, rain, wind, storms, changes of climate, other natural phenomena; first man and woman, birth of twins and more, sickness, witchcraft, magic, divination, etc.
Planting Rice – May 1st is the usual date of sowing. It is the best if this date falls on any day of the week except Tuesday, which is a sign or omen. Before a farmer begins to sow, he should have a nice haircut. This means to show that the rice fields will have few weeds which is a factor of good harvest. He should not sweep his surroundings because the rice stalks will be slender and thin with few grains in it which is a sign of poor harvest.
Rain – The sudden appearance of a rainbow in the east is a sign that is calling for rain from the west. If the rainbow is in the west, it is vice-versa. It is the signature of God for it will give grace and blessing to everyone.
Clouds – The appearance in the east of clouds in the shape of a crocodile or a handkerchief and it sails in opposite directions and other clouds pass through it, is a sign that there will be a flood and waves at sea will be large and big.
Thunder – If the first thunder coming from the east coincides with Thursday, it is a sign of blessing
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to the farmers, for it is a precedent to good harvest. If it comes from the west accompanied by a loud, roaring sound, it is an age of epidemic and economic depression. On the other hand, it is a blessing to farmers for their plants will never be disturbed by rodents and other plant enemies.
Change of the year – Before the birth of a new year, the sky is the mirror of things to happen in the next year. If there is a red spot in the sky, there will be fire in the place beneath it. If a black spot appears, it shows the coming of the rain. If the sky is very clear, the minds of the people on earth are also clear and they will not fight each other.
12. Popular songs; games and amusements.
Leron, Leron Beloved
Leron, leron, beloved
Up a tall papaya tree
He climbed with basket gay
That held his love for me.
The tiptop branch he touched,
It broke off with a “click”
A ba! What evil luck!
Please choose another quick.
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13. Puzzles and riddles –
b. Here comes our sister, we both can’t see her. (wind)
c. I am carrying two but they carry me, too. (slippers)
d. Only less than a foot long, five get together to carry them along. (needle)
e. I carry it when I forget, when I remember I leave it. (amorsico)
f. What is that tree having twelve leaves only? (Year)
g. I open the window I saw a centavo. (sun or moon)
h. I go to the window I carry my radio. (mouth)
i. I make a flower first before I eat it. (banana)
j. When the Negro is coming all people are dying. (night)
k. What four letters will frighten a thief? (O I C U)
l. When the clock strikes thirteen, what time is it? (time to repair)
m. What on earth writes C D O? (the phases of the moon)
n. Brown inside, brown outside, three Negritoes live inside. (chico)
o. At one end, it is burning, on the other end it is drowning. (lighted cigarette)
p. A beautiful lady eating her body. (candle)
q. In the middle of the sea, there is a taxi. (yoke of the egg)
r. What question cannot be answered by Yes? (Are you asleep?)
s. When you see a lion in the forest, what time is it? (time to run)
t. It stands without feet, it cries without eyes (candle)
u. If you are in a T, you are E. (furniture)
v. If you are the sun and I take the place of you (U), what happens to the sun? (Sin)
w. Twelve soldiers, two commanders. (clock)
x. A piece of rattan can reach Bulacan. (telephone wire)
y. One, two, three, before I reach the sea. (husk, shell, meat, then the sea is the water in the coconut fruit.)
z. When you hold it, it is dead, when you throw