The Kumintang
The Kumintang is a love call. It is a way where one can confess his love without having to exert an effort save his courageous songs.
A guitar is a must.
The group, usually of five to ten, visits a house where a beauty hides.
The door opens and chairs are arranged to accommodate the visitors who bring with them the ever–present bilog.
Glasses then click. The guitar lands then air an inspired tone.
The singer, usually the interested man, begins the scene – the song, a pleading tune, entreating to be understood, to be secured and accepted.
The Pantomina
The Pantomina is an art. A swaying form of dance, as an art, it requires grace to perform. As a form, if the performer is adept, it is one of the most appreciative of dances. The right hand curls in the air, while the left cradles something unseen. The feet move accommodatingly, even as the music rules the action. The tension reaches high fever pitch as the segunda is played – it is the part where there are supposed to be fireworks, usually homemade. Then the activity subsides as the music signals the end of the first part. The performance of the first part is repeated in the second part, but this time the play becomes more vividly alive, and the music more evident and a bit faster.
Usually, when prominent persons are called upon to perform this dance, an announcement by the emcee is phrased in a language so carefully chosen to make sure that no excuses for refusal are made. Those called, usually a pair, would walk slowly to the center with the lady at the right side of the gentleman. When everything is ready, the music plays the introduction, and the partners move forward, about five to six meters, and stay there for a while, their feet moving back and forth. When the introductory music is about to end, changing the rhythm, the partners return to their places. Their hands gracefully, at half past the music, remove their hands and let their feet do the movement. At any instance during the dance, those who are called to do the Bacayaw carry wine-filled glasses in their hands, sway with the performers, and tip their glasses for them to drink. This act is performed throughout until the dance ends.
Customs
“Arayon” in the native dialect is mutual help among the people in the community. When one is erecting a home, his neighbors offer a helping hand in the work without any payment, but it is also the duty of the person helped to render service when they are also needed. They do likewise in the cultivation, preparation for planting and harvesting of rice and other crops. Traces of these customs are still very frequent among young people, especially in planting rice. A group of young men and women plant the rice field without the knowledge of the owner, termed in the native dialect as “habon”. After the work is done a sign is placed in front of the owner’s house to show that something was done for him. The owner then gives a party or a feast for the planters. But usually the work is done at night or during early dawn.
In the early days, a girl marries through the choice of her parents. Marriage is negotiated between the parents of both parties. A young man transmits his desire to marry a certain girl through his parents. The parents of the boy then ask an intermediary or they themselves go to explain in very direct words seeming with local philosophy to the parents of the girl. This was termed “pakihuron” or begging the girl’s hand in marriage. This was usually done in pompous ceremony. If the parents of the girl approves, they would ask the boy’s parents to give a certain lot or build a house for the future couple. Then the young man works in the house of the girl for a number of months without pay termed “nanugang” or testing period. If his work is satisfactory, then marriage is accomplished.
Superstitions
- He who combs his hair at night will lose one of the members of his family.
- If someone is sick in the family, those who are not sick cannot visit the dead, for upon his return, the sick person at home may die.
- Whistling in the dark protects evil happenings.
- He who answers a call at the door at midnight will die the following morning.
- He who takes a bath on Tuesday and Fridays will get sick.
- A married woman who eats ripe bananas that are twins will give birth to twins.
- When the ducks fly up on the trees and roofs, there will be a typhoon.
- If the frogs croak, it means that it will rain.
- If the hens and roosters crow at the early part of the night, it is a sign of bad happenings.
- If someone cuts his fingernails at night, his mother may die.
- When the bird Tiktik makes a sound when passing by a house where someone is seriously ill at night, the sick person is likely to die.
Games and Amusements
The native settlers of Pandan had many games. Horse racing became a popular sport. The town is famous for a breed of horses that are good in this game. The races usually took place along the seashore, as there were no good roads or streets for the purpose. During Sundays and holidays, the people thronged the seashore to witness the racing events. The horse racing sport is not only for entertainment but also for betting. Another popular game is the “dama”, a complicated sort of game like chess.
The children enjoy playing different games such as playing tops, kites and balls; hide and seek, piko, cat and mouse, and running races. Walking and running on stilts is another favorite sport of the boys.
In Pandan, as in other bigger towns, good times were common. Dancing was very common among the people in all celebrations and festivals. The early settlers did not know modern dances. Pantomina and Rigodon were very common before and even until now.
Hunting wild birds and animals was another favorite sport of the fathers and sons. Many of the early settlers were full of stories of beasts and birds. In these stories, the animals were made to talk, think, and act like human beings.
Puzzles and Riddles
As with riddles found in other parts of the Philippines, those found in Pandan are characterized by ingenuity and humor. Some answers may be found in two or more riddles, or a riddle may have two or more answers. Children are especially interested in riddles. They have a generous exchange of riddles at work and in play, each trying to outwit the other in giving and answering riddles. It is enjoyable to hear them think and say their hit and miss answers. Their ohs and ahs of wonder usually follow their giving up when it comes to a puzzle that is hard to crack.
Puzzles make use of simple arithmetical knowledge and philosophy. If you happen to pass by a group of elderly people staring with lips moving or with heads in a huddle, and after a few steps away you hear them burst into laughter or disorderly discussion, you can be sure that they have just solved a brain-twisting problem, or they are questioning the relation of an answer to a problem.
The small collection of puzzles and riddles attached is the result of an amateuristic attempt at gathering data on one of the phases of culture of a progressing town and its people. Others are best left unwritten. The alphabetically arranged answers to the riddles are provided in our native dialect and in English enclosed in parentheses.
| Katuoman (Answer) | An Patuomon (The Riddle) |
|---|---|
| Abaca (abaca plant) | Prinsesang magaya-gaya, sa bukid hayaa. |
| Angog (forehead) | Duwaging burod-burod dili natitingarog. |
| Araw (sun) | Nakabartas na yo bata, yo ina mai pa. |
| Aso (smoke) | Ititinaman pa sana, labaw ka na. |
| Baga (live coal) | Duwaging didit-didit, dili mo masisimit. |
| Bandera (flag) | Dahon sa kinaban, ginagarangan nang mga taho. |
| Banig (mat) | Kung ardaw baga kawayan, kung gabi baga dahon. |
| Baraha (playing cards) | Suksok dagom hari katuom. |
| Bato (stone) | Orig kong obarco nagtugon nin bumagyo mai siya maano. |
| Bayabas (guava) | Kuron ni Mang Doro, panung-pano nin bato. |
| Binditahan (container of blessed water) | Pinggan kong doro-Domingo, pinggan nin gabos na taho. |
| Botelya (bottle) | Ikan liog, ikan kimot, ikan ginhawa, maing kamot boda paa. |
| Bubong (roof) | Tagudtod ni tatay mo, igapauranan, igapaardawan mo. |
| Buringsina (bamboo) | Yo bata gatapis, yo ina gaumag. |
| Bunga (beetle nut) | Gulping magpurogto, parareho yo karo. |
| Kagdaanon (death) | Naisihan mo, mai mo naaraman, naaraman mo, mai mo naisihan. |
| Kagsing (echo) | Adon ka, uya ako. |
| Kamisolin (shirt) | Dawha ponitiha, binabhan pa. |
| Karbaw (carabao) | Dawhang amamaypay, sadong amimikpik, kuatro patas, dos paynetas. |
| Karbasa (squash) | Yo bata gauntad, yo ina gakamang. |
| Kawari (frying pan) | Buko man taho, buko man hayop, gakaon nin guisado. |
| Kimot (mouth) | Kudar sa ibaba, kudar sa itaas, salamangkero sa gitna. |
| Kinis (crab) | Ano yan nabuhay na maing uro, ikan mata buda kimot. |
| Kugita (octopus) | Lumukso baga arko, umuntad baga buko. |
| Dagom (needle) | Kabayo kong potro, asa kigot ang pilino. |
| Dahon (leaf) | Nigong taga itaas, sinubring libaha, dili na nakalibod. |
| Dapog (stove) | Duwaging uma-uma, kanayon sanang bisita. |
| Daran (road) | Okig ni David, nakasabray sa bukid. |
| Dormido (makahiya) | Daragang magayon, pag tinikwil dagos minapiyong. |
| Ga-arado (plowing) | An oro hayop, an ginhawa kahoy, an okig taho. |
| Bonor (gabi leaf) | Baray ko sa higad nin sapa, mai nalabo nin baha. |
| Giok (footprint) | Gapanaw ka, gahubon ka. |
| Guitara (guitar) | Yugyog kabaraganon, huni kaiwataan. |
| Gugo (fingernail) | Sampurong magpurogto, puro ikan babang taisan. |
| Gukon (where a pot is made to sit) | Barikon-barikon, huwa magkaibong. |
| Habon (ant) | Gulping taho nakatulay sa sadong nawi. |
| Haras (snake) | Baston ni kapitan, asa bukid ang estaran. |
| Huna-hona (mind) | Patuomon taka, tuoma na. |
| Ilaw (light) | Sadong uhay nakasiot sa baray. |
| Ilawan (gas or oil lamp) | Nagtu-gon ako, tubig yo idinusog ko. |
| Sabaw nin lubi (coconut water) | Tubig sa dikan-dikan, mai nauuranan. |
| Gakuhang lubi (getting coconut) | Yo gakaon namurhi, yo igakaon naenot. |
| Lukban (pomelo) | Nagbaray ako sa burod, butang urod. |
| Mais (corn) | Anong tinanaman yan bunga harayo sa burak. |
| Mata (eyes) | Dawhang uro-angrit, nakaabot sa langit. |
| Manyika (doll) | Ikan dawhang mata, mai nakatanaw, Ikan dawhang tarenga, mai nakadungog, Ikan dawhang siki, mai nakapanaw. |
| Nagdaan (dead person) | Naglunad ka sa sakayan, mai ka na nakaparibod. |
| Palay (palay or rice plant) | Kung kadagui pa pigabantayan, kung magurang na igapugotan. |
| Palma (palm tree) | Anas dahon mai sanga. |
| Panganod (cloud) | Kabayo kong potro, nagluksong pitong pongko. |
| Pantalon (pants) | Dawha sikadi, inakrangan pa. |
| Payas (papaya) | Baray ni San Miguel, nalibot nin badil. |
| Pilok (eyelash) | Patok ning patok mai mo nadodongog. |
| Pinya (pineapple) | Baray ni Sta. Ana, nalibot nin espada. Sadong babaye, ikan korona, maski siin ikan mata. |
| Plaslayt (Flashlight) | Galudab mai init. |
| Posporo (match) | Ibata pa sana, isuntok na yo ina. |
| Sagad (rattan basket) | Gapanaw ka, igatikwil ka. |
| Awot (grass) | Gapanaw ka, igatikwil ka. |
| Saging (banana) | Tinigbak ko yo ina ta namutan ko yo bata. |
| Semaná Santa (Holy week) | Bukong taho pero magpurogto, parareho yo apelyido. |
| Sanganino (shadow) | Gapanaw ka, iga sunod ka. |
| Sardinas (sardines) | Yo uro asa America, yo guinhawa uya. |
| Sili (pepper) | Isdang Maribeles nasa ilarom ang hingbis. Isda ko sa kakbanbanan, minapula ning kaisugan. |
| Songo (3 stones of native stove) | Tatlong magurang, ferming gaaratubangan. |
| Suka (vinegar) | Maisog pero mai nagñano. |
| Suoy (wave) | Nagbuso si San Ramon, bumutwa ubanon. |
| Tabo (dipper) | Kopti yo okig ko ta maludop ako. |
| Taringa (ears) | Duwaging sibay-sibay dili na susurigñay. |
| Tigño (teeth) | Sampulong sundang puro matatarom saro si sarugñan, puro nasasarong. |
| Tubig (water) | Itaga pa sana, pila na. |
| Tubo’ (sugarcane) | Yo kahoy naguin tubig, yo tubig naguin dugo, yo dugo naguin bato. |
| Tubo (mushroom) | Nagbaray ako sa burod, sado sana yo tukod. |
| Tulay (bridge) | Natakot sa sado, mai na takot sa dawha. |
| Tuway (clam shell) | Sado, nang harian ko pang sado, naguing dawha. |
| Uraudan (grater) | Bukong taho, bukong hayop, gulping tigño. |
| Urunan (pillow) | Bukong taho gabado ning plansado. |
Methods of Telling or Measuring Time
Telling time is one aspect in man’s life which remains of great importance. This is very necessary for without a fixed agreement or custom on how to tell the time, the systematic function of the world’s labor and daily routine would not be of functional advantage. Perhaps everything is upset because of the absence of a definite time. Like all other aspects in man’s life which contribute to man’s progress and advantages, the way of telling time has its own history. This has developed itself beginning from its primitive ways when men had set common symbols and signs which they observed when they tell time. These practices are still used to advantage by our people today. However, their method of telling time is general, usually giving particular attention to general time not considering the other hours. Before, our forefathers had used neither clock nor time space, but they resorted to natural signs and to some other customary beliefs.
One of the methods used for telling time is attributed to the crowing of the cocks. When the cocks give a very deep crowing in the morning, the man believed that it is around two o’clock. When they crow successively in the early part of the day, it is believed to be the start of a new day’s labor.