*434. WITH THESE GIFTS, I THEE WED

WEDDINGS ARE MADE OF THESE. A home reception...a spread of dishes... wedding cake...and lots of gifts, complete the wedding celebration. ca. early 1950s.

The tradition of giving gifts to couples united in weddings goes back to pre-colonial times. In many ethnic groups, the practice goes even before the actual wedding rites, as in the case of Pinatubo Negritos who pay dowry to the bride’s family in the form of “bandi”—treasured property in the form of bolos, bows and arrows.

In pre-Hispanic society, after the ceremony presided by a babaylan or a tribal priest/priestess is done, a series of gift-exchanging rituals is undertaken by the man and his family to counter the possible negative responses of the bride. Such instances include her refusal to attend the wedding banquet, or even to go into her new bedroom that she would be sharing with her spouse. The bride then is plodded with gifts of gold, jewelry, rich fabrics and animals to ensure that she will fully cooperate.

Kasalans during the Spanish times were comparatively austere affairs; the giving of gifts was encouraged to help start the couple in their new journey together. The superstitious belief that sharp objects—like knives and needles—were not appropriate as wedding gifts came from the Spaniards. In the more prosperous 1920-30s, weddings became more Westernized and larger in scale. Gift-giving became even more lavish and varied, as shops and stores sprouted along Escolta and Avenida, providing more showcases of gift ideas to sponsors, relatives, and invited guests.

One of the post-wedding highlights for the newlyweds is when they open boxes and boxes of gifts to find the surprises of their lives.  For example, when Juana Arnedo,  got hitched with Felipe Buencamino around 1870, her father, Apalit gobernadorcillo Joaquin Arnedo gifted her and his new husband a grand bale a bato. The mansion was built on over a hectare of lot in Capalangan, near Sulipan, Apalit.

In 1936, after Dr. Jesus Eusebio, noted ophthalmologist  from San Fernando, married Josefina Buyson of Bacolor in fabulous rites at San Guillermo Church, Jesus’ father, Don Andres Eusebio, sent them off to honeymoon in the U.S. via luxury liner Pres. Hoover, and then to Europe, all-expenses paid.

By far, however, the wedding gifts received by Doña Consolacion Singian and Don Jose M.Torres , are incomparable in terms of variety and range, enough to furnish a house. The guest list itself consists of politicos and senators, jurists and patriots, affluent hacenderos and business mavens, and the upper tier of Kapampangan high society. After their nuptials on 28 April 1912 in San Fernando, the bride made an inventory of their gifts that she wrote in her personal journal.

From one of their godfathers, Hon. D. Florentino Torres, Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, they received a complete set of black Vienna chairs with a marble table, a sofa and four chairs. Dna. Ramona Valenzuela de Goyena contributed more pieces of furniture with her gift of  six European chairs for dining.

Japanese-made gifts seemed to be very popular in the early decades of the 20th century as at least 9 guests gave them: D. Joaquín Longos (a very fine Japanese tea service), D. Manuel Gómez (a beautiful Japanese coffee service), Da. Juana vda. de Chuidian ( a pair of elegant and beautiful Japanese earthen jars), Srta. Belen Gómez (a dozen elegant and fine Japanese cups for coffee) , D. Joaquín Zamora, (a pair of capricious lacquered Japanese paintings). D. Vicente Gana ( a complete set of very fine Japanese tea service), D. Joaquín Herrera (elegant Japanese pillows), D. Pío Trinidad ( a pair of beautiful Japanese flowerpots),  and lastly, Fiscal of Pampanga D. Oscar Soriano (very fine and complete Japanese tea service).

The couple also received an astounding six sets of flowerpots with pedestals—led by Pampanga governor, Hon. Dr. Francisco Liongson, and Pampanga judge Hon. Julio Llorente who seemed to have bought the same “pair of elegant flower pots on pedestals” from one store. Curiously, D. José Monroy, Tomas Arguelles and Melecio Aguirre all gave “apple green pedestals with flowerpots”.  Well, at least they were color-coordinated.

Valuable silver--from tableware, coffee service, butter dishes, candy and fruit trays and decanters--were also gifted to the newlyweds. The most impressive was a silver toothpick holder  given by D. Godofredo Rodriguez. Whatever became of these silver gifts that are now antiques?

The practical D. Perfecto Gabriel must be commended for his very native gift—the only one from the bewildering assortment of European, Japanese, American, Chinese thingamajigs. Aside from a pocket watch, he gifted the Torreses an Ilocos blanket.

Today, some things never change when it comes to giving wedding presents.  There are gifts that are functional and practical,  there are many more that are recycled and inutile. The ubiquitous glass punch bowls and sets of glasses are still favorite giveaways, along with rice cookers, flat irons, towels and whistling kettles. That is why couples-to-be now have the derring-do to suggest their desired gift, explicitly written on their wedding invitations: “With all that we have, we’ve been truly blessed/ Your presence and prayers are all that we request./ But if you desire to give nonetheless/Monetary gift is one we suggest.”   With the money received...you may now treat the bride!

*431. MAY DAYS IN PAMPANGA

‘TWAS IN THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY. Kapampangan kids—including the children of Evangelina Hilario-Lacson and Serafin Lacson—dress up as Santacruzan characters, for the annual Maytime procession.

The merry month of May was named after Maia, the  Greek goddess of fertility, a mother figure in mythology. Thus, since the 18^th century, it has come to be the month associated with the Virgin Mary, with many special devotions and religious rites taking place in May.

Kapampangans not only hold the traditional Flores de Mayo processions which celebrates the titles of the Virgin listed in the 13^th century Loreto litany, but also conduct a different version of Santacruzan. Sabat Santacruzan--which dramatizes the finding of the True Cross by St. Helena-- is different in that the procession is halted several times by costumed actors who challenge the Reyna Elena in a poetic joust and engage her troop in a swordfight derived from yesteryear’s moro-moros.

Along with the Sabat Santacruzan are celebrated the various town fiestas and festivals of this province. Floridablanca, Mexico, Masantol, Sta. Rita, and San  Fernando observe the feast days of their patrons in various days of May. The Sampaguita Festival of Lubao, the Batalla of Masantol and the Pinukpukan Festival of Floridablanca all happen on this sunny month.

The first day of May also marks Labor Day, in celebration of laborers and the working class.  It brings to mind the memory of  the “grand old man of Philippine labor”—Kapampangan Felixberto Olalia Sr. (1903-1983), the first chairman of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) founded in 1980. Much earlier, he had founded the National Federation of Labor Unions, and became a champion of labor causes,  like  Crisanto Evangelista during the Commonwealth years. Olalia  and his family suffered for his work—he was imprisoned several times even in his advanced age;  his own son, KMU lawyer Rolando Olalia met a violent death in 1986, part of  supposed plot to rid the Aquino Cabinet of left-leaning members.

With May upon us, we look back at some of the past events of significance in Pampanga, which transpired on this fifth month of the year.

1 May, 1942. The execution of jurist-martyr-hero, Jose Abad Santos.

There are several conflicting dates of the hero’s death. What is known is, Abad Santos, his son Pepito, and Col. Benito Valeriano were captured by the Japanese on 11 April 1942 in Barili, Cebu. He was ordered executed by Gen. Homma and taken to Malabang, Lanao on 30 April.  Keiji Fukui, the interpreter during Abad Santos's confinement, supported by his diary notes, put 2 May 1942, 2 p.m., as the date of his death by musketry.  But the hero’s biographer, Ramón C. Aquino, claimed that May 7 was the date given by Pepito himself during his testimony at the war trials. Recently, the National Historic Commission of the Philippines, re-set the date to May 1.

1-18 May, 1910. Appearance of Halley’s Comet

Halley’s Comet made its appearance to the world, after approximately 76 years (it last appeared in 1835). People of Pampanga were struck with awe as the spectacular comet lit the skies before sunrise for 18 days.

4 May 1899. Philippine revolucionarios led by Gen. Antonio Luna burns San Fernando Church.

Not only was the church razed to the ground by revolutionary troops, but also the Casa Municipal and several houses to render them useless to the approaching American forces.

6 May, 1933. The Pampanga Carnival ends.

To celebrate the strides made by the province in the last two decades, the Pampanga Carnival Fair and Exposition--“the greatest concourse of people on the island of Luzon”—was held for 2 weeks, beginning on 22 April, 1933. The venue was the 12-hectare Capitol grounds in San Fernando. Appointed as Director General was the Hon. Jose Gutierrez David, Pampanga’s delegate to the 1934 Constitutional Assembly. More than a display of prosperity, the Carnival was also meant to be a concrete expression of local autonomy in keeping with the principles of a truly democratic government.Almost all of the 21 towns of Pampanga came to participate in the fair that was patterned after the national Manila Carnivals. The fair ended with the selection of Miss Pampanga.

7 May, 1866. Birth of Dña. Teodora Salgado, financier of the Revolution

During the Philippine Revolution, Kapampangan women came in full force to aid the revolucionarios. Not only did they activate La Cruz Roja (Red Cross) for the sick and wounded revolucionarios, but also funded the activities of local revolutionary groups.  On such generous financier was Teodora “Dorang” Salgado,  daughter of Joaquin Salgado and Filomena Basilio of San Fernando. The life of the “grand dame of San Fernando” reads like a telenovela: she was twice-widowed, thrice married, childless--yet she surmounted all these trials to emerge as Pampanga's most successful--and richest—businesswoman.

7 May, 1899. Gen. Aguinaldo moves the seat of the government to Angeles.

The revolutionary leader, coming from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, transferred the seat of his government to Angeles. Mass was held in the town, attended by his soldiers.  Aguinaldo stayed in Angeles until July, when he moved his government to Tarlac.

12 May, 1812. The proposal to make Culiat a self-governing town is vetoed by Spanish friars.

Sixteen years after Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda, and wife, Doña Rosalía de Jesús, settled on a new land that grew and prospered to be Culiat, the residents proposed that their new town be given autonomy to organize its own governing body. The proposal was disapproved by friars led by Fray José Pometa.

12 May, 1962. Pres. Diosdado P. Macapagal moves the date of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12.

The United State, through the Treaty of Manila, granted  independence to the Philippines on 4 July 1946 to coincide with its own Independence Day. In 1962, Pres. Macapagal issued Presidential Proclamation No. 28, which declared June 12 a special public holiday throughout the Philippines, "... in commemoration of our people's declaration of their inherent and inalienable right to freedom and independence".  Republic Act No. 4166 formalized the date by proclaiming  June 12 as "Philippine Independence Day".

20 May, 1897. Insurrectos raid Talimunduc in Angeles.

On this day, a band of insurrectos led by a capitan from Barrio Tibo, Mabalacat raided Talimunduc (now Lourdes Sur) and recruited new members. Local officials managed to pursue and disband them, and 7 men were caught, including Crispulo Punsalana and Cornelio Manalang. They were supposed to be taken to jail in Bacolor, then the capital of the province, but they disappeared; rumors had it that they never got to their final destination and were all killed.

 21 May 1919, Major Harold Clark dies.

Major Harold Clark, the military pilot stationed in the Philippines and who gave his name to Clark Air Base, died in a seaplane crash in the Panama Canal Zone on this day.

28 May, 1870. Birth of Brig.Gen. Maximino Hizon, Pampanga’s  revolutionary hero.

This Mexico native became the caudillo of the Revolution in Pampanga who rallied Kapampangans to fight the Spaniards under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo’s revolutionary banner. He ordered the execution of the parish priests of Mexico and San Fernando, Pampanga, and later led attacks against Americans in a foiled attempt to recapture Manila. Hizon was captured by the Americans and exiled to Guam where he died of a heart attack in 1901.

*430. FOLK SONGS OF THE KAPAMPANGAN REGION

I WANT TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING. Kapampangans out on excursion trips usually brought their stringed instruments to make beautiful music while on the road, or while enjoying their picnic. People would sing along to add to the merriment of the moment. 

Pampanga’s musical traditions begin with folk songs and melodies. These are the first songs that you heard growing up, on your Ingkung’s knee; the lilting lullabye that Ima hummed in lulling you to sleep. These are also the songs that you sang in school, full of nonsense and made-up rhymes, songs about Atsing Rosing, Mariang Malagu and Kapitan Besyu.

They are the songs sang by peasant workers to fight off boredom and drudgery, to express pride in their labors, however humble. They are the stirring kantang Ukbu that galvanized a national movement, patriotic paeans to a country.

They are the dirgeful tunes you heard being chanted on Holy Week, the hymns and carols that you dutifully sang in church services and the frenetic beat that devotees danced to in annual kuraldals. From the plaintive serenatas of many a lovestruck swain, the sweet chords of a kundiman to the bawdy tunes that livened up many a drinking spree, these songs are a part of our race since time immemorial, wrought by anonymous wordsmiths, and handed down from generation to generation through oral tradition.

Folk songs we call them, music of the common people that says so much about how we live, love and laugh. There are various touchstones that define this kind of music.

First, the anonymity of authorship. Unlike formal poetry, where names like Crissot, Gallardo and Yuzon are associated, there are no such names to speak of in folk poetry. Because of the continuous transmission process, there are no fixed attributions and sources. Which means, the longer the transmission period, the more impossible it is to determine the originator.

Second, the language. Folk song lyrics are generated by common people who are largely untutored, with nary a care for the rigid disciplines of literature as taught in schools. They give free rein to ideas and emotions without a thought for forms, meters and aesthetics, telling stories with natural flair, earthy words and all. The lyrics are uninhibited, the language(s) raw, spontaneous and even mixed.

It is not:

Legwan king kaladua, legwan king katawan

Nung iti mikalu, sunlag ya ing legwan

Ugaling uliran, mayap a kaniwan

Selan at sampat lub, dit a pamagaral

Nung miakma iti king santing ning laman

Tunggen keng malagu, babai ninuman

But it is:

Y Mkaka kung Maria, mamuli yang tapis
Purung purung sutla, habing Camarines
Ninu ing tatalan, ninung talabitbit
I kaka kung Peping, anak ng Don Pedro

It is also:

Kabang teterak ku, lulundag, luluksu

Miyagnan ing sagakgak, pakpak ding gamat ku.

Emuku tiknangan, anggang mepagal ku

Susunga ku rugu, tutulung sipun ku..

And likewise:

One day, misan a aldo

I saw menakit ko,

A bird ayup kano

Flying susulapo

Third, folk songs are a work in progress. The Kapampangan folk song evolves by continuous alteration, as opposed to its formal literary counterpart where every word is fixed, the form precise and permanent. Folk songs are subject to versioning and customizing, in the course of their transference, a cultural process perfectly permissible to fit the needs of the times. Folk songs survive  because of effective adaptation and it is correct to sing:

Papatak, papatak

Magkanta la ring tugak

Lilintik-lilintik

Magkanta la ring itik

But it is also okay to sing:

Papatak, papatak

Magkanta la ring antak

Lilintik, lilintik

Magkanta la ring Instik!

With the ongoing cultural renaissance in Pampanga, Kapampangan folk songs are being rediscovered and enjoyed.  Folk songs are no longer just the interest of historians, musicologists and seekers of quaint entertainment, but of late, they have found favor as part of the repertoire of youth bands, mainstream singers local music icons led by Pampanga’s best known minstrel, Totoy Bato. After all, folk music has played a very important part in almost everyone’s life. Without a doubt, the folk songs we learned from our childhood, from our parents and friends have been instrumental in shaping our taste for music in all its melodious permutations. There is no better reason to start singing them again. So pick up a guitar, raise your voices, and sing your heart out!

*424. LOOKING FOR MISS PHATUPHATS

AMERICAPAMPANGAN GIRL. A young Pampanga miss in a strikes a pose in her modern Western-style outfit, complete with a hat, white gloves, high heel shoes--all fashionably Americana!

“Ang mga babae’y nagputol ng buhok, nag-alis ng medyas

Nag-ahit ng kilay at ang puting dibdib ay halos ilabas

Ang mga lalaki ay libang na libang sa lahat ng oras

Saan patungo ang ganitong bayan kung hindi ang maghirap…

- Miguel M. Cristobal, poet

Juan Crisostomo Sotto showed us a caricature of what we had become under the Americans through his story character—Miss Phatuphats.  Formerly known as Yeyeng, she had developed an abnormal preoccupation with things American, and sought to erase her Kapampangan-ness by speaking only in English and affecting an air of Yankee  superiority. As a result, she became a pitiful, laughing stock of the town, leading many to question whether the white ‘saxon” culture is truly fit to be assimilated by brown-skinned Filipinos.

The turning point in our history, historians say, began with the inauguration of the Philippine Assembly in 1907, and which saw Filipino participation in self-governance for the first time. Fear and distrust for white masters slowly gave way to awe and admiration. Filipinos took to adapting the great American lifestyle and the term “Sajonista” (Saxonist) was used to describe with a sneer, these Americanized natives, the new “modernistas”. They were “young ladies and gentlemen”, products of the public schools, who have taken to addressing each other with “Mister” or “Miss”, and who sought out to differentiate themselves from the common provincianos.

Names were the first to updated to give them a cosmopolitan sound—so Francisco became “Frank”, Jose “Joe” and Lucia, “Lucy”. Kapampangan parents had a heyday naming their babies with American appellations—Henry, Mary Rose, Helen, Charles. The young lads and lasses who went to Manila for their schooling returned home to their towns in their smart drill suits, stylish frocks copied from American fashion magazines and thigh-high stockings.  

For the best in Western-style dresses, the taller de modas of Florencia Salgado, Maria Castro’s “National Fashion”, Sotera Valencia’s “Valencia’s Fashion”,  and Marta Tioleco Espinosa’s “La Creacion” were the go-to places in San Fernando.

Bathing suits were an offshoot of the sporting events introduced by Americans, who were avid sports enthusiasts. Two of the first to wear them in public were Kapampangan sisters Amanda and Luz Abad Santos—daughters of Jose Abad Santos, who were members of the 1934 Far Eastern Games national swim team.

Meanwhile, American sartorial elegance was the promise of  C. Hugo (Gentleman’s Tailor Modernist), Hilario Lapid’s Fashion (Cabildo), I.D. Cura (along Rizal Ave.) and De Leon Bros. tailors (Herran)—all Kapampangan suitmakers.

Young, independent colegialas had their eyebrows shaved,  hair cut short, bobbed, curled and Marcel-waved in modern salons such as the one owned by Rosa Soliman. Their handsome boyfriends in their City Slick, Valentino or Executive hair styles and flared London pants took them out to soda parlors to have ice cream or watch vaudevilles (the “zarzuela” was considered passé) , and basketball games.

By the 1930s, the Philippines was  completely under the American spell. It is said that the boogie-woogie, jitterbugging kids of the Swing Era were probably the most Americanized generation of young Filipinos. An observant few were quick to lament the eradication of our values as Filipinos became enamoured with the American dream with Hollywood movies, the carnivals and  cabarets, the cigarettes and the scotch—providing the cheap thrills of youthful leisure.

Kapampangans’ love affair with America would last longer than most—even with the rise of nationalism in the 1950s, mainly due to the presence of Clark Air Base that was seen more as a boon, to the neighborhood community. For decades,  the base provided thousands of livelihood opportunities, jobs, and, for many Misses Phatuphats among us, a possible ticket to a good life.  

All that would end dramatically and abruptly in 1991, with Pinatubo kicking out America from Clark with finality.  The American absence cleared the air and gave us time and space to reflect on what colonial mentality has done to us, and what we have been missing all these years. After bidding  “adios” to Alice Roosevelt and Miss Phatupats, it’s now time to say “hello” to the rediscovery of our race, our own culture and heritage. 

*411. En Grande: THE BUYSON-EUSEBIO NUPTIALS, 1936

YOU BY MY SIDE, THAT'S HOW I SEE US. Dr. Jesus Eusebio, noted opthalmologist from San Fernando, and wife Josefina Buyson of Bacolor, at their fabulous wedding in 1936.

If one wants to see an occasion that best shows the Kapampangan spirit and his all-out lust for life, then one has to go to milestone celebrations of family members—debuts, birthdays, graduations, funerals, and weddings. 

In the glory days of the 1920s and 30s, thanks to the booming sugar industry that made millionaires out of sugar planters and agricultural land owners, Kapampangans could very well hold events that were also virtual displays of affluence, power, social status, pomp and splendor, with a bit of braggadocio and ostentation thrown in.

Such was what characterized the legendary wedding that united the accomplished Dr. Jesus Eusebio of San Fernando and the beautiful Josefina Buyson of Bacolor in 1936, both children of two well-landed Pampanga families.

Dr. Jesus Eusebio was the eldest son of Don Andres Eusebio,  a prominent sugar planter and businessman. The older Eusebio also sat on the board of directors of Pampanga Sugar Development Co. (PASUDECO) and San Fernando Electric Light and Power Co. (SFELAPCO). Married to Asuncion Santos, his other sons included Eugenio, Amando, and Alfonso. Jesus, who finished his Associate in Arts at Ateneo,  was already a practicing ophthalmologist when he proposed to his lovely fiancee, Josefina Buyson.

Pitang, as she was called,  was one of the children of Mariano Buyson y Lampa of Bacolor, with his wife Dña. Maria de la Paz Miranda Angeles.  She and her sisters (Carmen, Luz, Emiliana, Asuncion and Pilar) were considered socialites of the town, and they grew up all accomplished—Carmen became an ambassador while Emiliana, a lawyer. But Pitang was the star, especially during the Mancomunidad Pampangueña balls, where her elegant fashion style came to fore—she was always dressed by high society couturier, Ramon Valera.

On April 12, 1936, at the ancient San Guillermo Church of Bacolor,  Jesus and Josefina were united in matrimony by the parish priest, Padre Andres Bituin. The church was decorated with flowers especially brought in a day before by Manila’s foremost florist, Mr. Francisco Hilario.

The bride was resplendent in a wedding gown made by Pacita Longos, the most famous couturier of the era who dressed up Manila’s crème de la crème and Philippine Carnival beauties.

Her  retinue included her sister, Carmen, as her Maid of Honor. Pitang’s close friends,  Rosario Puno, Ester Lazatin, Aurora Hizon, Gloria Dizon and Maria Joven Ramirez, were her Bridesmaids.

Jesus, smartly dressed in a black tailcoat, was attended by his groomsmen, brithers Eugenio, Amando, Alfonso,  brother-in-law Antonino Buyson, and Rodolfo Hizon, future San Fernando mayor.

Standing as principal sponsors were Dña. Mercedes Paras, Dña. Bartola S. de Dizon, along with the bride’s father. Completing the entourage was Master Tomas Dizon, the ring bearer, and Corona Eusebio, flower girl.

Reception followed at the expansive residence of the Buysons in Bacolor, which was dressed up for the occasion. Music and food overflowed, with entertainment provided by Serafin Payawal and Tirso Cruz, Manila’s best big bands.

After their wedding, the couple left on the liner President  Hoover, to honeymoon  in Europe and the U.S. For days, the en grande wedding was the talk of the town, with their wedding pictures splashed on the pages of national magazines. There would be other weddings after that, involving scions and daughters of other rich Kapampangan families, but none was raved and talked about in the same breadth as the Buyson-Eusebio nuptials, held at the height of Pampanga’s age of prosperity and plenty.

*404. Pwera Asug: BABIES AGAINST EVIL

BABY LOVE. A Kapampangan baby from Sta. Rita wears a coral bracelet to ward off afflictions of unnatural causes, like "asug". Corals were believed to be imbued with divine powers.

Since the dawn of time, man has been warding off earthly perils— the elements, disease, and threats from fellow human beings—arming himself with tools, weapons and all sorts of ammunitions. But when the danger is unexplained and unusual, he seeks assistance from other worlds—the supernatural. Thus, in our recorded history, we transformed through rituals and incantations-- metals, wood, stone, cloth, barks and herbs into weapons against evil.

Urban legends recount how revolucionarios went to the battlefields protected by oracions (prayers) written on their undershirts. In recent memory, the fantastic escapes of the 50s Cavite gangster Nardong Putik (Leonardo Manecio) were attributed to the power of his anting-anting that he inherited from Santiago Ronquillo (alias Tiagong Akyat). The government threw everything it had into capturing him, but to no avail.

 Closer to home, Jose Maria Henson (1820/d.1867) of Angeles was said to possess a magic sword that can render a person immobile just by pointing the sword or throwing the sword at him.

But what about helpless babies brought out into this world? How can he protect himself from the “evil eye” of a stranger which can hex a baby’s health? “Asug” ("usug" in Tagalog) is a term for such an affliction characterized by fever, convulsion, stomach ache and colic. This unintentionally inflicted folk illness is also widely known in Caribbean countries and Mexico as “mal de ojo” It is the belief that the child’s distress can be eased by asking the stranger to rub his saliva on the baby's tummy, shoulder or forehead and other body parts before leaving the house, while muttering “pwera asug…pwera asug” several times.

In the 19th century, newborn babies were protected from maladies by having them wear coral bracelets. Corals were believed to possess divine powers. A Greek legend has it that that when Perseus beheaded Medusa, he laid the Gorgon’s bloodied head on a bed of seaweeds, turning them into corals.

 In the Middle Ages, people kept pieces of corals in their purses, as talismans against witchcraft. Because of their shape, coral branches were also thought to protect the bearer from lightning strikes. For Tibetans and American Indians, the coral was an effective protection against the evil eye, while for Christians, the coral pink color symbolized the blood of Christ.

No wonder, coral jewelry became traditional gifts to both expectant mothers (for its blood-rejuvenating property) and their newborn babies (as protective amulets). Greek mothers hung coral strands on babies’ cradles while Romans strung coral necklaces for their kids. Coral was also used to prevent teething problems, which, in the early 19th century was believed to be responsible for many infant deaths. It was incorporated into teething rings to prevent bleeding gums.

 Silver objects were popular christening gifts in early 18th century Europe, as the precious metal was believed not only to have purifying effects but also repulsed evil of supernatural origin effectively. Silver rattles, bells, whistles and teethers –many made with coral trims--were standard presents to children of wealthy families, a tradition that did not catch on in the Philippines.

Of course, while Catholic sacramentals like medals (St. Benedict, patron against contagious diseases, is a popular choice) have replaced expensive coral and silver charms, there are still a few charms to help safeguard babies’ health and wellness.

Currently available is a “kontra-asug” bracelet that mimics those rarer and more expensive coral jewelry. Made of red plastic and black plastic beads, the bracelet comes with a red cloth sachet with a cross outside, containing seeds and dried plants, which can be pinned on the baby’s shirt. The bracelet serves to prevent “asug” as well sorcery.

So next time you bring baby out, never fear! He is not just powered by his vitamins and minerals to help build his ‘resistensya’, but--according to the old folks--he has sure protection against all sorts of maledictions, thanks to a charm bracelet that even Wonder Woman would want to wear. “Pwera asug!”.

*389. Training To Be Red: STALIN UNIVERSITY

RED ALERT. Barrio Sinipit in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, lies under the shadow of Mount Arayat. The strategically-located barrio was the site of an informal training school for Red cadres known as Stalin University. ca. 1959.

 Communism was a new ideology that was embraced early by the peasantry in their fight against tenant oppression. But one did not just turn red in an instant, he had to be indoctrinated in the ways of the new movement—from its fundamental beliefs and principles to its concept of resistance and armed uprising. The training school for such purpose was set up in a place aptly named Barrio Sinipit, in Cabiao Nueva Ecjia—which, in Kapampangan means “ hemmed-in, suppressed, repressed”. The school was called Stalin University—named after the Moscow-based institution founded by Communist International on 21 April 1921.

 This Kapampangan-speaking barrio, portions of which lie in the Candaba Swamp, was the perfect place for such a training school—Barrio Sinipit had always been hard-pressed from all directions, regularly raided by marauders, it houses burned and women raped. The barrio’s position and background made Sinipit the choice site for secret meetings by members and leaders of the so-called “Pambansang Kaisahang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas” (National Organization of Peasants in the Philippines).

 It was in 1936 that the PKMP established a training school for future leaders of this movement that was founded for the cause of oppressed peasants. In later years, these products of Stalin University would identify themselves as Huk guerrillas who shifted their fight from enemy invaders during the War, to abusive landlords and hacenderos. Many would also take on leading roles in the Communist Party of the Philippines and identify themselves as guerrillas of the Huk movement.

Stalin University was not a permanent building; its site was moveable and changeable—it could be under the canopy of a huge tree one day, and a ramshackle hut the next. This was so, because the instructors were the subject of manhunt by government intelligent officers. They were culled from the outside, who had knowledge of the conditions and feelings of Sinipit peasants.

 One tenant-farmer recall that “they were glib-tongue, very convincing, and they spoke of brighter things for us”. They would come with mimeographed notes and pamphlets in different languages. And they would talk of holding reprisals against abusive landlords. The Philippine Government knew of this Stalin University and it would send soldiers to swoop down on the clandestine school. But the class would always be a step ahead, moving to secret refuges in Bulacan or towards hideaways in Arayat or the swamps of Candaba.

 The Magsaysay Era ushered in a new purposeful period—to restore common people’s confidence in the government. Magsaysay sparked the revival of nationalism, and promised rural reforms. He addressed not only the issue of dissidence in the back country but also the disaffection of peasants because of grievances that remained unredressed. He established the President’s Complaint and Action Committee to look into such matters, such as the festering problem of share-cropping. Huk Chief Luis Taruc even sent a feeler to Commissioner Manahan when he heard Magsaysay’s speech about rural reforms and was curious to learn more. In time, Taruc admitted that Magsaysay’s barrio program had made the Huk struggle aimless.

 Thus, Stalin University was abandoned as the Huks took their movement to the hills, leaving Barrio Sinipit in peace once more. By 1959, the barrio was back on its feet, a thriving community blessed with rich soil and hardworking people. No many remember that not so long ago, beneath the shadow of Mount Arayat, there was a Nueva Ecija barrio where once Red cadres trained, in a school without a campus, known by the name Stalin University.

*369. KAPAMPANGANS AT THE 1904 ST. LOUIS’ WORLD’S FAIR

FILIPINAS AT THE FAIR! The Philippine Exhibit was assigned the largest space in the fairgrounds of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and a multitude of structures were built to serve as exhibit halls and residences of some 1,100 Filipinos (mostly tribal groups)  flown in to animate the event. No wonder, the Philippine Exhibit caused a major sensation

 “Meet me at St. Louis…meet me at the Fair!” 
So goes the lyrics of the period song that served as the unofficial theme of a magnificent American fair that was dubbed as “the greatest of expositions”, surpassing everything the world has seen before, in terms of cost, size and splendor, variety of views, attendance and duration.

 The 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, popularly known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, opened officially on 30 April 1904, to mark the 100th anniversary of the purchase of Louisiana from France by the U.S.- a vast area that comprised almost 1/3 of continental America. From this land were carved the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Oklahoma and sections of Colorado, Minnesota and Wyoming.

 Save for Delaware and Florida, all the states and territories of America participated in all the activities at the sprawling 1,275 acre fairgrounds that took all of 6 years to build. As a U.S. territory, the Philippines joined 45 nations in organizing a delegation as well as the construction of its own exhibit grounds—the largest in the fair-- to house pavilions, recreated villages, presentations and native Filipino groups.

 Much have been said about the Philippine representation that included “living museums” with ethnic tribes (Samal, Negrito, Igorottes, Bagobos), and regional groups (Visayans, Tagalogs) showing their traditional way of living in replicated villages.

Before large audiences, Igorots demonstrated their culinary practices by eating dogs, while Negritos shot arrows and climbed trees. A pair of Filipino midgets were also featured stars, together with English-speaking, harp-playing Tagalas who represented the more “civilized’ side of the Philippines.

 On a more positive note, the Philippine Constabulary Band dazzled and thrilled crowds with their impressive and stirring performance of march music while the Philippine Scouts, composed mostly of smartly-dressed Macabebe soldiers ("Little Macs", as they were called by their American fans) , performed military drills with precision and aplomb.

 Then there were the superlative government exhibits that showcased the richness of Philippine talents and resources. There were exhibits in various categories: Forestry, Arts, Crafts, Cuisine, Education, Agriculture and Horticulture, Fish, Game and Water Transport and other industries. Tasked with the purchase of collecting and installing these distinctively Filipino exhibits for the St. Louis World’s Fair was the Philippine Exposition Board, specially created by the Philippine Commission.

The Board was allotted an initial budget of $125,000, with a further appropriation of up to $250,000 to mount a world-class exhibit that would show the commercial, industrial, agricultural, cultural, educational and economic gains made by our islands under Mother America.

 Recognitions were given by the organizers of the World’s Fair for country participants where their entries were judged by an international jury. Over 6,000 of various colors were won by the Philippines. Among those granted the honors were many outstanding Kapampangans who were represented by their inventive and creative works that wowed both the crowds of St. Louis and also the esteemed jury. 

In the category of Ethnography, the Silver Prize went to the Negrito Tribe (tied with the Bagobos) that counted Aetas from Pampanga as among the tribe members. They wre represented by Capt. Medio of Sinababawan and Capt. Batu Tallos, of Litang Pampanga.

 The Products of Fisheries yielded the following Kapampangan winners who produced innovative fishing equipment. Bronze Medals: Ambrosio Evangelista, Diego Reyes (Candaba); Fulgencio Matias (Sta. Ana); Macario Tañedo (Tarlac). Honorable Mentions: Alfredo Arnold, Epifanio Arceo, Pedro Lugue, Jacinto De Leon, Pascual Lugue, Mario Torres (Apalit); Eugenio Canlas, Teodoro de los Santos (Sto. Tomas); Andres Lagman (Minalin); Rita Pangan (Porac); Thos. J. Mair, Medeo Captacio (identified only as coming from Pampanga).

 Pampanga schools also performed commendably, with various winners in the Public School Exhibits, Elementary Division. Bronze medal winners include the town schools of Apalit, Arayat, Bacolor, Candaba and San Fernando, while Honorable Mentions were merited by Betis, Guagua and Mabalacat.

In the Secondary School division, Pampanga High School of San Fernando too home the Bronze. From among entries in the General Collective Exhibit category, Mexico was chosen to receive a Silver Medal. The Bronze went to Macabebe and San Fernando, while Honorable Mentions list included Bacolor, Candaba, Floridablanca, Magalang and Sta. Rita.

 The Fine Arts competition produced two Pampanga residents: Rafael Gil who won Silver for his mother-of-pearl art creation. Gil, and the highly regarded Bacolor artist, Simeon Flores (posthumous), also won Honorable Mentions for their paintings.

 The culinary traditions of Pampanga were made known to the world at the St. Louis World’s Fair through the sweet kitchen concoctions of several ‘kabalens’. Angeles was ably represented by Trifana Angeles Angeles (preserved orange peel) ; Irene Canlas (preserved melon); Carlota C. Henson (preserves and jellies); Januario Lacson (santol preserves); Isabel Mercado (preserved limoncito); Atanacio Rivera de Morales (santol preserves, buri palm preserves); Zoilo and Marcelino Nepomuceno (mango jelly); Aurelia Torres (santol preserves) andYap Siong (anisada corriente, anis espaseosa) Mabalaqueñas also tickled taste buds with their homemade desserts: Rafaela Ramos Angeles (preserved fruit, santol preserves); Maria Guadalupe Castro (santol jelly) and Justa de Castro (kamias fruit preserve).

 The World’s Fair at St. Louis closed at midnight on 1 December 1904, and was declared a huge success—thanks in part to the blockbuster Philippine exhibits enriched by the modest contributions of Kapampangans who proved equal to the challenge, to emerge as world-class citizens.

360. PAMPANGA'S GENDER BENDERS

ARO, KATIMYAS NA NITANG LALAKE! A man from Sta. Ana, curiously dressed in women's clothes and with a head covering to match, strikes a pose between two ladies. Ca. 1930s.

A few years back, I was leafing over my Apung Tiri’s old expense ledgers dating back from the 1940s. Apung Tiri was my grandmother from my father’s side whom I have never met (she died in 1952, before I was born), and she was known for being fastidious about household expenses, writing down every money spent, every debt paid, and every cash advanced.

 Several entries in her journal piqued my interest especially those parts that mentioned her payments to “Juan Bacla”, apparently a tailor who made pants and shirts for Apung Tiri’s boys, sons Manuel, Mateo and Gerardo, my late father. Descriptive labels appended to people’s names were commonplace in the old days, and I remember people in the neighbourhood called Inggong Taba, Tsoglung Intsik and Rey Duling.

I was not prepared to see a “Juan Bacla” in my Apu’s old ledger, for I thought people then were not as open with their sexual orientations, making me wonder if “Juan Bacla” was already as swishy and as flamboyant back in the ‘30s as today’s Vice Ganda.

 As early as the 19th century, however, gayness was known and observed in the Philippines; a Spanish photographer, Felix Laureano, even shot a photo of a gay lavandera in the company of 3 washerwomen, He writes of the photo: mentioned “Three dalagas and a tao, sitting on the green grass beside the river and washing clothes, their minute feet being lapped by the crystal clear current. The tao, who can be identified by his manners, is binabayi, agui, and has the balutan of dirty clothes near him.”

 “Binabayi” was a general term to describe effeminate people—and at one point, even our national hero, Jose Rizal was labelled as one. “Bakla”is another appellation, but its deeper meaning is “to weaken”, hence a line in a Pasyon describes “si Kristo ay nababakla..”.

 In Minalin, there is a quaint festival involving cross-dressing—the Aguman Sanduk (Fellowship of the Ladle) . Started in 1934 by a group of drunken Minalin revelers who thought of a way to brighten up the New Year. The macho men dared each other to dress up in women’s clothes and parade on the main street. The culminating activity was the election of the Aguman muse—the ugliest of the cross-dressers. The honor of becoming the first queen went to husky Hilarion Serrano, who oldtimers remembered as “pekamatsura, maragul atyan, and delanan ane lupa” (the ugliest, pot-bellied, termite-ridden face).

 The celebration was capped with cultural activities “crissotan”competitions, and partaking of “lelut manuk”(chicken porridge). It is remarkable that the participants are all hot-blooded, heterosexual males. In the ensuing years, the Aguman Sanduk has grown even wilder and more daring: men and boys go on a beautifying frenzy: unabashedly donning blonde wigs, putting on fake lashes and mascaras and wearing brassieres in preparation for the New Year’s Day parade.

 On that much awaited day, the men in their micro-minis, sequinned evening gowns and outlandish costumes turn on their coquettish charms as they take to the streets—walking, dancing, sashaying in a spectacle in transvestism that would put any Miss Universe contestant to shame. On the sidestreets, the women cheer their men, husbands, sons and fathers as the freaky procession of pulchritude wends its way around town.

 Kapampangans have embraced this unique festival to this day, an original cultural tradition that pays tribute by poking fun at the ideals of machismo and beauty melded together in one celebration—two qualities that are valued by Kapampangans like no other. But Aguman Sanduk may also be looked at as a festival of liberation from gender discrimination and repression, expressed in gay abandon for all the world to see and eventually, accept, the way Kapampangans have.

*352. THE OLD SCHOOL CANTEEN

WHERE EAT'S AT. The Pampanga High School canteen, located at the school grounds, was just a modest wooden structure built to serve as an eating area for students during their recess and breaks. Ca. Late 1950s

 Who can forget the old school canteen? The sound of the bell indicating the start of recess would have us scampering towards our school canteen—that ramshackle building that sold more than refreshments and snacks for hungry students, but also provided a casual place for lively discourses, from the trivial to the sublime, while partaking of cheap spaghetti, Chiz Curls and Sunkist in tetra-packs.

 The concept of a canteen was nonexistent in my elementary years. Always, we ate our food in the classroom, bought from student vendors (recruited from the Home Economics classes) who went from room to room selling kakanins like kalame, palitaw and mochi. Otherwise, we would buy snack items from makeshift stalls around the perimeter of our school, to be eaten within the school grounds during our break time.

 It was different when I set my foot in my new high school in the city—it had a separate structure for food and refreshments. Every 9:30 a.m., all hell broke loose in the mad dash to be first in line at the canteen—the sooner you were served, the more time you can indulge in eating and socializing. 

Oh yes, it was in the canteen that various clicque were formed and friendships forged for a brief 15-20 minutes, and one’s station in the school could be gleaned from the composition of students in one table. Nerds and runts would occupy one table, and the more boisterous ones in another.

 Our school canteen was managed by the family of one student, who happened to be a classmate, and it had the basic stuff we needed to satisfy our growing appetites. Manning the fort was the loquacious Mrs. Antonio, who exuded a Mother Earth-ly aura with her matronly girth. She could not keep still at her post, making sure everyone was served efficiently, promptly.

 A typical morning merienda included such choices as spaghetti with ketchup-y sauce laced with hotdog slices (my favorite!), recado-less pancit guisado, watery sampelut, siopao, assorted sandwiches (cheese pimiento was a staple) , Chippy, Chiz Curlz –which we downed with softdrinks and orange juices in triangular cartoons—plus candies galore. The scene would be repeated come lunch time, and the canteen would be full to the rafters by noon.

I shied away from the canteen at this time, preferring to eat my packed lunch elsewhere with my best friend. Our secret break spot was at the rear of the school, under a thick canopy of bonggabilya leaves. Here, hidden by the thick foliage, we could enjoy our lunch, wrapped in banana leaves, away from the bullies whose nasty habit it was to mooch for ulam! There was not a week that I did not have porkchop or fried chicken for lunch, for some reason, I never had vegetables.

 Since the break time was a full hour, students had more time to linger—perhaps to review Physics lessons, learn a few chords from the latest issue of Jingle Magazine, character assassinate a teacher, and for the more daring ones—sneak a few puffs of smoke.

 A more serious transgression done to the canteen was the constant disappearance of plates and utensils. I remember Mrs. Antonio making a plea to our class, to please, please return the plastic yellow plates lest she gives up the canteen. I don’t know if the plates were returned, but the Antonios operated the canteen till we all finished high school.

 The sound of the bell after an hour would indicate the end of lunch, and the start of the afternoon session, which would invariably lull students to sleep, including me. The saving race would be the 3:30 pm. bell, signalling our final trip to the canteen. I would buy only a few pieces of candy like Lipps and Vi-Va by this time, preferring to save my appetite for dinner.

 I continued to be a canteen habitué in my university years, even if the big canteens there were impersonal and cold. There were no Mrs. Antonios to warm you up with a smile and a “good morning”, only uniformed attendants who served then swiped your tables cleaned, then moved on to the next . The menu was more sophisticated, with fancy entries like “flying saucer”, “club sandwich”, “sloppy joe sandwiches”. But where, oh where is my “putung babi” and “sampelut”?.

 Then and now, school canteens continue to serve the same purpose for both idlers and socializers. For the latter, a canteen is a place to see and be seen, to display trophy friends, grab a bite--and attention. As for the bored and the lonely, here’s a friendly advice: ”If you have nothing to do, do it here—in your old school canteen!!”

*349. KAPAMPANGANS IN BAGUIO

KAPAMPANGAN HIGHLANDERS. A Kapampangan belle and her tribe of kids pose for a souvenir photo while dressed in genuine Igorot attires. Lowlanders found the exotic costumes of the northern highlands attractive enough to be used as favorite dress props for photography.

 Baguio, the country’s summer capital, was developed by the Americans in the early 20th century as a mountain resort, a cool refuge from the oftentimes unbearable tropical climate they were unaccustomed to. Chinese and Japanese laborers were employed to build Kennon Road leading to the pine-clad city.

 It would soon become apparent that Baguio would bloom into a city unparalleled in beauty and natural charm. Daniel Burnham laid out the city and build the famous park that now bears his name. The Manila-Dagupan Railways made access to the highlands easier and it was just a matter of time that lowlanders would go to Baguio to find work and eventually, a new home.

 A lively building boom began immediately, peaking about 1915. At first, Japanese carpenters took an active part in the construction of the city. Sawmills were set up and these were manned and managed by Japanese settlers who invited relatives over to join them.

But in the 1930s, Pampanga carpenters gained more favour, as they were more adept in erecting houses of Spanish-Filipino style. Also, the Kapampangans charged fees that were more affordable. While the Japanese carpenters employed Ilocano, Ibaloy and Kankanay peons, the Pampanga carpenters brought in their own assistants, also from their home province. As fate would have it, it was the same Pampanga builders and their aides in the 1930s who went on to rebuild the devastated city of Baguio after World War II.

Many of these Kapampangans would fall in love in Baguio and eventually make it their home. Leogardo Mendoza, a Baguio resident since the 1930s, had a grandfather who was a maestro carpintero from Guagua. He took along his family in Baguio and Leandro’s parents went on to run baguio Theater and Bowling Alley along Abanao Street.

Some members of the Gosioco Family also had houses in Baguio and became permanent residents of the city in the 50s. As a child, I remember going to their popular general store located within Baguio market grounds, which carried everything from school supplies to Baguio sweets and souvenirs.

My uncle, Mateo Castro of Mabalacat, brought his young wife, Aurea Samson of Dau, to Baguio, and decided to settle there permanently. They made their home on top of a steep hill along Bokawkan Road, and their stylish bungalow would be a welcome home for their Kapampangan relatives every summer. As a teacher at St. Louis Boys’ High and later, a college professor at the Belgian-run St. Louis University, my uncle and his family found it easy to be integrated in Baguio society that was open and .

In the 60s and 70s, Baguio began attracting students as it grew to become a become a major center of education in the North. By then, it had become known as a university city, home to such fine schools as St. Louis University, Baguio Central University, University of the Philippines, University of Baguio, Baguio Colleges Foundation and even an agricultural school in La Trinidad.

My sister Celine would be the first of my siblings to go to Baguio for her college education at St. Louis University, and she would eventually get married to Ferdinand Hamada, whose forebears were among the first Japanese pioneers of Baguio. My brother Gregg and I would follow as well and it was always a delightful surprise to find many Kapampangans in my school, that included students from Sta Rita (Jeannie Saplala-Parker), Mabalacat (Robby Tantingco, Olga Hipolito) and Angeles (Lito Nievera, Rizal de Guzman, Ruby Pineda).

Just about the same time, Baguio developed a lively art scene, and artists from all over the country gravitated to the city, including Kapampangan painter, Ben Cabrerra (BenCab) and his wife Carolyne Kennedy. BenCab, now a National Artist, would found an art center called Tamawan Village, which houses a BenCab Museum, a 2000 square meter modern facility on a 4-hectare property beside the mountain town of Tadiangan. Today, it is a must-see destination for art aficionados.

 Baguio has lost much of its wonder and mystique in the past years, its green mountains studded with unsightly developments, with many of its heritage buildings like Pines Hotel, lost forever. It has also become overpopulated due to the influx of lowlanders and informal settlers. My last visit to the city of Pines was over 8 years ago, and although the city has dramatically changed, I was happy that I could still catch glimpses of its glorious, beautiful past, etched in the still warm and welcoming smiles of its hardy people.

*346. TAILORED FOR SUCCESS

EMPLOYEES OF NAR-MAN'S TAILORING, working overtime on Christmas Eve, 1948. The shop, established by Narciso Mangune of San Simon in 1932, was located along Azcarraga, cor. Misericordia St.

As a child, my clothes were almost always ready-to-wear, bought off-the-rack from bazaars and clothing shops that abound along Plaridel St. in Angeles. I and my brothers wore basic short pants in khaki, black and navy blue, which we matched either with a T-shirt or a hand-me-down polo salvaged from my Manila cousins. All other clothing pieces were sewn by my multi-skilled Mother who was quite handy with a sewing machine.

 By the time I got to high school, it was obvious that I needed better, more tailored clothes; beyond uniforms, I needed appropriate fashions for our teen socials, school activities like class parties and proms. So, my Mother sent me and my brothers off to a tailor in Angeles—Cong Peter—who had a shop right in his ramshackle house, just across Sacred Heart Seminary.

 For the longest time, Cong Peter designed and dressed us up in the latest styles of the day—from funky denim bell bottoms, bodyfit long sleeved shirts with standing collars, to snazzy gabardine coats that were perfect for our more formal senior prom. He was a master cutter par excellence, so much so that he found employment in Saudi, which left us briefly distressed. Where do we go now for our next set of clothes.

 Fortunately, every Pampanga town has many “sastres” of repute, known for their keen fashion sense as well as expertise in cutting and sewing. Before Cong Peter, there was a long line of master tailors who excelled in their trade and earned fame and fortune not only in their towns, but beyond the borders of Pampanga.

 In the peacetime years, young men of Minalin would hie off to Simon;s Tailoring, operated by master cutter, Martin Santos. For style-conscious Fernandinos, only the shops of Elpidio David (David and Fashion Tailoring), C. Hugo Gentleman’s Tailor Modernist and Vivencio Salas would do. Magaleños went to Narciso Suing’s “Gentlemen’s Tailor”to have their fittings while in Masantol, it was the “Sastreria de Julian Usi”.

 More enterprising Kapampangan tailors set their sights on the big city of Manila, which had a bigger, more sophisticated and therefore more moneyed clientele. Narciso Mangune of San Simon set up his “NAR-MAN’’s Tailoring” along Azcarraga corner Misericordia, in 1932, armed with a vow to his customers: “Nung bisa kang lunto maticdi at calang alangan lalu na qñg sociedad, ipatai yu ing quecong imalan qñg cabalitan a sastreria NAR-MAN’s. Sane ya at biasang taluqui qñg macapanaun a moda” (If you like to look dashing and without any awkward feeling in society, have your clothes sewn by the well-known NAR-MAN’s Tailoring. It is experienced and is up-to-date with the current fashions of the day).

 From Sasmuan, master cutter Jose S. Galang managed his own Galang Tailoring along 1122 Rizal Avenue. Just 5 stalls away was Alviz Tailoring, whose “clothing perfections” won First Prize at the 1933 Manila Carnival. Further down the road was Cura’s Tailoring, operated by I.D. Cura; it had a branch at Maria Clara St. Angel S. Domingo opened “The New York Modern Tailoring”at 1000 Magdalena St., Trozo in Tondo. His cabalen, P.S. Domingo, had his along busy Azcarraga (now C.M. Recto), fronting A. Rivera. Both came from Mexico.

 Lopez Tailoring, operated by a certain T.S. Lopez in Escolta enticed its customers with its time-honored philosophy: “Success is not luck..it’s perseverance and personal appearance. Wear custom made-to-measure clothes and have personal comfort and distinctive style”.

 The most impressive credentials seem to belong to Lorenzo V. Beltran, who owned and operated “Beltran’s Tailoring” on Echague. Beltran described himself as a “Sartorial Designer”, with over 18 years of experience in the tailoring profession. A Business Administration degree holder from the University of Manila, Beltran also bannered in his ads that he has travelled abroad for 3 year, and is one of the most up-to-date tailors in the city of Manila. The shop’s specialty was the “Evening Press”.

 In recent years, more famous Kapampangan-owned tailoring shops include Toppers of Manila, which was founded by Atty. Amado Carlos of Apalit. In the 70s, it was one of the leading men’s wear chain in the country, specializing in suits done in 24 hours, dress pants, vests, coats and barongs. It still is in operation today, with its main office in Quezon City.

 Fashion styles these days tend to be more casual, informal and laidback. Before, gentlemen shoppers would walk the Escolta strip in white Americana cerrada and straw hat while young Filipino swains dressed for the afternoon paseo at Luneta in smart sharkskin coats and tie. The demand for such styles may have waned, but tailoring shops continue to thrive in Pampanga towns, capturing a niche market of customers who want more than just signature brands—but accurate measurements, perfect fit, personalized, friendly service—all at an affordable price. Practicality—like quality-- never goes out of style.

*338. THE RITUALS OF BIRTH

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. A new mom bottlefeeds her baby, who is all swaddled in clothes, as was typical practice in the 1920s.

Birthing rituals are rooted in many cultures, and in Pampanga, there are folk beliefs and practices attendant to the delivery of a baby and his period of infancy and many more traditional customs observed in this important life event.

 An expectant mother, for example, is discouraged from eating twin bananas, as this may result in the birth of twin babies. A mother should also finish the food on her plate so that everything will come out during delivery, leaving her womb clean. If someone ate her leftovers, he will suffer bouts of sleepiness and drowsiness at work. Cutting her hair during pregnancy is not also advisable as the baby will be prone to baldness.

To avoid a difficult delivery, a pregnant woman should not have her house remodelled during her term and should avoid watching scary movies, lest her baby is aborted. Nor should she wear tight clothes so as not to deform the fetus. Participation in funeral activities is also a no-no. It is believed that both mother and child’s well being were dependent on the kinds of food she eats during her term.

To promote healthy eating, she should eat a diet of rice, monggo beans, raw eggs (for strength during labor), pigs tail ( for fetal movement) and kalamunding, a local citrus, so that her baby will have a flawless complexion. Scratchy root crops like taro or gabi should be excluded from her diet because it would cause her perineal area to itch.

 A child’s gender was determined by the way the mother looked during her pregnancy. If a mother’s tummy was set high and is pointy, the baby will be a boy. If a mother looked beautiful all throughout her term, the baby will definitely be a pretty baby girl. Pre-natal care rituals were the domain of women, and during health screenings, an infanticipating mother was often accompanied by a female family member rather than her husband. In rural areas, women turned to the local comadrona (midwife) or a female hilot to assist in the delivery.

 To ease a woman’s labor, windows and doors were flung wide open. A bath before delivery is thought to facilitate the birth of a child. In one barrio of Guagua, relatives of a woman about to give birth make noises (shouting, beating tin cans and exploding firecrackers) to help expel the baby faster. Children born on a Sunday were favored with a rich, long life. They were thought to be safe from from drowning and hanging. Those born on midnight, old folks say, will be brave, while those who come inot the world at the break of dawn will have short tempers.

 In the first few months of his life, a baby was looked after and doted on unlike any other. If a baby suffered from hiccups, a water-soaked cotton ball was placed on his fontanel to relieve him. A baby’s sneezing fit foretell the coming of rain. To keep him from harm’s way, babies are kept in the house in the belief that they are not yet fully protected. It is not good for a visiting person to praise a baby as this is thought to bring “usug” ( a spell of bad luck), making him cranky and sickly. To ward off “usug” and evil elements, a dot of red lipstick is dabbed on a baby’s forehead.

 A baby had to be baptized in the first six months of his life. In Mexico, Pampanga, the baby is brought to the church by a group of boys and girls, borne on a gareta (carabao cart), accompanied by a band. All expenses are paid for by the godparents. During the christening of a child, the godfather must give money to the “hilot”; otherwise the baby will always be afflicted with sore eyes.

 Bringing a baby into this world entails responsibilities that can often test the mettle, patience and endurance of parents. But for a Kapampangan mom, a baby is the center of her universe; fulfilment comes from raising him, nurturing him, watching him grow. It is a 24/7 role that she has come to embrace, and if there ever was a slogan to capture this unconditional maternal commitment, it’s got to be this—with apologies to Gerber’s-- “Babies are our business…our only business!”.

*335. AY, KABAYO!: The Horse in Our Pop Culture

 

LET'S DO THE HORSEY-HORSEY! My dad (R) and younger sibling Manuel (L) pose with their all-purpose family horse at home. My grandfather used to ride this horse when inspecting his farmlands, but it was also used for leisurely ride around the backyard by the brothers. Ca. 1930.

Next to the carabao, the lumbering beast of Philippine farmlands, the fleet-footed horse, or kabayo, ranks as another favored animal prized for its beautiful form and function. For many a busy hacendero in Pampanga, owning a horse was a must, for its varied uses—as a means of transport and conveyance, a trusty steed heroes rode in times of war, an animal enjoyed for recreation and leisure, as well as a prized status symbol.

A picture of my father and his sibling exist in one of our old albums, showing off their small, but fine steed. I never bothered to ask the name of their family horse, which I assumed, was used by my Ingkung in checking out his farm holdings in Bundagul and Mabiga. I bet my father and my uncle rode this horse all around the spacious backyard, and maybe even around town. The horse was kept in my granduncle’s house next door, perhaps in his spacious garage. The horse was most definitely tended by Tatang Simon, my father’s family driver.

 The horse was never an ideal animal for our wet farmlands—the damulag which could efficiently plow through mud was perfect for the job. In Europe, however, the horse ruled the dry wheat fields of Europe. Even then, the horse has managed to find a special place in Philippine pop culture.

“Kabayo”, is derived from the Spanish word “caballo”, and to this day, we call it as such, whether dappled, spotted or tan. In those times, many horse driven carriages were a convenient way to move around the country. In Manila, there were the ‘quilez” (a one-horse rig), the “tartanilla” (2 wheeled horse carriage) and the horse-drawn “tranvia”.

 During the Hispanic era, the art of horsemanship was integrated in the grand dances of old Pampanga. As a striking musical preface to the spectacular balls, it was said that Kapampngans danced the rigodon on horseback to display their equestrian skills and to flaunt their fine steed, fit for royalty.

 In and around the provinces like Pampanga, the more humble “karomata”and “kalesa”were more popular, their arrival announced by the pleasant tinker of the calesa bell and the rhythmic trot of the horse, with blinders and leather harness, arrayed with silver bridles, decorations and plumed headdress. To this day, the horse-drawn kalesa, though handful in number, continues to ply the dusty side roads of many Kapampangan towns, alongside jeeps and trikes.

 The animal has enriched our local culture, belief system and language; there are local adages that refers to the handsome steed, to wit: “Ing cabayung e queca, paburen me qng lacad na”(Leave a horse that is not yours, to trot along, read; Mind your own business). Another one goes, “Ïng cabayung alang rienda, capilitan managuinis ya” (A horse with no reins will be forced to bite). 

Philippine riddles make allusions too, to the horse: “Kabayu ng Adan, e mangan nung eme sakyan” (Adam’s horse will not eat unless you ride on it. Ans.: coconut grater). A more cryptic riddle runs: “Ing buntuk na kabayo, ïng batal na pari, ing katawan na ulad, ing bitis na lagari.” (It’s got the head of a horse, the neck of a priest, the body of a worm, the feet of a saw. Ans.: Locust).

 Around the house, there are domestic objects that refer to the horse. The animal gave its name to the old folding wooden ironing boards that resembled the 4-legged creature--the ‘pakabayu”. In the 19th century, children played “juego de anillo”, a game in which they attempted to collect hanging rings with a wooden sword while riding hobby horses of sticks. “Kabayuan” is to ride the back of a playmate in a horseplay, while “mangabayu”refers to the horse rider. Ironically, despite the graceful form and handsome figure of the horse, to be called “lupa kang kabayu” (to have the face of the horse) was tantamount to being called ugly.

Blame it on the horrific image of the “tikbalang", that huge cigar-smoking, tree-sitting denizen of Philippine folklore who took the shape and features of a horse, albeit elongated and uglier looking. The movies too, perpetuated the image of a laughable horse—as in the 1958 fantasy film about a talking horse, “Silveria, Ang Kabayong Tsismosa”, starring Dolphy. Why, even a comedian became famous in the 80s because of his resemblance to a horse—“Ritchie D’Horsie”.

 Richard III may have lost his life and kingdom for a horse, but this trusty animal has existed long enough to witness the gallantry of men and heroes: Bucephalus led Alexander the Great to his many conquests, Rocinante followed Don Quixote to his many adventures and an unnamed white steed of the young boy general, Gregorio Del Pilar accompanied him to his martyrdom. In recent memory, a world-class horse raced to glory with Kapampangan equestrienne Mikee Cojuangco’s gold medal winning performance at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, Korea.

 Loyal, dependable and trustworthy, our equine friend has certainly managed to gallop its way into our hearts, homes and history.

*331. IN THE SWIM OF THINGS

SINK OR SWIM.  Every summer, Kapampangans beat the heat by going to their favorite swimming holes, like this Sta. Rita teen in a period swimsuit posing before a natural pool. Ca. 1920s From the Gosioco Album, CKS copy.

The heat of summer is upon us, and amidst this stifling sizzle, we find ways to fight off the searing temperature. Many find welcome relief in going to air-conditioned malls or theatres, while others choose to cool off with a tall glass of Razon’s halo-halo and maybe, a refreshing iced buco juice or melon shake from a roadside stall. Still, for some, the best way to beat the heat is to find a watering hole or a pool to go swimming in.

 Before the advent of modern water resorts and their fancy swimming pools, Kapampangans living by the banks of the Gran Rio de la Pampanga fended off summer heat by simply take a dip in the shallow portions of the river and swim with the slow current for a kilometer or two. Picnickers, on the other hand, preferred the baños (baths) of Arayat-- swimming holes fed with the cooling spring waters that descended from the mountains.

For many Kapampangan youths in the 20s and 30s, Arayat was the equivalent of Antipolo, its forested slopes offering a shady refuge, dotted with many natural pools believed to contain medicinal properties. The baths of Arayat would soon be expanded and organized into the Mount Arayat National Park, a protected recreational area that continues to operate today.

Magalang benefitted from its proximity to Arayat, as the town too, had many natural swimming pools that were regularly visited by local townsfolk and tourists from nearby provinces. Similarly, in Mabalacat, Mascup River in Barrio Bana was also a favorite camping and swimming spot by excursionists during summer vacations. Entrance was always free.

As far back as the 1900s, the more adventurous American servicemen stationed at Camp Stotsenburg, delighted in the wild, rampaging waters of Bamban River. Whole troops regularly went to swim here to escape the tropical heat, but swimming was always a challenge as the river was crammed with stones and large boulders. In Porac, Mayamit Falls was another option, but the arduous trip to the waterfalls is not for the faint-hearted.

Early swimming pool resorts made their appearance in Angeles in the late 30s. Paradise Resort was a favourite summer haunt. Standard swimswear included bloomers for women and one-piece swimsuit for men. In Abacan, Balibago, the Del Rosario Swimming Pool opened to the public in 1958. It featured an adult pool with a diving board and two kid-sized pools and were always full-packed with families during the summer break.

The housing boom in the 60s also resulted in the establishments of residential villages with their own clubhouses and exclusive pools. Villa Angela was one such subdivision, and I would remember swimming in the village pool along with the fathers of Sacred Heart Seminary. Marlim Mansion, located at Severina Subdivision in Balibago, was one of the first high-rise hotels to feature a swimming pool as part of its modern facilities. By the mid 70s, Olympic size pools were the standard in Forest Park in Angeles and Yap Park in Dau.

Today, of course, water sports facilities abound in Pampanga with dizzying modern features and themes to cool the hot and harried Kapampangan. In Fontana, Clark Field, there are water slides and pools with machine-generated waves. Clearwater offers more than just swimming, but also kayaking. In Apalit and Mexico, I have seen water resort complexes with fantasy themes that are more like amusement parks than swimming places. Why, we even have our own Boracay in Pampanga, aptly named Poracay!

So when the next heat wave strikes, look around—there’s always a body of water near you: a river, a brook, a resort club or a village pool. Get into your swimsuit, grab a rubber tire, and plunge right in!

*329. WHEN FLAPPER WAS IN FASHION

FLAPPER GIRL. A fashion-forward young miss from Sta. Rita shows off her low-waisted American flapper dress, complete with stockings on her legs, a headband and a bow. Only the fan remains of the Spanish fashion influence.

 The Americanization of the Pinoy youth began rather auspiciously with the introduction of a new school system by our colonizers that called for teaching subjects in the new medium—English. Kids were taught that ”A”was for ”apple”, and were trained to sing new songs like ”America, the Beautiful”, sometimes replacing the word “America” with “Philippines”.

The unceasing stream of American pop culture—from music to movies, fashion to food-- further heightened the consciousness of Filipinos for things Americans.

Young lads, for example, easily took to American styles, shunning the camisa and the barong for the tailored Americana cerrada of sharkskin cloth, matched with white pants. With a straw boater’s hat on his head and 2-tone shoes on his feet, our young sajonista was ready to paint the town red with his dashing good looks and fashion sense.

 Filipina women were not far behind. In the 1920s, women of age lived independently from their families in Manila college dormitories ran by American dorm mothers. Mentored in the American way, these elite “dormitory girls” spoke in English among themselves and held tea parties to show off their etiquette and social skills. The Roaring Twenties ushered in a new era of fashion that has come to be known as the Flapper Era. Popularized by the looks of movie stars featured in jazz films – Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Joan Crawford, Vilma Banky—the flapper look was a breakaway from tradition, a rebellious statement against things prude and Victorian.

Perhaps, it was in synch with the rise of woman suffrage that was the talk of Philippine matriarchal society. No longer second class citizens, women decided to free themselves too of their long hair. Suddenly, bobbed hair became fashionable, along with spit hair.

 Icons of the day—like the Miss Philippines of the Commonwealth Manila Carnivals—came out in public sporting marcelled hair while wearing sleeveless, low-waisted chiffon dresses and dressy shoes of patent leather. The short skirted dresses fell above the knee and were trimmed with ruffles and sequins. To complete the look, the flapper ladies wore headbands (“headache bands”, as some remember them), dog collar adornments and extra-long string of pearls knotted around the necks which were swung at every given chance.

 The Flapper Age caught on among young Filipinas, and certainly, Kapampangans embraced the look, as seen from the above photo. Popular for over two decades, it was, without a doubt, a carefree, fun and trendsetting era. The local bodabil perpetuated the icon of the feisty Flapper—with dancers and performers scandalizing many with their short skirts and made-up faces, while flaunting cigarettes in long holders—a no-no with conservative Filipinas.

 But the Flapper era just roared on. False modesty and pretentious decorum fell by the wayside. There was daring and gaiety in the way Flappers looked, behaved and moved, repulsing others, but attracting even more youths that were bent on hastening the country’s Americanization, which they believed is the key in opening new doors for the Filipina women of the future.

 Just as quickly as it had raged, the Flapper fad would slow down as the Commonwealth years ended and a brewing war took hold of an unsuspecting Philippines. The War would eventually reach our shores and put everything on hold—and would mark the beginning of the end for an age of unbridled fun and symbolic rebellion—age of the Flapper.

*328. In Their Spare Time: DEPENDENT ACTIVITIES IN CLARK

ANIMAL RACE. A field meet at Stotsenburg featured an Animal Race, held from Nov. 8-15, 1920. The participating wildlife included a goose, a chicken, a dog,  a pig and a few more fowls. Field meets were regular dependent activities in the early days of Clark and were held at the all-purpose drill grounds.

In the first two decades of Fort Stotsenburg, families of military servicemn had to find ways to amuse themselves in their down time. There was just the parade ground to work on, which was converted into a playing field for sports events like polo, equestrian competitions and softball games.

For dependents who were not into heavy sports, creative recreational games were the answers. There were “fun” races for pets and other animals that provided hours of enjoyment and laughter. With the reconstruction of Clark after the War, there was more deliberate planning for spaces and buildings for recreational purposes. By the end of the 1950s, many facilities, social clubs and leisure programs were already in place, for military wives and youngsters.

The Officers’Wives Club, was one of the first associations to be put up, which held meeting in the O’Club monthly. It organized luncheons, bridge parties and does volunteer work for charity. Meanwhile, the NCO Wives Club included in their regular social schedule a wide variety of projects to aid the needy, both on and off the base.

Not to be outdone, the wives of the airmen on base also banded together to form the “Lower Four Wives’Club”, which maintained a busy social and charitable schedule. Many of the wives also participated in their own Squadron Wives’ Club, a very active organization that had a Bowling League Tournament. It also held many social get-togethers for both wives and husbands.

The pride of the teen-agers is their own Teen-Age Club. Through sponsors, the club held weekly dances, social dinners and special field trips around the island.

For active little youngsters, there is plenty of action in the Clark Little League. This group sponsors football, basketball and baseball for little sportsmen in a competitive mode. Excitement ran high during the various seasons when high energy games are held, as parents and friends cheered on. Clark’s Little League Football ranked as one of the few and the best in the Far East.

Although outside the United States, Clark has very active troops of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The scouts, together with their leaders once embarked on fund drives, camp-outs and other activities with equal vigor. Highlight of Boy Scouting has been the 10th World Jamboree held in the Philippines in which Clark scouts participated. Sports-wise, the women have their leagues too.

There were various “Powder Puff” Leagues in softball, volleyball and basketball, where women engaged in fast, rousing games climaxed by hard-won championships. Bowling leagues occupied a prominent position during the season as the dependents hurry in the bowling alleys to help their favorite teams. Clark’s Gray Ladies of the Red Cross, on the other hand, thrived on the spirit of volunteerism. It always lent a helping hand at the hospital, on a volunteer basis.

When The Hobby Shop was opened, it offered courses in leathercraft, pottery and other artistic pursuits for dependents. Movies and theatrical performances staged by Clark students became staple entertainment in the base. Then there were the fund-raising exhibits, barbecue and swimming parties that bonded many military families.

With all these activities designed to amuse and fight boredom, there really was never and idle day in Clark for Americans and their dependents, who had come to serve their country in this little spot in Pampanga, thousands of miles away from their home.