BARRIO OF MACARCARMAY, Historical Data

(SGD.) Mr. PAULINO BELARMINO
(SGD.) Mr. NICANOR VALERA

MACARCARMAY

MACARCARMAY is derived from the word "carmay." Carmay is a fruit-bearing tree which was in abundance at the time this village was founded.

Lampitoc, Bambanilag, and Pongdasan besides Macarcarmay proper are the sitios belonging to this barrio.

It was established as early as the eighteenth century.

(1) LAMPITOC was the first inhabitant of Lampitoc. He was a tinguian. As far as people now can remember, the family of Don Feliciano Belarmino was the first Christian family in Lampitoc.

(2} BAMBANILAG, a Tinguian, was the first chieftain of the first inhabitants of this village. Then came the family of Anastacio Buenafe.

(3) The northernmost sitio was said to have been inhabited by the late Don Gregorio Javier and his brother. These brothers owned almost the whole sitio. Don Gregorio's marriage was not blesed with a child. So, childless as they were, they thought of selling the land. Some of the early settlers who thought of owning a land of their own were Saturnino Gardillo, lldefonso Bello, and their families. - Macarcarmay proper.

None.

1930 - acquisition of the school site - ¼ hectare
1934 - enlargement of the school site - ½
1936 - construction of the semi-permanent school building

During the latter part of World War II, evacuees from the capital and nearby municipalities took refuge in the hills and mountains of Macarcarmay.

There was no destruction of lives, properties, and institutions during the wars that passed. Yet, it could not be denied that many lives passed away due to illness and lack of medicine at the latter part of World War II.

10. 1. MARRIAGE CUSTOMS - Marriages were arranged by the parents. A prerequisite to marriage was the dowry. The amount of the dowry was fixed in the marriage contract drawn up between the two families.

2. BIRTH - When a child is born, they put the placenta in a snall jar, so that he may not be a good eater. They have to hang it to a branch of a tree overlooking the path or the road, so that the child will not be too shy. They put a camanchile branch under the house to drive the evil spirit away.

3. BAPTISM - In baptism they see to it that the male and female sponsors are well to do. It was believed that if the child is a girl and all sponsors are female, the child would grow up to be an old maid. It was also believed that when a child moved his bowels during the baptismal ceremony, he would not live long. To counteract that omen, they put the diapers used behind the door unseen.

BURIAL CUSTOM - The early inhabitants who were said to be Tinguians used to make their dead sit on a chair with his pipe. The people donated food and drinks of any sort. They feasted until their donation lasted. They offered to their dead everything that they had: food, drinks, etc. If their feast lasted for a month, the dead also remained there as long as the feasting went on. They danced in front of their dead. When all things were consumed, they buried the corpse. As years rolled by, the people, step by step, became civilized and better educated. Their early customs of burying their dead were modified and outmoded.

As years rolled by, the people step by step became more civilized. The early customs brought down by their ancestors were modified and outmoded because it seemed to be dangerous to health, so they now bury the dead within the 24-hour period.

Before the corpse leaves the house and [is] lowered into the grave, the immediate members of the family pray asking God for the repose of his soul. The bed in which he lay is brought down the stairs following the bier and the old people pour wine until the stairs. All people leave the room and are requested not to look out of the window. If they like to see the corpse or bier, they should follow the bier downstairs, for it is a belief that if they look or peep out, sooner or later, another one will die. The remains will be laid in church to receive the last blessings. When the people come home from the cemetery, the people are obliged to pass over burning straw at the foot of the stairs, to drive away the evil spirits who followed them.

Deep mourning lasts for nine consecutive days. The widow or the nearest of kin wear black veils over their heads and let their hair fall down their shoulders so that the deceased will not meet hardships in presenting herself before God. The widow is not allowed to work and to go out if not necessary within those days, except to go to church. After the dead has breathed his last, all water inside the house are thrown away and changed. The immediate members pray for nine consecutive days. On the ninth day, the veil of the widow and kin are lifted to the shoulder and thus they can resume the responsibilities in the house. The immediate members of the deceased wear black for at least one year. After a year they can just do away with the black and can wear colored or printed clothes.

1. The howling of dogs at midnight are omens of misfortune or death.

2. When a woman is pregnant, she should not eat twin bananas, otherwise she would give birth to twins.

3. A girl who sings before the stove while cooking will marry an old widower.1

4. When a cat wipes its face with its paws, a visitor is coming.

5. Sneezing while starting a journey is considered a bad omen. It means [a] accident on the way.

6. When a hen cackles at midnight, an unmarried woman will give birth to a bastard child.

1. A slice of bamboo shoot illumines the whole world. - moon
2. A black queen sitting on a throne of fire. - pot
3. There, there it says, but it has no eyes. - pointing finger
4. When it stands it is short; when it sits it is tall. - dog
5. There is a piece of land. In the land. there is a lake. In the middle of the lake is a plant that bears [a] yellow flower. - lamp

1. The early bird catches the worm.
2. In union there is strength.
3. United, we stand; divided, we fall.
4. Don't put [off] for tomorrow what you can do today.
5. It is better to die, than to live in vain.
6. If they throw a stone to you, throw bread to them.
7. Look before you leap.
8. Repentance comes late.
9. Learn to labor and to wait.
10. While the cat is away, the mouse will play.
11. Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.

12. [A] Rolling stone gathers no moss.
13. [A] Barking dog seldom bites.
14. [A] Stitch on time saves nine.
15. Shallow water murmurs deep.
16. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The more civilized inhabitants of the locality use the clock, but the majority of the people use the sun, the crowing of the cocks, and the length of shadows to determine the time.

None.

PAULINO BELARMINO
NICANOR VALERA

(Miss) FLORA BIGORNIA

Transcribed from:

History and Cultural Life of the Barrio Macarcarmay, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections. The pagination in this transcription is as they appear in the original document.