MUNICIPALITY OF TAYUM, Historical Data Part IV

In erecting the corner post of a house, some owners put in money in the hole before cementing the post. This may be like the cornerstone they place in permanent buildings.

As soon as the floor is finished, the carpenters and the family eat at least one meal on the new floor. In case an accident happens before such a meal is eaten in the new building, the project will be discontinued.

And when the whole house will be finished, a dance will be held on the new floor, and this is the "padap-or."

Lightning, said to be the sparks of the flint of Angngalo, [who] was believed not to strike a house where vinegar was kept in open dishes.

Thunder was told to the children as the sound Angngalo made when he rolled stones in the riverbed above.

Rain was called "isbo ni Angngalo," and it looked like it if the rain passéd over a roof of cogon.

The appearance of a Comet was an omen announcing war or pestilence. The Halley's Comet that was visible in Tayum for many nights in 1910 was the biggest one ever seen. But World War I did not begin until 1914 and it was felt in the Philippines only in 1917.

Eggs under roost when there is an earthquake are supposed not to hatch into healthy chicks. Hence after an earthquake, eggs are all sold.

A sneeze ("ba-en"} of a person, worse still if it be a pig, in front of a person is supposed to announce danger where that person is going. If the sneeze is behind, especially when repeated, it means "Go!"

A snake or any black bird, as the crow, crossing the path from right to left, indicates some trouble ahead. But if a snake coming from the opposite direction meets a merchant, the merchant considers it good fortune.

Gamblers do not like to give off tips when they go to their joints. It is considered bad luck if one gives away a part of the money he brings with him to the joint.

Fishermen think that if they first meet a man on the way to the river, they will get much; but if a woman or a girl, bad luck.

Expecting guests is one of those commonly connected with omens. It is a known fact that Ilocanos and natives here are very hospitable. One always hears the invitaton "Mangantayo!" (let's eat) when we visit someone eating. And they mean it if you will gladly partake of what they have. But if the guest is rich, something special must be prepared. The following omens are considered reliable for such occasions.

If the fire in the stove spurts while cooking, expect new guests.

If the cat wipes its face with its paws, expect rich guests, (The believers in this omen do not consider the fact that a cat always wipes its mouth, and is pointed as an example for children to follow.)

The following song expresses announcements of guests:

"Tec-Tec" cona diay saltec diay siroc ti bautec. "Apo adda can cumangpet"
"Cac-cac" cona diay cannaway diay siroc ti catuday. "Apoaddacan sumangbay TEKTEK," says the house lizard staying under the bamboo walls.
"Madam, it says there will come some guests which are women."

a sangaili a ba-baket,
a sangaili a lal-lacay.

CAK-CAK says the heron "Under the catuday" tree; "Sir, there will come to our house, guests who are men."

During the Lenten Season, one hears singing groups in many houses. The Passion of Our Lord written in verses and stanzas of almost equal length fit into more than two time-honored sorrowful melodies that can be sung into voices by many people. The hook known as "pasion" is the Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ translated by an Ilocano native of Batac, and edited by an Augustinian and published by the Santo Tomas University Press.

Another set of songs is one called "Sudario." It is supposed to be the "dung-aw" {mourning) of Our Blessed Lady on the death of her Son. The author and origin is not known, and the copies are only copied — before by hand, and lately by typewriter or mimeographed. Hence there are variations.

One typical "Ilocano" song during Lent is the "Lectio." The liturgical lessons from the writings of Prophet Jeremias are sung outside of the church services in different tunes. In houses where the Lectio is sung, there is surely served some binubudan (a form of fermented rice) or coffee. The song is usually sung in Latin, although others sing it in Ilocano, but it seems to be a most popular Lenten song in Ilocandia.

When novena prayers are said in private homes, almost all people join n the "Virgen Divino" (in Spanish) which are interspersed with the decades of the Holy Rosary, and in the "Gozos," which tell of the glory of the saint. Novenas usually end in a song called "Alabado."

Christmas songs are sung by groups singing from house to house from Christmas to [the] Epiphany. Those singing groups usually receive a present, as money, rice, eggs, chickens, tobacco, etc. from the owner of the house.

The story of the Legendary Hero "Lam-ang" was also known here and sung by some minstrels of old. Since the story mentions the Amburayan River as the principal place of the exploits, the song was not of local origin.

Other songs known as "Sarzuelas," which are usually sung by two — a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman — in family feasts as an interlude to the dancing, have all come mostly from Ilocos Sur. Among the most popular were the "Pamulinawen," which almost all Ilocanos of the older generation sang; the "Por Dios, ca Pipi...," the "Dungdungoencanto unay, unay * Inindayonencantot sinamay,"; the "Manang Biday, tumamdagca man..." popularized by the recording of Leon Pichay's excellent singing; the "Agtaltalon ti cagagapumi * Paluero met ti pangguedanmi..." popular just in the transition period between the river rafts to the buses now carrying passengers between Bangued and Vigan. All were imported.

There were old people gifted with the art of making poetry at "impromptu" occasions. They either sang their verses to a tune known as "agverso" or in deciamation style known as "daniw."

Many local composers made only adaptations of songs already known or put in new words to popular tunes. One ingenious poet produced a song glorifying good spinsters. That was TATA PIO in the song BABBAKET. The