MUNICIPALITY OF TANAY, RIZAL, Historical Data of Part 3
PART III
PART I | PART II | PART III | PART IV
[p. 24]
i. It is bad to comb the hair at night.
j. Do not laugh while planting corn.
k. It is advisable that short people should plant bananas so that the banana plant may grow short.
l. It is believed that a mound is the house of the elves.
m. If a star is near the moon, girls are close to boys.
n. Before urinating in a remote place, one should say first, "Tabi, tabi, tanda" to avoid making the witch angry.
o. When you hear the "tiktik," the "aswang" is around.
p. "Mutya ng Saging" - It is believed that at midnight, the banana blossom spits "mutya." If one succeeds in catching it with his mouth, he will be possessed with certain powers.
q. Light with power to hypnotize. It is acquired this way according to superstitions. When a baby dies without being baptized, the baby is buried with a candle. A person digs into its grave, bites off the small finger without touching it with his naked hands. That person then divides the candle lengthwise and inserts the small finger in-between. When another baby is baptized, the candle is hidden behind its back, whereby it is believed that the dead child is also baptized. When that person who acquired the finger lights the candle, he can hypnotize anyone within the light of the candle. In this way, he can take advantage of any situation.
[p. 25]
XIV - Methods of Measuring Time and the Special Calendards by the Early People of Tanay
A - How the Early People of Tanay Told Time:
During the olden days, a timepiece such as the clock or the watch had not been used in Tanay. Due to the lack of this device which could tell the accurate time of the day, the early people of Tanay employed many ways of telling time through daily observations. Some of the methods used were the following:
1. In the mountains, the mountaineers used the Luzon Kalao as their timepiece. The first "kalao-ao" made by the bird was interpreted as 6:00 A.M. From this time, the Luzon Kalao gave its cry regularly every hour up to 5:00 P.M.
2. Looking at one's own shadow was another way of telling time. When one's shadow was underneath his feet, it was interpreted as "tanghaling tapat," meaning midday or 12:00 noon.
3. Looking at the position of the sun in the sky was another way of telling time. It is also used at present. When one saw the light of the sun behind the mountains in the eastern parts of the town, they called this as "bukang liwayway." As the sun showed itself on top of the mountains, it was interpreted as 6:00 A.M. As the sun was located "isang hampas kawayan" from the top of the mountain, it was interpreted as from 7:30 to 8:00 in the morning. When the sun was overhead, it meant 12:00 P.M. As the sun hid itself behind the mountain, they called this as "takip-silim," meaning it was a few minutes to six o'clock P.M.
4. The shrill sound made by the "kuliglig" or cricket meant something to our old folks. The sound was heard from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. The sound in the morning was said to be 5 to 6 A.M.
5. The rooster's crowing served as a means of telling time. The first crowing at night meant 11 o'clock. From this time, the rooster crowed regularly every hour up to 6 o'clock A.M. The patola flower opened at 4:00 P.M.
The timepiece usually used by the fishermen were the position, time of shining, and setting of the stars. Although it was not accurate, yet it served the purpose.
[p. 26]
1. "Tala sa hapon" during fair weather shone at 6:00 P.M. at set at 5:00 A.M.
2. The "Timbañgan" shone at about 6:00 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. When it was overhead, it was about 2:00 A.M.
3. "Krus na Bituin" shone at 6:00 P.M. When it was overhead, the time was said to be 12:00 midnight.
4. "Mapulong" shone at 6:00 P.M. and set at 6:00 A.M.
5. "Tala sa Umaga" shone at 4:00 A.M.
Special Holidays
1. December 25 - Christmas is observed religiously by all. Prior to this date, people hear the early morning Mass for nine days.
2. January 1 - New Year's Day was also a special holiday of the early people of Tanay. On this day, people did good things because of the belief that one would be doing good things throughout the year.
3. January 23 - Town Fiesta - No matter how uncertain the time or weather may be, the celebration is never postponed to another date. The town fiesta is observed by the townspeople religiously.
4. The Holy Week - It is a one-whole week festivity from Monday (Lunes Santo) to Sunday (Pasko ng Pagkabuhay). On Good Friday (Biernes Santo), people do not work. People go about without footwear. On Easter Saturday (Sabado de Gloria), those without anting-anting bathe whatever "antingan" they have in the baptismal font [fount?] After this, they have "pagpupurba," that is, testing whether their "anting-anting" is good or not. This is done on the "Pasko ng Pagkabuhay." People do not spit on the ground during this season. No laughter can be heard.
5. "Santa Krus de Mayo" - This was observed also by the early people of Tanay during the month of May. There were flower offerings to the "Blessed Virgin."
6. November 1 - "Labugan" - On this day, the "tumba" is made. In this "tumba" are many stolen articles or belongings of people. These are placed together in a conspicuous place. Early in the morning, if a person has lost something he goes to the place where there is a "tumba" and tries to find the things he has lost.
[p. 27]
Why the Marriage was not Pushed Through
Pablo, the son of Chief Domingo and Susana, was a persistent lover of the daughter of Mister Tacio and Binang. Pablo had been serving them for two years, clearing the kaingin, preparing firewood, plowing the field, fencing the lot, cleaning the house, and fetching the field.
He did not show any sign that he was tired for he was deeply in love. It gave him a feeling of happiness to be serving them though he hadn't received any word. If he were to stop, it meant he had no hope for the hand of the girl in marriage.
This was the third year of Pablo's wooing. He spent the whole day scrubbing the house and fetching water. At 8 o'clock in the evening, he want back to the girl's house. He called thrice and he was also answered three times before he was asked to go up. He stood at the door of the house for a long time before he was ushered in.
Later, he was ushered by Mister Tacio to the place where they were sleeping. He was held by the arms by Mister Tacio. The young man forgot himself and, without his knowledge, stepped on the mat of the old couple. At that moment, he received the word of rejection. Why? Because he should not have stepped on the mat but, instead, should have used his knees while walking on the mat. That was the cause of the rejection.
For the Bride
After the courtship and engagement, parents of the man will go to the house of the woman to make arrangements with the parents of the woman.
Sometimes, the parents of the woman asked for the following:
2. Farm and farm animals like the carabao.
3. Money (the amount mentioned by the woman's parents)
4. Clothes to be worn by the woman during the wedding.
[p. 28]
being counted so that the female sponsor will have nothing to hold. When the onlookers have taken hold of the money, they will then ask for the light. It is the female sponsor of the woman who will spend much on the wedding. When the light is on, the hidden money is shown.
According to the old people, these superstitions must be fulfilled for it will result to miseries if they are not followed. The superstitions to be followed by those will get married are:
2. The bride must not fit her wedding dress if she wants the wedding to push through.
3. The bride should try to be happy in the wedding day and should not shed any tears. This should be trued with the parents of those to be married.
4. Try not to make any noise with the money when it is placed on the platter when they are to be pronounced man and wife. When there is noise, the life of the couple will have quarrels. They will not come to agreements.
5. Rice is showered on the newlyweds so that they will be prosperous always.
6. They must go up the steps of the house together after coming from the church so that they will always be together for better or for worse.
7. Getting the money from the woman's breast. This is done by the man in the presence of onlookers. This is done only to a woman who is a virgin.
[p. 29]
2. During the pressing of palms, anyone who cannot press the hand hard will be the follower in life.
3. Write secretly all the names of the man's or woman's kin. Take the list to the church and step on it at the hour of the wedding so that you will not be ashamed to face them in life.
4. In the hour of the wedding, do not shed any tears so that you will be happy throughout life.
The phantoms are followers of Satan. They were driven to the forest as a punishment from God. God did not want to accept them in His Kingdom because of their sins. They live in the balete tree.
The body of a phantom consists of two parts — the body of a man and the body of a horse. Its head, feet, and tail are those of a horse; while the body and hands are those of a man's. It carries with it charm so it can use it on any man it wants to.
The commonest thing it does is to waylay a person so he will get lost. Sometimes, it takes the form of your friend. You will know he is a phantom only because his knees are high when he sits, and his feet are in the form of a horse's.
The most effective weapon against the tigbalang is the smell of candles, especially those that are blessed. If there is no candle, wear a dress or shirt the wrong side out. A cross made from any material may also be used. The phantom is afraid of the cross for it is the emblem of God. If any of these is made, the phantom disappears.
The dwarfs are small men, usually one-half feet, darker in color, and they have the odor worse than that of a wild pig.
They are many in number like us. Their mode of life is the same as ours. They live in a country under the ground we call the anthill. They have the power to become invisible during the daytime. According to the old people, they cause our illnesses when they are hurt and we won't get well unless we are treated with "incense."
They remove their invisibility at night when people are already asleep,
[p. 30]
and they go around the town. Sometimes, they are playing and swimming in the water. They eat humans they live close to. The homes they go to are lucky for they are protected from accidents and their lives become prosperous. The dwarfs also become fond of people and they show themselves to people they are fond of. They give these people wealth. If is hard to have the dwarfs' fondness for sometimes these people act like fools. They talk when there is no one to talk to for the dwarfs are invisibe to other people.
The dwarfs are like us in modes of life. Some of them are rich and some are also poor. The only difference is that they do not die.
The Ogre
This is a kind of wicked spirit that appears during midnight. There are many kinds of ogres. There are ogres as tall as an ordinary person and have a frightful appearance because the eyes are big and wide and their teeth are big and long. Their hair is straight and standing.
According to the old [people], the ogres are people who are not accepted in heaven because of the weight of their sins. They never waited for their hours of death. They committed suicide. Their punishment is to wander in this world forever. They are never in peace because of their grave sins.
Oftentimes, they are seen sitting on trees with very big cigars in their mouths. They are very dark and, on dark nights, you can see only their big eyes and the light of their cigars. If you stop and look at them, they will smile at you; and if you are not brave enough, you will surely collapse from fright. When they want to make fun of a person going their way, they lie across the person's path and moan very loud.
If there is anyone who wrestles with them, they hold the thigh and throw them to the earth till their bones crack. Anyone they throw to the ground can be thrown as far as five or six meters. According to those who have seen them, they have the strength of ten mules, so nobody dares fight them.
The Legend of the Diamond-Shaped Gold
Long ago, bandits were said to be hiding in the mountains within the boundary of Tanay. They were known for their bravery. They were experts in fencing and in combat. No weapons ever hurt them. The old people say that they had talismans. The bandits did not attack or kill people who were peaceful. They protected the poor. They attacked the rich who always wanted the lion's share.
[p. 31]
The rich men's daughters are kidnapped and are taken to far mountains. Some were held for ransom and others were forced into marriage. This was not the only source of the bandits' wealth. They stayed in narrow passes like the Harañgan and ambushed other bandits; and the winners took the wealth of the defeated groups. In this way, they were able to accumulate different kinds of gold and jewelry.
In order not to have their gold confiscated in case of encounters, the bandits buried the gold in places only known to the members. Before they buried it, they first had an agreement as to who would keep watch on it. They drew lots or one might volunteer to keep watch. Each of them would swear each would keep it a secret. It would be entrusted to only one to have it unearthed. It would be unearthed in the presence of all. It would not be given to anyone without the presence of the group. The date of the unearthing was always agreed upon.
The group, with the beneficiaries of the guard, would come back to unearth the gold and divide it among themselves. Then, his body would be buried and his share in the gold would be given to his heir.
They put to heart all the words they swore. They dug the earth to a certain depth and, after burying the gold, they kissed and hugged the knees of the guard and prayed to the Lord that He keep watch over the one to guard the gold. A member of the group would then get a bolo and cut off the head of the one to keep guard. His blood was poured over the buried gold. It was said that no enchantment could take the blood if gold had been poured over it and then was a guard. The body of the dead man was then laid beside the gold with the weapon used.
In case they shed tears due to the death of one of them, they were careful not to make their tears fall on the dead man's body for they believed that his soul would suffer more. Before the time of their return to the place of the buried treasure, some of them had died and some had been unable to return to their towns. Some would not recall their kin anymore. Oftentimes, these treasures were not unearthed anymore for their traces were lost. There were, however, many unearthed treasures during the time of the bandits.
They also believed that the one guarding the buried treasure often showed his ghost to anyone he wanted to. Many people from Tanay say that in places like Daong, Harañgan, and Bukal, there still appears at night big hens playing
[p. 32]
in the moonlight. Their feathers shine like gold. If they are followed, they disappear and the men lose track of them.
To others who have seen, they can even see big balls of fire rolling even when there is a heavy rain. Sometimes, a pitiful moan can be heard. For those who keep watch for these appearances, they are not able to witness any.
The Legend of the Spring
During the days when we were still under Spanish rule, a father and his son had a kaiñgin in the mountains not far from Tanay. His name was Paulino and nicknamed Paulinong Kahoy. His kaiñgin was far from the sources of water, so he and his son used to go to the river with bamboo tubes to get water. Unfortunately, one day, the water dried due to the heat of the sun. The father asked his son to get water from a farther place where there was water. The son obeyed and carried his bamboo tube and proceeded to the river.
During the son's absence, the father gathered the branches and wood in the kaiñgin to be burned. Due to the distance of the river to the kaiñgin, the son was not able to return at once. He rested under the shade of a big tree. He fell asleep due to the fresh air. He was awakened by the flow of water as if coming from a river. He looked up and looked for his bamboo tube. When he looked around, he saw water coming from the ground in the place where the spring is now located. He looked for his bamboo tube but he could not find it. He ran back to his father and told him the news.
The old man gave thanks to the Lord for having answered his prayers. They both knelt and prayed in the place where the water was. They went back to town and told the news to the people. The people called the site "spring." Many people from other towns went to this place to take a bath for the water had healing powers.
The Legend of the Teak Tree
A man from Pililla went to catch birds in the place they now call the Spring. He used to go to this place often to catch birds. His small brother usually went with him.
He left his brother under the shade of a big tree near the trap set for the birds. The little boy found a beautiful flower. He got the flower and place it
[p. 33]
a rattan box. Then, they went home with the many birds caught. The bigger boy prepared firewood while the little on fetched water. Their sister was at home. She opened the box and found the bread and ate it. The little boy did not remember the flower. To their surprise, the sister became pregnant and soon gave birth to a baby girl.
The two brothers continued to catch birds. One day, the niece named Tekla went with them. Being unaccustomed to the distance and heat of the sun, she was given time to rest by the uncle.
"Please stay here," said her uncle. "I will get the birds caught."
The niece consented. The two boys went to look for their traps. When they went back, they did not see Tekla. They were surprised to find instead a big tree in the place where they left Tekla. They called and called for her. Their search was to no avail and they could not find her.
Since then, they called this tree "tekla." Many were surprised by this tree for they had never seen any of this kind before. Many people came to Tanay to get leaves of this tree because they also possess healing powers.
[p. 34]
PART III - OTHER INFORMATION
Books Written in Tanay
1. Tanay Tercentenary Souvenir - 1650-1940 and the Towns of Rizal Province by Catolos, Bendaña, Santos.
2. "Si Tanda Bacio Macunat" - by Father Miguel Lucio y Bustamante. A book answered by Jose Rizal in one of the chapters of his book "El Filibusterismo." (Cited on page 25 - Tanay Tercentenary Souvenir). A copy of this book is in the possession of Mr. Alfonso Fornilda.
3. Rosquete - by Father Mariano Martinez and Mr. Domingo Librero. This is a book on proverbs or sayings and riddles of the town (Cited on page 26 - Tanay Tercentenary souvenir).
4. Books of Records - Tanay Catholic Church - All these books were very nicely written in script using the Spanish and Latin languages, which were prepared by the priest assigned to our town in the years indicated:
| No. | Names of Books | Years |
|
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. |
Libro de Bautismo
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1620 - 1728 1728 - 1758 1758 - 1788 1788 - 1805 1805 - 1824 1824 - 1837 1837 - 1847 1847 - 1861 1861 - 1871 1871 - 1885 1885 - 1896 1896 - 1902 1902 - 1911 1911 - 1919 1919 - 1929 1929 - 1941 1941 - 1950 |
| 2. Libro de Bautismo (Illegitimate Children) | 1884 -1915 | |
|
3. Libro de Casamientos (Marriages)
Libro de Casamientos (Lost)
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1742 - 1817 1817 - 1852 1850 - 1897 1897 - 1920 1920 - Present | |
|
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. |
4. Libro de Defunctos (Deaths)
Libro de Defunctos (Lost)
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1742 - 1801 1802 - 1821 1821 - 1842 1842 - 1961 |
PART I | PART II | PART III | PART IV
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