Blood Compact

Spaniards call this "Pacto de Sangre." It sounds morbid and makes Filipinos of old look like blood thirsty natives. Maybe our ancestors were vampires, but of course they're not. Don't think they want to taste the blood of men from a different race. For them, blood is sacred.

Blood is life. To sign an agreement with blood is to sign with one's life. It becomes a bond to protect and honor the agreement with one's life. To enter into a blood compact is to enter to a lifetime oath. The bad thing about this is, if one dies, the deal is off.

Other cultures have seriously misunderstood this practice. It is not drawing blood and drinking it straight up. At least we use glasses for it, while the vampires suck from the body directly. The blood compact is not barbaric since they mix it in wine and its only a couple of drops of blood. Seriously, what would a couple of drops of blood do to you in an alcoholic drink?

On the latter part of the colonial history of Spain, almost the same thing happened with the Katipuneros. Signing also with blood. But of course since there were thousands of Katipuneros, it will be like a blood party. That would be a taboo. Instead, these men signed their membership forms with their own blood as ink. Very creative, really.

We lost our independence through a pact of blood. We gained it back through a pact of blood. Blood is really important for us Filipinos. Blood and sweat.

"Dugo at pawis ipinuhunan ko dyan." It means "I toiled and sacrificed myself for it" and when we Pinoys say that, it means we are not going to let things go easily.

Para kay Nanay

Ang ilaw ng tahanan. Ang Ina. 

For a long time I wondered why nanays are called ilaw ng tahanan? No one could really answer why. It was a regal way of giving tribute to our mothers, but what if it was a big joke? In the past lanterns and incandescent light bulbs were very popular. Perhaps some guy drinking tuba with friends stared at a lantern called up to one of his buddies and said "Uy pare tignan mo yung lampara, kahugis ng katawan ng misis mo,"and everyone laughs. Or maybe the term hugis bumbilyang asawa gave way to the "ilaw ng tahanan" thing. We could never really know, but it sounds really cool to be called ilaw.

From the word ina, came nanay, inay, inang, and so many others. In the days of old before colonial mentality took over, mothers are revered and respected. They receive lots of respect because of the sacrifices a mother give just to be a good nanay. Mothers indeed took care of us, from conception till one is able. To mould a child is one of the biggest tasks a mother has in her hands. Of what kind of adult a child turns out, a mother has a big influence on that.

We cry to her. We call her when we are weak. We all look up to her and admire her grace, her strength and her love. It is from her that we all learn our many firsts. It is her that we love to pester, but as children, that is our lambing and she understands.

Her arms are the the very cradle of love, support and protection. It is she that awakens the warrior within, who says things are worth fighting for. She who says while she is strong, she will take care of you unconditionally. She who willingly would sacrifice anything for her child.

This is a tribute to all mothers. We celebrate Mother's Day, we celebrate womanhood. To all mothers, isang pagpupugay sa inyong sakripisyo, pag-aalaga at pagmamahal. 

Here's something to touch your hearts this Mother's Day.

Manggagawang Pinoy

Our country will always be a nation of the working class. Throughout history, the fate of the Philippines depend on the masa. Well, actually, the truth is the fate depends on who could muster and mobilize the working class.

Spanish occupation. Our farmers and laborers said enough. An uprising of sticks and bolos ensued, we got our independence.

EDSA. The working class said enough, and the most important road in the country filled with people. A dictator got ousted...peacefully.

It is the working class who make a country move, a business run, a home built, make clothes to be worn. It is the working class who should be protected, loved and esteemed. It is in the working class that the survival of a family, the survival of the future generation depend on.

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If the country depends on them greatly then why are they rewarded poorly? Why OFWs say kung sa Pinas ako maghahanapbuhay, magugutom ang pamilya ko." There is something wrong. It has been wrong for a long time already. Generations of leaders have gone and passed, many still say they are poor. Although others say mayaman ako sa utang.

May 1, Labor Day. In honor and celebration of the Manggagawang Pinoy, and then everyone else forgets almost immediately. A sad amnesia.

This is a tribute to the Filipino Workers, both here and abroad. Each is a warrior fighting for a living, for the survival of their families. Too bad, Labor Day of 2011 comes on a Sunday...no holiday.

The Bulacan Visita Iglesia

The province of Bulacan, home of many old churches and a lot of history. This is became the destination of my Visita Iglesia for 2011. The Visita Iglesia or church visit, goes way back when the early Christians visit the 7 great basilicas in Rome for the adoration of the blessed sacrament. For convenience, usually one goes to churches within the immediate vicinities. This is my attempt to go out of convenience.

First stop, the Barasoain Church in Malolos. This church housed the first Philippine Republic and the site of the Constitutional Convention. It is a popular tourist destination, and one of the most beautiful churches in the province.

The second church on the list is the Santiago de Apostol in Paombong, Bulacan or St. James and it was along the way to Brgy. Kapitangan, Paombong. The attempt to go to the Bisita(chapel) at Kapitangan was cut short because of the narrow roads and no parking space. This is where the Hampas Dugo are and a reenactment of the crucifixion takes place. Unfortunately, these penitents all go out during Good Friday.

So after abandoning the search for the Hampas Dugo penitents, Hagonoy is next where the National Shrine for St. Anne stood. This century-old church is the only place in the Philippines where the relics of St. Anne and St. Joachim, parents of the blessed Virgin Mary, are kept.

Here is a shot of the beautiful interior of the Shrine of St. Anne. The ceiling is made of real wood and the local artisan's artworks are impressive.

After the shrine, we head back to a church we skipped. The seat of the Diocese of Malolos, The Basilica Minore of the Immaculate Concepcion. Located at the center of Malolos, this was the seat of executive power of Emilio Aguinaldo for a few years.

Sta. Isabel was the next stop. Partially hidden from the high volume roads of Malolos and not as big as Barasoain and the Basilica, this church boasts of a greener patio and courtyard.

A view of the interior of Sta. Isabel.

After Sta. Isabel, the next stop was Sta. Rita de Cascia. It wasn't a church that might get awarded with heritage benefits, but the church is known for its unique design during the Holy Week. Arriving at the church, the design is still being put up, yet in its assembly stage, it already looks good. I skipped the part of taking photos of this church, since its setup wasn't completely done yet.

The seventh stop of the Visita Iglesia ended in the oldest church in Plaridel, the Santiago de Apostol. According to records, this church had stood for 400 years.

Altar of Santiago de Apostol in Plaridel

Visita Iglesia de Bulacan

Bulacan. Once the seat of the first republic in Asia, this province holds a lot of history in its soil. Cradle of heroes and artists, the province is proud of its glories. On its ground stands the old churches of the country. And these will be the destination for this Maundy Thursday.

First stop will be the place of the former headquarters of the Philippine Republic, the Barasoain Church. From there next will be the churches of Paombong where the Hampas Dugo penitents will hopefully be, then back to Malolos passing through the Minor Basilica towards the churches of Guiguinto.

Tomorrow, I will post about the churches we visited.

Update: Here is the link to my post of my Visita Iglesia 2011.

Penitence, The Pinoy Way

Holy Week. A time of reflection, a time of penance, a time of commemoration. Here in the Philippines, somehow it becomes quite festive. It is because the penitents take it to the streets. And of course, it attracts spectators.

Being a largely Roman Catholic country, the Philippine culture deeply integrates Catholicism. Since it is Semana Santa, penance is part of the practice. We Filipinos have lots of ways doing penitence. Some make it simple, some make it daunting.

The Hampas Dugo is a common practice of penitence mostly done in a few provinces of Luzon. No one knows when this tradition started, but still it is widespread. In Bulacan, it is common to see the flagellants on the streets during the Holy Week. 

In the past, the penitents will lay on the ground face down and they get flagged hard with a stick tied with strips of rubber from wheels just to draw blood. Nowadays, a razor makes an incision at the back. A clump of sticks are used by the penitents to whip their backs and they go around town for hours. After their ordeal, they traditionally will go to the nearest river and wash off the blood, believing their sins being washed away too.

The Kampilan

The longest sword native to our country, the Kampilan. Typically 85-100 centimeters long (I suck at numbers so don't ask me to convert to inches), this baby can slice a man in half with a good swing. Maguindanao and Maranao Warriors prefer this weapon, which is a good choice since it is powerful and decisive.

The blacksmiths of the Philippine's past are simple, yet effective in their jobs. The design of the Kampilan is very different among knives and swords common locally. It is a single-edged blade. From the hilt it is thick and narrow, going to the tip it thins down but widens. The sweet spot of the blade, is on its 3/4 part from the hilt. Put anything in its path on a swing, its as good as destroyed. The inertia of the swing, the thick edge of the sword and the extra weight on the widening blade creates a very powerful and fearful strike. You don't want to be in the sharp end of the blade once the Kampilan attack gets deployed.

The long and ornate hilt counterbalances the long blade, which is good. Like twirling a rattan stick, its easier to twirl a stick held near the middle, than one held near the base. The ornate hilt at times make it difficult to handle the sword, so a certain level of expertise is required when using this on battles.

Datu Lapu-lapu is thought to have used this sword in his battles as depicted in his many statues and paintings. Cool.