Pamamanhikan in Aklan

Image from Paolo Denali

The advancement of technology and the influence of global culture have contributed greatly in the changes that happened to our culture and practices. As our lives were changed, so were our beliefs and traditions that little by little were given up. How we do things nowadays have a huge disparity over what ancestors did. The love and courtship rituals, are also affected.

During the time of our grandparents or great-grand parents, in the province of Aklan, love, courtship and marriage is a long and comprehensive process. From selecting a partner until the time the night of the wedding, there are several recommendations on how this has to go through. What stands out is the close involvement of parents in the process, which have a higher influence on the outcome of the relationship. To ask the hand of a woman in marriage from her parents is a make-or-break milestone back then.

See the paper in detail, written by Melchor Cichon which is posted on this page: http://anahawleaf.blogspot.com/2012/11/pamaeaye-in-aklan-and-its-role-in-value.html

An Email Question on Anting-anting

I've been getting many emails about anting-antings. Many have been asking me where they can find one or help them in getting some. There are people who seek for protection, for love, for improvement of relationships and and others. Others are just curious, and some are apparently searching really hard. I would like to share one email and my reply to his questions. This was originally written in Filipino, and I took the liberty of translating it in English:

Good Day Pinoy Warrior, I wish to learn where I can get anting-anting that can protect against sickness, calamities and harm. I am a man living in a violent neighborhood and I usually encounter trouble and I fear for my life. I would like to protect myself, and in the future, have the capability of protecting my family. Please tell me where to buy or teach me how I can make one as I heard you can make your own, as long as you understand. I am also interested in getting the anting-anting that can bring luck and wealth. I want to understand how to use it too and know how it works.

To which I answered (also translated to English):

Inaugural Speech of Marcos 1965

Inaugural Address

of

His Excellency Ferdinand E. Marcos

[Delivered at the Quirino Grandstand, Manila on December 30, 1965]

Image from Joselito Angeles

The Battle of Mactan by Pigafetta

From our history books and the lessons in elementary and high school history classes, we all know that a fierce battle happened right after the discovery of the Philippines. We all know that it involved two of the most famous men in our country's history, Ferdinand Magellan and Datu Lapu-lapu and the shores of an island in the Visayas witnessed how Magellan's journey around the world was cut short.

Do's and Don'ts of the Philippine Flag

In accordance to Executive Order No. 179, of 1994, we are encourage to display, in our homes and all practicable places, prominently the symbol of our nation from May 28 until June 12 every year. However, not everyone is aware of the Do's and Don'ts of displaying the Philippine Flag, so it is prone to desecration. As public service, we've come up with an article describing the guidelines of taking care of our Flag.

The contents of this article are sourced from the National Historical Commission Website.

Why I Don't Like Going to Church on Sundays

Image from Seasite.niu.edu

Don't get this article wrong. I am a former seminarian, a devout Catholic, a faithful of the Roman Catholic Church and knows very well what excommunication means. This is not to encourage anyone not to go to mass during Sundays, but a plea to take note of existing concerns. These are just observations of a Filipino layman experiencing the rite of the Holy Mass.

Spanish conquistadors brought to the country Catholicism, which spread naturally as the colonial reach of Spain got established in the Philippines. These hundreds of years under the Spanish rule cultivated the Christian virtues to Filipinos, reaching almost every inhabited island, which is still evident nowadays just by looking at the number of churches erected. Religion is a very important facet of our identity, and a very compelling aspect of our lives.

Philippine Flag History

From HopeandFail.com

"Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y tagumpay na nagniningning. Ang bituin at araw niya kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim."

These are the translated words of Jose Palma, a poet and soldier, to be rendered in accordance with the musical composition of Julian Felipe. The verse talks about the symbols of the Philippine Flag, and what it should represent for every Filipino. Should.

Our nation's flag tells everyone a story, which has been a part of our school's curriculum since the primary education stages. We've grown so used to it that many might have taken it for granted, thus forgotten or just became out of mind. What the Philippine Flag meant for our ancestors just don't mean as much to many Filipinos anymore. Like the flag's evolution, its meaning too might have evolved.