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Philippine Customs and Traditions
Philippines has a tremendous number and variety of customs, traditions, fragments of old beliefs, fiestas, styles of dress both among the lowland Philippine people and the many tribal groupings. In this section we can enter our encounters with such occurrencies and group them into various chapters as they accumulate.
Black Spot in Philippines
The following lists of some of the many Philippine traditions & superstitions, were posted by our Belgian Cebuana member, Mariefel:
Again, just got this from forwarded mail. I have too much forwarded mail from PI everyday :-(. But this one caught my attention. I’m not really a superstitious person ( I just knock on wood lol) but superstitions in PI, I find it fascinating. Since I was little, I keep wondering where those beliefs came from.
The Filipino culture is rich with superstitions about anything and everything. These superstitions have interesting roots. According to Dr. Sonia M. Zaide, author of 'The Philippines: A Unique Nation', India was very influential on Filipino superstitions. Dr. Zaide mentions a few such superstitions: 1) a maiden who sings while cooking will marry a widower, 2) a lady eating twin bananas will give birth to twins and 3) when one dreams of teeth falling out that means a loved one will die.
Some of these superstitions also cross over into other cultures. The tradition of wearing polka dots and filling up your pockets with coins during the New Year seems related to Chinese superstition. In both Filipino and Peruvian culture, dumping your purse on the floor can mean that you will go poor. This may have something to do with the Spanish influence on both countries.
Here is a quick list of some Filipino superstitions that are so deeply ingrained into our mind-sets that sometimes, one has no choice but to follow them.
Home/Structure:
* Homeowner throws coins on housewarming day to bring luck.
* Count the steps of the house; make sure it's not 13. This is "bilang Hudas" and it's bad luck.
* Make sure the master bedroom is constructed so that it faces the east or has a window facing that direction.
* Open the east window in the morning to let God's grace in.
* Place some coins in the foundation of the cornerstone; or keep them below the master bedroom. However, don't put them by the doorstep or wealth will go away.
* Avoid doors that look like thorough fares.
* When moving into a new home, see to it that rice is brought in first.
* Have your home blessed for safety and good fortune.
* Enthrone a statue of Christ the King; Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Immaculate Heart of Mary or have the statue of the Infant Jesus in the house. Make sure they face the door to greet your guests.
* Toss coins on house warming day for good luck.
* Friends coming to a new home must enter through the front doors.
* Don't buy a house that's directly at the T intersection, it's a bad omen signifying that you'll always be pushed.
* If a shooting star is sighted, there might be a fire. It's good luck if you're able to say tomorrow's day name before the shooting star disappears and a chance to win the "huweteng” game.
* Hang braided/strands of garlic to drive bad spirit away.
Party/Health/Food:
* Serve rice noodles on your birthday; it means long life.
* When a spoon falls down, it means a female guest is coming. If a fork falls down, it means a male guest is coming.
* When a cat rubs its face with its paws, look at the direction it's facing; that's where your guests are coming from.
* Don't sing while cooking; you might marry an old man.
* Don't take the last piece of food on the platter; you might become an old maid or remain a bachelor.
* Don't clean up the dining table until everyone is finished eating. If the last one is still available', (unmarried) he/she may not get married anymore.
* Don't wash the food container your neighbor brought over; she may not bring you anymore food later.
* When eating is rushed, make sure that the plate used is turned around several times before leaving the dining table, so that the person won't get in an accident.
* Don't peep at people while dressing up; you might get a sty.
* If carabao milk and fruits are parts of a meal; be sure that carabao milk is drank first, before eating sour food/fruits, so you won't have stomach ache.
* Do not drink coffee; it will retard your growth.
* Don't sleep with your hair wet; it will affect your eye sight.
* Don't shower/bathe while menstruating; heat will go to your head, and your blood pressure will rise.
* Don't shower/bathe after ironing a bunch of clothes; you'll get sick.
* Don't just lie down after running; the heat will go straight to your head and will affect your brain.
* Rest your feet before taking a bath; your veins will shrink and you'll have rheumatism.
* Do not eat mangoes if you have skin rashes or chicken pox; this will worsen the itching of your skin.
* Do not cut your fingernails and toenails on Fridays; you could have bangnails
Intellegence/Education:
* Don't sit on your books or you'll get dumb.
* Carry books on your head; you'll get smart.
* Use your book as a pillow; you'll get smart.
* Press the book or notebook on your forehead; it helps you in memorizing its contents.
* Wide forehead signifies intelligence.
* If you want your child to be intelligent, have an intelligent person give your baby its first haircut; then keep some in a bible, dictionary or a book.
Money/Gift giving/receiving:
* When giving a purse/wallet as a gift, put some coins/notes in it.
* When transferring contents from an old purse/wallet to a new one, do not invert purse/wallet. It might run empty.
* Never leave a purse on the floor; always set it on something, or your budget might run low.
* It's good to be discrete about your finances but never say "I have no money," or else you might lose money and will really NOT have any money.
* Don't accept footwear from a friend; he/she might be stepping on your toes later.
Weddings/Marriage/Childbearing:
* Lovers must not give rosary or necklace to each other, if it breaks, the relationship might also get broken
* The bride or groom whose candle lasts longer will have a longer life to live.
* Bride: When the priest gives the signal "stand up or kneel down", make sure, you make the first move. This is so the husband does not completely rule over you.
* Never try on your wedding gown; it's a sign that the wedding may be cancelled.
* The Bride and groom shouldn't be traveling to distant places before the wedding; they are accident prone at this time.
* "Sukob sa taon" (within same calendar year) marriages among brothers and sisters must be avoided. There will always be life competitions between the two couples.
* Don't ever turn down any offer to sponsor a baptismal, confirmation or wedding. It's a blessing.
* Don't mend or hem clothes while they are on your body if you don't want to bear a child without an anus.
* If a pregnant woman's stomach is rounded, she is likely to have a girl; if it's pointed, she's likely to have a boy.
* Expectant mothers must not eat twin bananas to avoid having twin babies.
* Do not construct a house if the mother is expecting or trying to get pregnant.
* Do not eat ginger root when trying to conceive to avoid having a baby with extra finger or toe.
* Wrap the newly born baby's umbilical cord, paper and pencil in a plastic bag; throw the bag in the river and watch what happens. If it goes far, it means that the child will go to distant places and if it's caught by twigs in the water the child may only stay in its hometown/country.
* Apply lipstick on the baby’s forehead so that the child won’t be “usog.”
John, maybe this is same as Isa's BLACK SPOT but this one is a RED SPOT :-D. So that, Isa won't be usog. (Usog meaning from Wikipedia )
New Years Eve:
* Fill up your canisters with rice, sugar, flour, salt, etc. on New Year's Eve. You'll live a plenty for the coming year.
* Don't eat chicken on New Year's Eve/Day. You'll live like chickens; if they don't scratch on the ground, they won't eat.
*Open your windows on New Year's Eve for prosperity during the entire year.
* Refrain from borrowing money on New Year’s Day if you don’t want to be indebted the entire year.
* Wear polka dotted clothes on New Year’s Day. It’s a sign of money.
* Businessmen think that good sale on New Year's Day brings luck for the whole year.
* Toss some coins for the children for good luck.
* Place coins on the window sill on New Year’s Eve and Day for good luck.
* Keep plenty of cash in your wallet or pockets to have plenty of money for the year.
* Avoid pouting on New Year’s Day so as not to pout all year round.
Moles & other beliefs:
* A birth mark around the eye means you are appealing to guys.
* A birth mark on the chest means you are a true lover.
* If someone has a mole on the sole of the foot, it means that person loves to walk all the time.
* If someone has a mole on his back, it means that the person wants to lie around and be plain lazy.
* A mole on the eyebrows means good luck in business.
* A mole on the palm means good luck.
Other Beliefs
* Never discard dirty, old clothes; wash them first.
* Don't sweep the ground at dusk; the Virgin Mary is taking a walk and might catch the dust in her eyes.
* It's a bad luck to meet a black cat on a Friday morning.
* Breaking a mirror or glass is a bad omen.
* Having a disabled or handicapped child is your luck; caring for the child will give you more fortune.
* When you bit your lip/tongue, it means you're the subject of a conversation.
* When your nose itches, it means that someone is kissing your photo.
* Pull an eyelash to cure a sty.
* When thundering or lighting, recite this “Sancta Maria, Mater Christi, Sanctifica, Salve me."
Black Spot in Philippines
 | Meet Isa, newest arrival in our family, ten days old when this was taken. You cannot but notice the black spot in the middle of her forehead. Is it a birthmark, a bruise, I did not like to ask. Fortunately her mama told me. It is the custom to put a charcoal spot on the forehead of the first or eldest child the first time she leaves the family home. I thought I knew a few Filipino customs but this was a new one on me. And I cannot say whether it is from here (Isabela) or Visayas because the family has roots in both areas. Can anyone explain.. Mariefel ? (see Mariefels possible answer below under Weddings/Marriage/Childbearing - Uzi) |
The following lists of some of the many Philippine traditions & superstitions, were posted by our Belgian Cebuana member, Mariefel:
Again, just got this from forwarded mail. I have too much forwarded mail from PI everyday :-(. But this one caught my attention. I’m not really a superstitious person ( I just knock on wood lol) but superstitions in PI, I find it fascinating. Since I was little, I keep wondering where those beliefs came from.
The Filipino culture is rich with superstitions about anything and everything. These superstitions have interesting roots. According to Dr. Sonia M. Zaide, author of 'The Philippines: A Unique Nation', India was very influential on Filipino superstitions. Dr. Zaide mentions a few such superstitions: 1) a maiden who sings while cooking will marry a widower, 2) a lady eating twin bananas will give birth to twins and 3) when one dreams of teeth falling out that means a loved one will die.
Some of these superstitions also cross over into other cultures. The tradition of wearing polka dots and filling up your pockets with coins during the New Year seems related to Chinese superstition. In both Filipino and Peruvian culture, dumping your purse on the floor can mean that you will go poor. This may have something to do with the Spanish influence on both countries.
Here is a quick list of some Filipino superstitions that are so deeply ingrained into our mind-sets that sometimes, one has no choice but to follow them.
Home/Structure:
* Homeowner throws coins on housewarming day to bring luck.
* Count the steps of the house; make sure it's not 13. This is "bilang Hudas" and it's bad luck.
* Make sure the master bedroom is constructed so that it faces the east or has a window facing that direction.
* Open the east window in the morning to let God's grace in.
* Place some coins in the foundation of the cornerstone; or keep them below the master bedroom. However, don't put them by the doorstep or wealth will go away.
* Avoid doors that look like thorough fares.
* When moving into a new home, see to it that rice is brought in first.
* Have your home blessed for safety and good fortune.
* Enthrone a statue of Christ the King; Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Immaculate Heart of Mary or have the statue of the Infant Jesus in the house. Make sure they face the door to greet your guests.
* Toss coins on house warming day for good luck.
* Friends coming to a new home must enter through the front doors.
* Don't buy a house that's directly at the T intersection, it's a bad omen signifying that you'll always be pushed.
* If a shooting star is sighted, there might be a fire. It's good luck if you're able to say tomorrow's day name before the shooting star disappears and a chance to win the "huweteng” game.
* Hang braided/strands of garlic to drive bad spirit away.
Party/Health/Food:
* Serve rice noodles on your birthday; it means long life.
* When a spoon falls down, it means a female guest is coming. If a fork falls down, it means a male guest is coming.
* When a cat rubs its face with its paws, look at the direction it's facing; that's where your guests are coming from.
* Don't sing while cooking; you might marry an old man.
* Don't take the last piece of food on the platter; you might become an old maid or remain a bachelor.
* Don't clean up the dining table until everyone is finished eating. If the last one is still available', (unmarried) he/she may not get married anymore.
* Don't wash the food container your neighbor brought over; she may not bring you anymore food later.
* When eating is rushed, make sure that the plate used is turned around several times before leaving the dining table, so that the person won't get in an accident.
* Don't peep at people while dressing up; you might get a sty.
* If carabao milk and fruits are parts of a meal; be sure that carabao milk is drank first, before eating sour food/fruits, so you won't have stomach ache.
* Do not drink coffee; it will retard your growth.
* Don't sleep with your hair wet; it will affect your eye sight.
* Don't shower/bathe while menstruating; heat will go to your head, and your blood pressure will rise.
* Don't shower/bathe after ironing a bunch of clothes; you'll get sick.
* Don't just lie down after running; the heat will go straight to your head and will affect your brain.
* Rest your feet before taking a bath; your veins will shrink and you'll have rheumatism.
* Do not eat mangoes if you have skin rashes or chicken pox; this will worsen the itching of your skin.
* Do not cut your fingernails and toenails on Fridays; you could have bangnails
Intellegence/Education:
* Don't sit on your books or you'll get dumb.
* Carry books on your head; you'll get smart.
* Use your book as a pillow; you'll get smart.
* Press the book or notebook on your forehead; it helps you in memorizing its contents.
* Wide forehead signifies intelligence.
* If you want your child to be intelligent, have an intelligent person give your baby its first haircut; then keep some in a bible, dictionary or a book.
Money/Gift giving/receiving:
* When giving a purse/wallet as a gift, put some coins/notes in it.
* When transferring contents from an old purse/wallet to a new one, do not invert purse/wallet. It might run empty.
* Never leave a purse on the floor; always set it on something, or your budget might run low.
* It's good to be discrete about your finances but never say "I have no money," or else you might lose money and will really NOT have any money.
* Don't accept footwear from a friend; he/she might be stepping on your toes later.
Weddings/Marriage/Childbearing:
* Lovers must not give rosary or necklace to each other, if it breaks, the relationship might also get broken
* The bride or groom whose candle lasts longer will have a longer life to live.
* Bride: When the priest gives the signal "stand up or kneel down", make sure, you make the first move. This is so the husband does not completely rule over you.
* Never try on your wedding gown; it's a sign that the wedding may be cancelled.
* The Bride and groom shouldn't be traveling to distant places before the wedding; they are accident prone at this time.
* "Sukob sa taon" (within same calendar year) marriages among brothers and sisters must be avoided. There will always be life competitions between the two couples.
* Don't ever turn down any offer to sponsor a baptismal, confirmation or wedding. It's a blessing.
* Don't mend or hem clothes while they are on your body if you don't want to bear a child without an anus.
* If a pregnant woman's stomach is rounded, she is likely to have a girl; if it's pointed, she's likely to have a boy.
* Expectant mothers must not eat twin bananas to avoid having twin babies.
* Do not construct a house if the mother is expecting or trying to get pregnant.
* Do not eat ginger root when trying to conceive to avoid having a baby with extra finger or toe.
* Wrap the newly born baby's umbilical cord, paper and pencil in a plastic bag; throw the bag in the river and watch what happens. If it goes far, it means that the child will go to distant places and if it's caught by twigs in the water the child may only stay in its hometown/country.
* Apply lipstick on the baby’s forehead so that the child won’t be “usog.”
John, maybe this is same as Isa's BLACK SPOT but this one is a RED SPOT :-D. So that, Isa won't be usog. (Usog meaning from Wikipedia )
New Years Eve:
* Fill up your canisters with rice, sugar, flour, salt, etc. on New Year's Eve. You'll live a plenty for the coming year.
* Don't eat chicken on New Year's Eve/Day. You'll live like chickens; if they don't scratch on the ground, they won't eat.
*Open your windows on New Year's Eve for prosperity during the entire year.
* Refrain from borrowing money on New Year’s Day if you don’t want to be indebted the entire year.
* Wear polka dotted clothes on New Year’s Day. It’s a sign of money.
* Businessmen think that good sale on New Year's Day brings luck for the whole year.
* Toss some coins for the children for good luck.
* Place coins on the window sill on New Year’s Eve and Day for good luck.
* Keep plenty of cash in your wallet or pockets to have plenty of money for the year.
* Avoid pouting on New Year’s Day so as not to pout all year round.
Moles & other beliefs:
* A birth mark around the eye means you are appealing to guys.
* A birth mark on the chest means you are a true lover.
* If someone has a mole on the sole of the foot, it means that person loves to walk all the time.
* If someone has a mole on his back, it means that the person wants to lie around and be plain lazy.
* A mole on the eyebrows means good luck in business.
* A mole on the palm means good luck.
Other Beliefs
* Never discard dirty, old clothes; wash them first.
* Don't sweep the ground at dusk; the Virgin Mary is taking a walk and might catch the dust in her eyes.
* It's a bad luck to meet a black cat on a Friday morning.
* Breaking a mirror or glass is a bad omen.
* Having a disabled or handicapped child is your luck; caring for the child will give you more fortune.
* When you bit your lip/tongue, it means you're the subject of a conversation.
* When your nose itches, it means that someone is kissing your photo.
* Pull an eyelash to cure a sty.
* When thundering or lighting, recite this “Sancta Maria, Mater Christi, Sanctifica, Salve me."
uzicom |
Latest page update: made by uzicom
, Apr 18 2012, 3:49 AM EDT
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Keyword tags:
customs
folklore
Philippine
traditions
More Info: links to this page
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham4384 | Myths and Legends | 1 | Sep 17 2009, 10:48 PM EDT by johnamendall | ||
|
Thread started: Sep 17 2009, 5:04 AM EDT
Watch
Hello all,
I am interested to know if anyone on the board knows their local history about myths and legends? Janet and I were sitting around the other day shooting the breeze about different things and I asked her what was the meaning of Cagayan de Oro. This part has actually nothing to do with a myth etc., but I thought I would tell you how that topic came about. As most of us know Oro means Gold, ie: Banko de Oro (ain’t that the truth?) I asked her what does Cagayan mean? The word “Kagay” means “to shake,” so from that we get “to shake the Gold” I suspect that means to use a sieve and shake it to separate the alluvial gold. There is an Island in the middle of the Cagayan River that is called Isla De Oro. This is where gold was found. Now, we get to the legend/myth part. It appears that people believe there is a fish made of gold. The head of the fish lies under the Cathedral Church adjacent to Gaston Park. This is situated approximately 200 to 300 feet from the Cagayan River, just near the Cagayan Bridge. The body of the fish lies in approximately a North to South direction, the head facing South. The tail of the fish lies in the local port of Macabalan, which, by my estimation, is about 5 kilometres away from the park. It is said that when an earthquake happens in Cagayan De Oro it is the fish moving and twitching. Nice little homily isn’t it. How about it folks, let hear some more of these “Urban legends”! |
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| jemmans | Sleeping arrangments | 2 | May 28 2009, 2:40 AM EDT by jemmans | ||
|
Thread started: May 27 2009, 10:25 AM EDT
Watch
The Pinoy's are informal about their sleeping arrangments, sleeping in a doorway is not unknown. Have you observed any unusual sleeping habits?
I'm writing a poem with this theme, and your experience could help. |
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| Mariefel | Biyahe Tayo (let's travel) lyrics Tagalog & English | 4 | Mar 27 2009, 3:43 PM EDT by cliff.hall | ||
|
Thread started: Mar 17 2009, 6:15 PM EDT
Watch
Ikaw ba’y nalulungkot (are you sad?) Naiinip, nababagot? (Are you restless, irritated?) Ikaw ba’y napapagod (Are you tired) Araw gabi’y puro kayod? ( working day and night?) Buhay mo ba’y walang saysay (Your life lost its meaning) Walang sigla, walang kulay? (Lost its fun, lost its color) Bawa’t araw ba’y pareho (Everyday’s just the same) Parang walang pagbabago? (And nothing seems to change) Tara na, biyahe tayo (So, let’s go, let’s go back home) Kasama ang pamilya (Bring your family) Barkada at buong grupo (Friends and the whole group) Para mag-enjoy nang todo. (It’ll be totally fun) Halika, biyahe tayo, (So let’s go, let’s travel) Nang ating makita (That we’ll see) Ang ganda ng Pilipinas (The beauty of the Philippines) Ang galing ng Pilipino. (The greatness of the Filipinos) Napasyal ka na ba (Have you been to - Sa Intramuros at Luneta (Intramuros and Luneta) Palawan, Vigan at Batanes (Palawan, Vigan, Batanes) Subic, Baguio at Rice Terraces? (Subic, Baguio and Rice Terraces) Namasdan mo na ba (Have you seen - Ang mga vinta ng Zamboanga (the vinta of Zamboanga) Bulkang Taal, Bulkang Mayon (Taal Volcano, Mayon Volcano) Beach ng Boracay at La Union? (Boracay and La Union Beaches?) Tara na, biyahe tayo (So let’s go, let’s travel) Mula Basco hanggang Jolo (From Basco to Jolo) Nang makilala ng husto (So that we’ll get to really know ) Ang ating kapwa-Pilipino. (our fellow Filipinos) Halika, biyahe tayo, (So let’s go, let’s travel) Nang ating makita (That we’ll see) Ang ganda ng Pilipinas (The beauty of the Philippines) Ang galing ng Pilipino. (The greatness of the Filipinos)
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Keyword tags:
Biyahe tayo
Let's travel
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