Customs, Beliefs and Traditions

1. Cosmology. The people believes that the world was created by God. However the world as we see with our naked eye is not the only world there is. Jose Dandoy of Morales spoke of seven (7) layers or dimensions (pitong sanib) with their corresponding inhabitants. This material world we have is situated in the middle. Silalak and Sibabay were believed to be the first man and woman in the world who evolved from monkeys. Storms were considered to have heads and tails. Prolonged rains means that a serene/sea nymph was caught by fishermen or that her dwelling place were destroyed or damaged by vandals. Giving birth to a twin is due to having eaten twin bananas. While dogs howling at midnight was regarded as a sign of a forthcoming sickness among the people.

The occurrence of eclipse is caused by a large snake called Bakunawa that tries to swallow the moon. In order to frighten the snake people had noise barrage with their bagtoe and shouted “Oli-on ro among buean ay abu pa kami riya sa kalibutan.” Pregnant women though were not permitted to join in this noise barrage for fear that looking at eclipse would cause their children to be borne abnormal.

The Eumati and Agtawagon were actually giants and that the caves thereat were their mouths. Other people however regarded them to have been formed by huge waves when the earth was inundated which they claimed to have reached thousands of meters deep from the highest peak . The clouds were evaporation of water of the sea that rose to the sky while thunder and lightning were caused by a huge man when he winks and shout.

2. Myths and Theodicy. God is supernatural, omnipotent and creator of the seen and unseen worlds. Fairies (engcanto, kapre, agta, tikbalang, oko, kataw, duwende) were also supernatural but not omnipotent. They can cause harm on people or their crops. They dwell in enchanted caves or trees, which were regarded as palhe i.e., enchanted place in the forest. The witches or aswang which include the tik-tik, wak-wak, and sigben were also supernatural and are capable of changing/assuming other forms of animate beings. They steal a person by changing him/her into corpse. An adult administering young children in taking a bath would be heard pronouncing a sort of orasyon saying audibly, “Pwera sigben, aswang!” so as not to endanger the young ones.

3. Ancestral worship was evident wherein people believed that their deceased relatives have influence/power over them. Hence they made offerings of varied foods to appease those spirits in the form of Kiyao-kiyao or To-os. This practice was also done when an expectant mother is about to give birth. The rosary is recited after which foods were offered for the souls in purgatory.

4. Fiesta Celebration. Patronatos (1858-1859) mentioned that when Padre Don Diego Albao was curate of Balete, the Blessed Sacrament was being carried by the Cura Parroco around the town proper with the faithful following in a procession to mark the beginning of the observance of the vespers of fiesta. Historical Data contributors likewise added that the fiesta celebration was observed with a mass being celebrated in the church and or ermita (in case it is a barrio fiesta). A dance party which usually “lasted till dawn” followed after.

5. Harvesting Ritual. Pakotol is a sort of ceremony that begins with the prayer “Amay namon” while holding on the stalks of rice. Upon reaching the phrase “hatagan mo kami niyan sing kan-on namon” the cutting of stalk commences. The farmer then would slaughter a pig or a fowl as an act of thanksgiving.

6. Of Birth. A child born on daytime is considered coward while he/she who is born on nighttime is brave. A girl born at dawn is believed to have plenty of suitors when she became a lady. While unbaptized a child should not be exposed outdoors; otherwise an amulet is pinned down on its clothes.

7. On Death. The cadaver is rolled in a mat and place atop a hollowed tree or buried in the ground. If the deceased is a mother, her small children are dressed in red for forty-two (42) days. This prevents the soul of the deceased from seeing and bringing with her children. During the burial ceremony these children are made to pass under the coffin for several times so that they might not die soon.

8. On Punishment. A person who offends somebody is lashed with an ikog it pagi (tail of stingray) 25 times in public. Suspects of robbery are made to dive in the Jae-o for a period of time. Those who emerged first were considered guilty.


Source: balete.tripod.com