As a Filipino, I grew up during a period when a lot of the traditions of our elders are slowly starting to get left behind. Here are some of the notable traditions I personally grew up with, and some that we were acquainted with in school:
- Po and Opo
- The words “po” and “opo” are examples of Filipino words that don’t have direct English translations. These words are used when talking with the elderly, or with someone of higher rank (student talking to a teacher, employee talking to employer, etc.) to express respect. Opo, I believe, is actually a contraction of Oo po, Oo meaning “yes”, and po added to express politeness. The tradition of using these words is still alive until today.
- Bayanihan
- The word Bayanihan, as we were taught in school, came from the word “bayan” which is the Filipino word for a collective group of people living in a particular place such as a town or province. Long ago, when our ancestors lived in huts (kubo, in Filipino) and wanted to relocate, the townsmen would gather and literally lift the hut for the owners. This notion of bayanihan is now taken into modern times as the spirit of togetherness, or of helping each other out whether you know them or not.
- Panliligaw at Panghaharana (Courtship and Serenading)
- In the olden times, being a couple in the Philippines was a big deal. The man would have to prove himself worthy of the woman’s affection before any sort of intimate relationship (so much as holding each other’s hands) is permitted by the parents. This is done by offering services to the woman’s family, such as gathering firewood, fetching buckets of water, or running errands. This goes on for months, if not years. Nowadays, even though the process of courtship has been relatively simplified, it still is a custom for a man to court a woman he is trying to woo for several months before they engage in a mutual relationship.
- Panghaharana or serenading is actually related to the old Filipino tradition of courtship. During the days of my grandparents, courtship involves serenading the woman in front of their house at night.
(I do not own the image)
It is said that the woman is supposed to look out the window only after several nights of being serenaded by the man. It also seems that the man who is trying to woo the woman usually brings along some of his friends to play the guitar or any other accompanying instruments while he sings. Kundiman, or traditional Filipino songs that are characterized by poetic and sweet lyricism, were used during panghaharana.
- Pagmamano
- In English, the word pagmamano is usually translated as “blessing.” I don’t know how accurate of a translation it is, though, but I grew up being taught of it. It is the act of taking one of an elderly’s hand, face down, and leading it onto one’s forehead. Again, this is a gesture of respect and is done by people usually to express respect for the elderly when leaving or entering a household. It is also a common gesture for religious people to perform the gesture when meeting religious leaders such as nuns or priests.
(Again, I do not own the photo).
- Fiestas (Feasts)
- Fiestas in the Philippines actually rooted from the Catholic religion. These events are conducted for every town, province, or patron saint, during their “feast days”. You’ll know that a place is celebrating its feast when you see banderitas hanging about the streets. These feasts often include a lot of food that are contributed by the different households of the place and shared among everyone, as well as games of various kinds.
(Photo not mine.)
- Extended Families
- Filipinos are very tightly-knit with their families. So much so that it is acceptable (and fairly common, might I add) for wedded couples to live with their parents, or even including their grandparents, uncles and aunts, and great grandparents. I personally grew up in this setting so you could take it from me. “Moving out” isn’t really and immediate action after finishing high school (or college, because a lot of Filipinos finish college after High School). Personally, I stay with my mom even though I’m a full grown man, not that it’s customary but because it makes economical sense (for me, at least, since I get a lot of free stuff from my mom).
These are just some of the most common and notable traditions I know from the Filipino people. There are a LOT more, I believe, since Filipinos indeed have a rich set of cultures and traditions. It’s sad, though, that modern times didn’t allow for a lot of them to survive.
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