Unit 5 - Mga Pista at Pagdiriwang (Festivals & Celebrations)

INTRO:

Pagdiriwang
Festival & Celebrations

The Philippine “Day of the Dead” or “Araw ng mga Patay” is commemorated over two days: October 31 through November 1st.   In the Catholic tradition, November 1st is All Saints Day, and November 2nd is All Souls’ Day.  It is interesting to note how syncretism has taken hold of the way that Filipinos celebrate the Day of the Dead beginning with the pagan celebration of Halloween and through All Saints’ Day, a holy day of obligation among Catholics.
Belief in the “soul,” however defined, is widespread in the different ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines and the list of folkloric names below is linguistic evidence to prove this. This concept is connected to the belief in spirit possession among Southeast Asian cultures.  In the Philippines, some believe that the physical body can be “possessed” or “occupied” by benevolent spirits such as “God the Mother” and by evil creatures such as the patianak (see #8 below).  Here are several examples of creatures from Philippine folklore.

1. aswang -  an evil character believed to be capable of assuming different forms, which is believed to visit or harass pregnant women, particularly during the night.

2. itim na duwende – (Sp.) dwarf.

3. halimaw - a wild or ferocious animal; beast; syn. “mabangis na hayop” -a beast-like person or brutal person.  “malupit na tao, hayop” – as in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

4. kapre - (Sp.) a folkloric giant, said to appear during the night with a big lighted cigar in his mouth, lives in a tree and destroys houses.

5. manananggal - Philippine folklore, an evil spirit, said to be in form of man with only the upper part of the body roaming around for victims during night (aswang, mangkukulam).

6. mangkukulam - a witch; a bewitcher; it has uses a voodoo doll to bring harm to its victim.

7. tikbalang - a legendary creature whose head and body looks like a person with feet like those of a horse; it is said that this creature can cause people to lose their way in the forest.

8. tiyanak - a goblin or mischievous spirit, which according to folklore, is the spirit of a young child who died unbaptized.  It seeks fetuses.  Syn. patyanak, from ‘patay anak’ dead/kill offspring.

9. nuno sa punso – an old man on a mound or anthill; an evil or mischievous spirit said to be found in anthills.

10. maligno - (Sp.) an evil spirit.  Syn, demonyo - devil; kababalaghan – mysterious.

11. lamanlupa - a gnome Cf. nuno o matanda sa punso (see #5).