| HISTORY OF THE PROVINCE OF ANTIQUE, PHILIPPINES |
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More
on Antique's History and Culture
by:
Kristine Sanchez According
to the tales of the Maragtas, Antique once enjoyed primacy among the realms
carved out in Panay by the 10 Bornean datu (chieftains), who, fleeing from the
tyranny of Sultan Makatunaw of Borneo, bought the island from the Ati King
Marikudo and established the sakup of Hamtik, Aklan, and Irong-irong. The datu
supposedly landed in Malandog, Hamtik, where a marker commemorates the event
which is reenacted in the Binirayan (literally, "place where the
boats landed") Festival. In Hamtik ruled the wisest among the chieftains,
Datu Sumakwel, whom Datu Puti designated as the primus inter pares among
the seven remaining datu who formed the confederation of the Madya-as.
In
Spanish times, Antique was administered from Iloilo, and remained a backwater of
the colony.
When Miguel Lopez de Legazpi transferred his headquarters from Cebu to The
Antiqueños did not welcome the Spanish rule. The natives, called mundo
and cascado, refused to live in the cabeceras or town centers, a
problem that occasional Muslim raids along coastal towns did not help relieve.
In 1828, secular priests participated in serious revolt launched againsts the
alcalde mayor, Don Francisco Oreta,
which ended when he was replaced by Don Benito Domingo.
In 1888, the Igbaong, secret organization in San Remigio led by Gregoria
Palmero revolted against abuses by Spanish officials and Augustinian clergy. It
was pacified only seven years later.
When
the revolutionary movement was launched, Panay became an active area for
katipunan recruitment.
On 21 Sept 1898, Gen Leandro Fullon landed in Inayawan, Pandan and captured the
town, holding the parish priest captives.
The following day, Fullon and his army landed in Culasi, forcing the Spaniards
to withdraw to Tibiao. The Filipino soldiers under Spanish command mutinied and
placed themselves under the command of Fullon.
A week later, the forces of Fullon clashed
with Spanish troops in Bugasong in a battle that momentarily stopped Fullon's
succesful southern campaign.
Fullon retreated to Culasi.
Spanish success was short-lived, however, as another Filipino mutiny decimated
the Spanish officers. By 23 November that year, Filipino revolutionaries had
taken San Jose de Buenavista. Fullon then became Antique governor.
During
the Philippine-American War, the Americans did not land a force in Hamtik, until
January 1900.
Not long after the revolutionary forces under Fullon were forced to shift to
guerilla warfare.
Fullon held out until 22 Mar 1901, when he surrendered to the Americans. In
April the civil government was established and Fullon was elected governor. A
lasting legacy of the revolution to Antique is Iglesia Filipina Independiente,
which was founded by Gregorio Aglipay, Gen Emilio Aguinaldo's Military Vicar
General, and labor leader Isabelo de los Reyes. Next to Ilocos, Antique has the
greatest number of Aglipayans.
In
1939, in anticipation of the Japanese invasion, Antique became mobilization
center.
WWII saw an active anti-Japanese guerilla campaign led by Col Macario Peralta
and other officers of the 61st infantry Division of the USAFFE ( United States
Armed Forces in the Far East). The first submarine-borne supplies to the 6th
Military District (as Gen Douglas McArthur designated the Panay-Negros area)
were landed in Libertad, then a barrio of Pandan.
Guerillas operated rather freely in Antique, as their mountain bases in Mts
Baloy and Madya-as were located on the border of the Iloilo and Capiz.
Moreover, the Japanese were garrisoned for most of the time in the capital of
San Jose.
The
Japanese would occasionally sortie north to pursue guerilla forces in actions
that the people would call as "penetration" and associated with
"evacuation". The guerilla warning system worked effectively in
evacuating the people from the town centers whenever Japanese columns would
venture out of San Jose, such that the majority of the people Antique could say
that they never saw a Japanese soldier during the entire war. Looming large in
the public imagination were the horrors, not so much of Japanese atrocities as
of the guerilla killing fields called Badyang, a place where suspected
collaborators were executed.
Stay-over public officials and traders were most vulnerable to charges of
collaboration.
During
the Snap Elections of 1986, the pro Corazon Aquino led by former Gov Evelio
Javier conducted a successful campaign against entrenched pro Marcos forces led
by Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, but after the elections, the charismatic
Javier was gunned down in broad daylight in San Jose.
The assassination intensified the tension that culminated in the EDSA revolt 11
days later.
The
maaram (a learned man) or medicine man counters or neutralizes these
creatures.
In places where there are no doctors, the maaram becomes a general practitioner
as well as specialist - a medium or rite officiator, diviner, herbalist, bone
setter, midwife, and extractor of foreign objects poached by supernatural forces
or beings inside the body of the individual (Magos 1978).
Being
an isolated province, Antique is a culture area where the connection of
traditional magical practices can be studied in relation to economic survival (Magos
1978:25).
Each stage of the rice production, from planting to harvesting, is punctuated by
ritual; the same holds true for the production of corn, cassava, sweet potato,
beans, kadios, jackfruit, coconut, and so on.
The presence of a menstruating woman or an animal urinating before or during
planting are considered bad omens; planting should be done during low tide, or
during the time when the moon is full, so that the fruits or tubers will grow
large; and so on.
The
Sulod believe in a double or soul-spirit who removes itself from the
carnal body upon death and travels from one place to another until it reaches a
lake which it has to cross with the assistance of Bangle, the ferry man.
According to this myth, Bangle asks the soul-spirit several questions
before he takes it to the other shore.
If the soul answers that it has had more than one wife, it is congratulated and
immediately carried across on Bangle's shoulder.
If it has had only one or remained a bachelor, then it is told to hold on to
Bangle's pubic hair and to swim across the sticky water.
(As there are no recorded cases of polyandry, it cannot be assumed that the same
questions apply to the female soul.)
The
soul has yet to pass another stream guarded by another deity called Balugu,
who asks him the same questions.
After passing the examination, the soul is admitted to Madya-as (a mountain
nearby), where it participates in a cockfighting game.
Then it is taken to the rest house called haramyangan.
If its relatives in the earthworld perform the right ceremonies, it undergoes a
strengthening process, after which it takes its place in the center of Madya-as,
where it leads a normal life and eventually turns into one of the environmental
spirits which guard every aspect of Sulod society.
Sulod
religion is inextricably intertwined with social and economic activities like
fishing and hunting, which are influenced by defined environmental and ancestral
spirits.
All phases of the agricultural practice, like pre-clearing, begin with an
invocation to the ancestral spirits.
The sagda ceremony, for example, is a post-clearing chanting ritual as a
gesture of apology to the spirits who may have been hurt by the burning of the
field during the clearing process.
It
is believed that illness is caused by forest spirits who must, therefore, be
appeased.
A procession is led by the baylan who dances to the beat of gongs and
drums to invoke good and evil spirits
Children's
songs range from the ili (lullaby) to adaptations of Tagalog and English
originals.
Greed is parodied in "Tatay Beroy Tikwaog," spinsters are satirized in
"Naggtanum Ako Pinya" (I Planted a Pineapple).
Mothers ask their children to perform "Ang Tatlo Ka Pato" (The Three
Ducks), complete with hand gestures imitating ducks flying and rear ends
waddling.
"Lubi-lubi" (Coconuts) is a mnemonic device to remember the months of
the year.
"Ang Tilapia" (The Tilapia) tells of an impetuous fish who escapes
from the aquarium.
Love
and courtship songs are still sung as serenade, which are prevalent during
harvest time when girls from out of town help their kin in the fields.
While
modern swains have been heard to strum pop and old tunes like "Serapin Sang
Gugma" (Angel of Love), "Pagkalum-ok" (Softly), "Ako Ining
Kailo" ( I Am a Poor Lover), "Bilin Sang Kabuhi" (My Life's
Desire), "Didto Nayon sa Bukid" (There in the Mountain) are still
heard.
The most popular of these are "Sa Pugad Sang Pispis" (In the Bird's
Nest), "Karon kay Tingadlaw" (Now That It's Summer), and "Maghihirupay
Kita" (Let's Share Our Love). The latter invites the beloved to share the
lover's affection, so that they could be like two birds on a bough.
"Sang
Diutay pa Ako" (When I Was Small) is about a maiden, being courted, who
sets impossible conditions for her love.
Another rejection song is "Igso-on sa Tabuk Nayon" (Godbrother Across
Our House).
"Ang Gugma" (Love) advises ladies to choose their husbands carefully,
while "Dalawidaw" (The Dalawidaw Bird) has a happy ending, with the
girl reciprocating her suitor's love.
Songs
that have been adapted in other Visayan tongues include: "Lumabay-labay"
(If Passes By), which compares the sweet things in life, like love, to smoke
which dissipates: "Dandansoy," which was composed by Roman who hailed
from Culasi; and "Ay Ay Kalisud" (O How Sad).
The latter two are standard numbers in the repertoire of Visayan singers, and
are well-known nationally.
Other
love songs, which invariably speak of lost love and hearthache, include: "Maminglaw
nga Dalamguhon" (A Lonely Dream); "Mahapdi ang Dug-han Ko" (My
Heart Aches); "Pispis nga Adarna" (The Adarna Bird); "Ang Pana-ad"
(The Promise); "Rosing, Yanang Yuhom Mo" (Your Smile), "Nadura
ang Paglaum" (Hope is Lost); "Ginamingaw Ako" (I Feel Lonely);
and "Nene Ati."
Work
songs include: fishing songs like "Si Tarok, Ang Belong-belong" (The
Belong-belong Fish); "Ang mga Manunura nga Ansyang" (The Ansyano
Fisherfolks), and "Si Felimon."
The latter two, and the nonfishing song, "Ako Mananggete nga si Ikot"
(I Am Ikot the tuba gatherer), have references to tuba, indicating that they are
generally sung during drinking sessions.
"Si Filemon" as a tongue twister because the song is repeated over
and over, with the various vowels converted to the one called out by the song
leader: "A!" - "Sa Falaman, Sa Falaman ..."; "U!"
- "Su Fulumun, Su Fulumun;" and so on.
When
drinking, the old favorite is "Dandansoy, Inum Tuba Laloy" (Dandansoy,
Drink Laloy's Tuba).
But the work songs and humorous songs do equally well: "Nagligad and Adlaw"
(A Day Has Passed), "Bisan Tamun Ati" (Though We Are Aetas), "Sa
Banwa sang Kape" (In the Town of Coffee), "Kalantahon sa Adlaw-adlaw"
(The Everyday Song), "Puyayang" (Jelly Fish), "Tahur"
(Gambler), "Si Manong, si Manang, Ako ang Prinsipe" (I Am the
President, "Manok nga Bukay" (My White Rooster).
The first four songs use metaphors for sexual organs and intercourse.
Three
poignant songs express grief over the death of parents: "Binhi sang
Paghihugma" (Seeds of Love), "Ang Ilo sa Iloy" (A Motherless
Child); and "Ako ang Nailo" (I Am An Orphan).
These are sung during funerals.
There are also songs that praise knowledge and winged creatures, and game songs.
Two
wedding songs, "Inday, Himus-himusa" (Inday, Prepare Your Things) and
"Laylay" have similar patterns.
There are instructions to the woman to prepare her things as she is getting
married, and to the men against maltreatment of the wife lest the relatives take
her back; the eventual reply is that the woman can no longer be separated from
the man because they have been married by a priest.
Weddings
showcase the Antiqueño's dancing prowess.
During their pamalaye, the parents of the groom in Anini-y town perform
the soryano before the parents of the bride.
The soryano has two counts to a measure, and is danced to guitar music.
The
wedding procession is marked by sinulog dancers up front, shouting and
making considerable noise with drums, empty cans, basins, and other percussion
instruments.
The dancers, all boys, having fierce masks of black and red.
They wear red trousers , dark colored under shirts with long sleeves, red bands
or kerchiefs around their heads, and a dark-colored length of cloth worn over
the shoulder and knotted at one side of the waist.
Some sinulog dancers wield spears, bolo, and daggers.
The dancers are believed to frighten and drive away evil spirits that might
spoil the happiness and welfare of the newly married couple.
During
the reception, the bride and groom may dance the pandang-pandang, the music of
which has three counts to a measure.
The partners shake and clap hands, bow to each other, and move in a
sway-balance-hop sequence. Ideally only the married couple dances while the
guest shower them with presents of cash and valuables, but the members of the
entourage may also take part (Reyes-Tolentino 1946:203-206).
In
response to the pandang-pandang, the parents of the bride and groom perform the
kandang-kandang. The dance, which is named after a seaside plant, uses a tune
similar to the pandang-pandang. It also has three counts to a measure, but has
more steps which is characterized by reversed arm positions, step-hops, and
flirtatious brushes punctuated by beginning motions from the boy and point
steps, leaps, and occasional kneels.
The
urukay from Anini-y also has the parents-in-law dancing with each other.
This is lively and vigorous dance where the male tries to assert his supremacy
over the female by making her kneel and crawl in between his legs.
The woman retorts by snubbing the man and elbowing him as she moves away.
Other
Dances found in Antique include a number of waltz derivatives, such as the escopiton
malandog, from Barangay Malandog in Hamtik, which is danced by couples and
feature kumintang movements; the regoniza, also found in San Jose, which
is dance for important guest; the yano pandaninio, a delicate dance from
the northern town of Pandan; and the salidsid, a dance for fiestas and other
special occasions, produced by the people of the island town of Caluya.
The salidsid is vigorius, using body twist, trunk jerks, knee bends, and
tapping steps, among others.
The
kuratsa, a perennial Visayan favorite, has two versions, the kuratsa San
Jose and the kuratsa Tibiao with the latter having more complex steps.
The haplili is a stylization of the dance step of that name.
The count is two to a measure, with two pairs performing.
The girl's main prop in her movements is her patadyong.
The virgoire, which is derive from "Virgo-Eres" (You are a
Virgin) is like a kumintang dance but is performed barefoot by a girl wearing
patadyong and camisa or long-sleeved blouse with stiff sleeves.
The Antique version of the itik-itik is performed in Tibiao invariably during
social gatherings.
Dancing two counts to the measure, the couples are in closed ballroom dance
position characterized by slide-close and itik-itik steps, topped by a quarter
turn at the end of each sequence.
Nuptial
ceremonies among the Sulod are repleted with prototypes of theater, literature,
song, and dance.
The pagbati is the ceremonial meeting of the two sets of parents, who
pretend ignorance of the couple's engagement, so that they may formally confirm
it.
The marriage negotiations are conducted in the form of a poetical joust, in
which the girl's family again pretends ignorance of the boy's intentions.
Part of the joust includes the haggling over dowry.
This accomplished and the boy duly accepted, the boy service to the girl's
family begins.
He brings to their house symbolic objects, such as banana leaves, which signify
the virtue of "righteousness giving shade and protection to the couple in
their life's journey" (Jocano 1968).
The
wedding day begins with the hungaw, another poetical joust between two
spokesperson.
This is recited as the wedding entourage takes some numbered steps from the gate
to the stairs of the house.
After the wedding, the feast begins but is regularly interrupted by another
poetical joust, in which the bride is referred to metaphorically as the
"flower of the house."
For such occasions, heirloom plates called lahang and the sibulan,
the ancient chinese jar in which rice wine is fermented, are taken out of
storage and used.
Antique
theater has depended largely on traveling komedya troupes from Iloilo
which perform during town fiestas.
There have been no recorded writers of Kinaray-a komedya or sarswela.
The
advent of electronics, however, has opened up venues for writers, enabling them
to produce radio dramas.
Foremost of these Kinaray-a writers is the late Russell Tordesillas, who wrote
the scripts for the long running radio serial Olayra: Ang Prinsesa Sang Dagat
played over Antique radio DYKA.
Writers
are gradually responding to the renewed literary and institutional interest over
the promotion of Kinaray-a.
Aleks Santos (Ani 19) published Lupa, a one-act play detailing the hardships of
women left to tend their farm after the menfolk went to work as sacada in
Negros.
D. Javier with R.C. Lucero and E.A. Manuel
Note: Thanks to Mert Altares, an Antiqueño working in Saudi Arabia for this article. ANTIQUE'S
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