“For young Filipinos, the celebration is a bridge between the solemn traditions of their ancestors and their own modern experiences”
DISTINCTIVE, in the eyes of observers, is the country’s celebration this week of Halloween, which has its roots in both the pre-colonial indigenous practice of the Tagalogs’ ‘Pangangaluluwa’ or the Ilokanos’ Piestat’ Kararua.’
It blends with the Catholic observance of All Saints Day on Nov. 1 with American traditions adding the modern secular elements.
Different in places but similar in many respects, Halloween in this predominantly Christian country of 117 million has the celebration usually a week long, with schools, offices and entertainment hubs and malls decorating their areas with a creepy, frightening theme.
Halloween, not just on Oct. 31 but covers too Nov. 1 and 2, is from “hallowed evening,” a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve,” the night before the Christian holy day of All Saints Day, but the tradition is rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.
All Saints Day and All Souls Day following Halloween, are known in many areas of this multi-ethnic archipelago as “Undas” – believed to be a corruption of the Spanish word honras (to honor), reflecting the Philippines’ history of Spanish colonialism for 377 years from 1521.
On Nov 1 and 2, Filipinos visit the graves of their loved ones and light candles there and pray for the eternal rest of their souls, with some towns north of Manila having priests reciting prayers for the dead in the cemeteries, or town bands playing funeral marches for surviving relatives who have just enough wads to give.
Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are marked not just because they form part of a centuries-old custom, but celebrated to give life and meaning for surviving kin to embrace Philippine folklore.
Scary Philippine mythical creature include Tikbalang (half human, half horse), kapre (giant black creature that smokes), aswang or mammaidam (witch or sorcerer), tiyanak (an unborn fetus that turned into a monster), sigbin (a dog-like creature that is not visible to anybody), white lady (a female ghost, usually a victim of a crime), and santelmo (a raging fire turned from human blood).
Schools and offices, and non-government organizations of Filipinos abroad like the Philippine Chamber of Commerce of Southern Colorado who have their own celebration in rented spaces, decorate spaces with these creatures, and sometimes feature them in horror booths.
The observance teaches younger Filipinos about their pre-Hispanic beliefs and folklore and counters the tendency of modern life to overshadow older customs.
The ancient Filipino practice of Halloween or Ghost week or Lawas Ti Ar-aria among notherners, in the run up to Undas or Piestat’ Kararua, took place on Oct. 31, considered the original Filipino version of trick-or-treat.
Groups, often children draped in white sheets to represent departed souls, would go from house to house singing songs to portray souls stuck in purgatory, and in exchange for their serenade, homeowners give them alms or home-cooked rice cake.
If a household ignored their presence the serenaders might play a trick, like stealing a chicken or whatever property accessible to them – a tradition that has has since widely faded and is now only practiced in some rural areas.
Instance, Halloween in Minglanilla, Cebu, depends on what residents agree on, with a consensus to encourage people, especially children to participate in the activities.
“Ang mga moapil mag sul-ob kini og costume depende sa tema nga gikasabutan. Naay ubang tema nga pinakahadlok gayud na costume o dli gani mga cartoon character para sa mga bata,” says Mami Vi Rosal, interviewed online by Grinding Grains. (Participants will wear costumes depending on the theme agreed upon. Some themes are really scary costumes or even cartoon characters for children).
Participants go around the area knocking on doors to wish each house a Happy Halloween. The homeowner will also give them candy or food as a treat.
The event includes activities like game contests and a food party, the highlight being the selection of the best Halloween costume, with the winner receiving a prize.
In Pinili, Ilocos Norte, barangay Upon official Natividad Africano says the old traditions have remained, like masses said for the departed loved ones, lighting candles for them at their grave sites, and funeral marches played by the town band inside the cemeteries, with a particular departed’s grave surrounded by the musicians.
They also have programs with lights off to mock spooky characters they dub as Horror or Tumbatumba.
In Binalonan, Pangasinan, lawyer Francis Melville Tinio says Halloween “is a beautiful mixture of celebration, remembrance, and tradition, less about scary costumes, but more on bonding with family, faith, and honoring ancestors.
“Up to the present, Binalonians still observe a traditional practice involving groups gathering in homes to recite rosaries and novenas known as ‘prayers for the dead’ or ‘palualo.’
The traditional rituals to protect against spirits or offer food for departed loved ones remain and are referred to as “atang”or offering in graveyard tombs – pretty much like other areas of the Ilocos region.”where a festive picnic’ atmosphere always subsists.”
In Gonzaga, Cagayan, the elderly used to tell the younger generations that ghosts walked around during Halloween, according to grade school teacher Priscilla Ida Gaygay, with simple programs stressing different costumes – but that tradition is slackening.
These blending traditions in the Philippines’ Halloween celebration shows the world and the present generation the nation’s cultural resilience, the importance of honoring one’s roots, and a unique way of processing life and death.
This blend, culture enthusiasts propound, shows how a culture can absorb new influences while maintaining the core of its own traditions.
For young Filipinos, the celebration is a bridge between the solemn traditions of their ancestors and their own modern experiences.
