Ilocano free essay sample

CULTURE The Ilocanos are known for being hardworking, appreciative, simple and determined. Also known as stingy or â€Å"kuripot† because, the Ilocanos being called stingy and cheap is just treated as a joke or pun among Filipinos and not as a negative regional stereotype. THE ILOCANOS BEING THRIFTY The Ilocos Region is situated in between the barren lands of the Cordillera mountain ranges and the South China Sea. Although their rich land is blessed with agricultural benefits, making a living in Ilocos is very difficult. Unlike the Manilenos, it is harder for Ilocanos to make money since they are very far from the center of trade and industry. It would take long travel hours (by land) to send their products (mostly fruits and vegetables) in Manila. By the time it arrives, these fruits and vegetables are no longer fresh. The Ilocanos value money so much that most people see them as stingy when in fact they are just pennywise. They want to spend their earnings wisely. ILOCANO MARRIAGE Before even planning for marriage, Ilocano children seek first the approval of both sets of parents. The parents are to decide if they would agree to let their child marry or not. The young man (groom) asks for his parents’ consent. His parents will pay the dowry and finance the wedding. Then, the young man formally announces (panagpudno) his intentions of marrying the young woman to her parents. The groom’s parents visit the bride’s parents, in which they set the date of the wedding. In setting the date, both parents go to a planetario to learn what dates are the good-luck days. Another meeting is set for the wedding (palalian or ringpas) wherein the groom and his relatives to the bride’s house to finalize the wedding arrangements. The families set the choice of sponsors, the dowry, sagut (wedding dress and accessories which will be provided by the groom), and the parawad (cash that given by the groom to the bride’s mother as a reward for raising his bride). COURTSHIP The boy sends love letters to the girl regularly as constant reminders and declarations of a willingness to continue the amorous pursuit. The harana (serenade) is also one way of expressing love. The boy asks a group of friends to join him, on a moonlit night, in waking up his beloved maiden with love songs. Tradition strongly requires that the woman maintain her virginity until marriage. Otherwise, she will have to face such grave consequences as being ostracized by the community or disowned by her family. Sex education comes in the form of stories read and told by older folk. ETHNIC SONGS AND DANCES Its native songs are expressions of the characteristics, aspirations and occupations of its music-loving and industrious people. â€Å"Osi-osi† portrays the traditional ways of courtship. â€Å"Binigan-bigat† (Every Morning) is a courtship dance depicting a boy who is in love with a girl from whom he asks pity. â€Å"Sileledda-ang† (Grief-stricken or Laden with Sorrow) is a courtship dance showing the lover’s fondness for each other. â€Å"Manang Biday†, another courtship dance usually performed by young people. â€Å"Sabunganay†(Banana Blossom) symbolizes a young lady who is still too young to be courted and â€Å"Pandanggo Laoaguena† is a courtship dance performed by the young and old. † LANGUAGES/DIALECTS Widely spoken by the people of Ilocos Norte is Iloko, one of the major dialects in the country and which is proudly used by every Ilocano as for as the foreign countries. Ilokano is the third most-spoken language of the Republic of the Philippines. The dialect serves as index of determining the place of residence of an Ilocano because intonation varies from town to town. One can pinpoint a person’s origin by just listening to the way he/she talks, because intonation varies from town to town. RELIGION Filipinos were converted to Roman Catholicism by Spanish colonial settlers. Catholicism in the Philippines combines belief in patron saints with belief in supernatural forces. Many people consult faith healers for herbal treatments of physical ailments. PREGNANCY AND CHILBIRTH A womans intense craving for sour fruits, such as tamarind, green mango or orange is usually interpreted as a sign of pregnancy. The fruits that she eats provide clues to the childs appearance. CRAFTS AND HOBBIES Ilocanos engage in the same hobbies as all Filipinos. These include weaving, wood-carving, and playing chess. FOOD Ilocano food essentially resembles that elsewhere in the country, but Ilocanos are especially fond of bagoong (a salty shrimp or fish paste). One regional specialty that has entered national cuisine is pinakbet. Eating with their hands, family members squat around the food laid out on the floor or take food and eat in different parts of the main room. As food is regarded as a symbol of Gods grace, there should be no noise, laughing, singing, or harsh words (including parents scolding children) while eating is going on. One should not drop food on the table or floor, or the food will be angered and leave the household. Similarly, no one should leave the house while someone is still eating, for Gods grace will go with him or her, out of the home. BIAG NI LAM-ANG is an epic poem of the Ilokano people from the Ilocosregion of the Philippines. ATANG a traditional food offering in the Philippines to ward off evil spirits. The most common atang to ward off sickness is a ricecake called sinukat. A table with an atang meal may be put in a new house. [3] An atang may also be for a harvest offering. [4] Ilocanos may prepare an atang before each meal. [5] The atang may also be called a santorum or panang. [6] The atang meal may be associated in some ceremonies with dance. FUNERAL PRACTICES AND BURIAL CUSTOMS Filipinos in the Ilocandia have a rich body of funeral and burial traditions, known as the pompon or burial rites. Wake A dead man is prepared by his wife for the wake, known in Ilocano as the bagongon. [4] Typically, only the wife will clothe the corpse, believing that the spiritof the dead man can convey messages through her. Also important is the placement of the coffin, which should be in the centre of the house and aligned with the planks of the floorboards. Lighting a wooden log in front of the house is also customary because the smoke is believed to assist the spirit of the dead towards heaven, and it is also kept alight to repel wicked spirits. The ceremonial attire of female mourners for the vigil is black clothing, while their heads and shoulders are covered in a black veil called a manto. [8] Funeral Windows are closed before the casket exits the house, while care is exercised to prevent the casket from touching any part of the house. This is to prevent the deceaseds spirit from loitering and bringing misfortune to the household; to some Filipinos, a casket hitting any object during a funeral means that another person will die soon. [5] After the burial service, family members wash their hair with a shampoo called gugu to remove the influence of the deceaseds spirit. Rice cakes and basi are offered to attendees after each prayer session. [4] On the ninth night, the family holds a feast after praying the novena,[4] and does so again after offering prayers on the first death anniversary. Pamulinawen Pusok imdengam man Toy umas-asug Agrayo ita sadiam. Panunotem man Dika pagintultulngan Toy agayat, agruknoy ita emmam. Issemmo diak kalipatan Ta nasudi unay a nagan, Ta uray sadin ti ayan, Disso sadino man, {Aw-awagak a di agsarday Ta naganmo nga kasam-itan} No malagipka, pusok ti mabang-aran Adu nga sabsabong, adu nga rosrosas Ti addat ditoy, Nena, nga mabuybuyak, Ngem awan manlaeng ti sabali nga liwliwak No di la dayta sudim ken imnas. No umulogak nga mapan magmagna Dayta raniagmo, Neneng nga gapu kenka. Manang Biday (Older Sister Biday) Manang Biday, ilukatmo man Ta bentana ikalumbabam Ta kitaem toy kinayawan Ay matayakon no dinak kaasian Siasinno nga aglabaslabas Ditoy hardinko pagay-ayamak Ammon ngarud nga balasangak Sabong ni lirio, dipay nagukrad Denggem ading ta bibinenka ta inkanto diay sadi daya agalakantot bungat mangga ken lansones pay, adu nga kita No nababa dimo gaw-aten, no nangato dika sukdalen, no naregreg dika piduten, ngem labaslabasamto met laeng Daytoy paniok no maregregko ti makapidot ikutannanto ta nagmarka iti naganko nabordaan pay ti sinampuso Alaem dayta kutsilyo ta abriem toy barukongko tapno maipapasmo ti guram kaniak ken sentimiento