Have you tried to ask yourself wishing to go back to your old days? There is an inner feeling to let yourself be in that situation again and that is how I am experiencing it right now. It has been a long time I have not visited my hometown and my family since I am working here in the Southern part. When I arrived at my place, I can see the differences and changes in how I enjoyed my childhood days before. The big green field area before was now full of apartments. I can even count on my fingers how many trees left. Through this, it made me think to create a post about the things that I am used to seeing and doing before, which are very rare nowadays.
What I am going to show and talked about today are the best experiences I had and slowly fading. But the big question, are they really fading? or they are still existing? That is what we are going to find out!
SUNGKA
[Sungka photo source: ](https://pixels.com/featured/pastime-jose-vistan.html)
When I was small, I am a very playful kid. I love to be surrounded by my cousins and friends. My parents were supportive when it comes to socializing with people but not strangers. I could still recall how I travel to different towns just to see and meet my friends. There are so many games that I used to play such as "takyan", "dakop-dakop", "lut-hang", "holen" and more. The things that I mentioned are easy to play anytime but this time we are focusing on another Filipino game which is what we called "Sungka". This can be played by two players and each player has 7 holes with a total of 14. I find this game challenging and worth playing because it gives thrills and also enhances our numeracy skills by counting with those small stones or in tagalog they used to call it "butil" or beads/grains.
Through the influence of the new technology, children are now more having fun by using mobile phones, ipads, and computer because there are more online games and they find it more attractive and this pandemic, it became a closed-door for opportunities to let the children play with their playmates but this won't happen because we are measuring here the safety of the individual. I know there are some parents out there who love to teach this game with their kids and it will be more effective if we have the actual model of sungka. That is why I am so proud of myself that with my years, I was able to experience playing it with my friends and there is a difference between playing with an actual thing than facing the computer screen.
TIRADOR
Tirador source : https://mobile.twitter.com/tirador_boy
My father was used to hunt in the mountain areas. He was able to travel all the mountains here in the Southern part of Cebu. We used to live without our father for a month or two months because he was spending his adventure in the mountains. The good thing about his experience was that he met new friends. His new friends visited our house and brought lots of bananas, sweet potatoes, corn, and more root crops. Since I am not allowed yet to travel with him, he trained me how to use "tirador" properly. As you can read in my old post about my father it will be a different side of him today that you will discover. My father was raised with very hard-working parents. He is an expert in planting any kind of fruits and vegetables that is why we have a big garden surrounded by healthy veggies.
Playing with a tirador must be fully guided by the parents because there are times that kids used it in the wrong way. As a result, there are kids who get hurt or accidentally get hurt. Why? because you have to put a small stone as your bullet and pull it harder then release it if you wanted to hit something. I am grateful that my father taught me to use it in a good way. But this game is seasonal. Not every single day kids are playing it. Mostly this is available during holidays or summer vacation because it is the perfect time to be free, explore and enjoy with my friends. Even if this is commonly played with boys, I love playing it too because I am always curious about new things.
LAMPASO
Lampaso photo source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanskye/4504568391
"Lampaso" is known as coconut husk. We used this as a tool to make our household chores complete. This is only applicable for those homes that have cemented floors, not with designs and tiles. The purpose of this is to make the floor smooth and shiny. I used to do lampaso in our school. For those Filipinos who are reading this, I know you are smiling also reminiscing your experience about this. Our teacher assigned the cleaners by group and when it's our turn, the first thing we do when we arrived at school is to maintain cleanliness in the classroom and this is where maglampaso happens. We are spreading either the white or red floor wax then rub the coconut husk by one foot in a direction of up and down. This is a sort of good morning exercise because you have to expect to sweat a lot unless you do it with determination. My last experience with this was when I was in high school. I have not visited any elementary schools yet and heard that students are doing this in their school. I just love the core values presented by doing this action because it shows how responsible we are as a student and citizen of our country. Even though there are now modern tools and equipment in cleaning the floors but I do believe there are still Filipinos who continuously doing this at their respective homes. In addition, you can see a thing behind the lampaso and that was "Plantsa de Uling" or vintage flat iron in the old days. It is quite a hassle because you have to put some charcoals inside, control the heat temperature and its heavy to carry but the advantage of it is you save electricity.
BAHAY-KUBO
This is the oldest form of house that Filipinos used to stay in. As I had mentioned that we have a wide garden before, my father builds his own Bahay Kubo as our resting place every time we wanted to relax after planting or harvesting. I can still picture out when I was small I brought the rice and orange juice going to our Bahay-Kubo and watching my parents happily smiling at each other. It kind of painful to me because I missed my mother for 11 years now. It saddens me when the land developer is now planning to build apartments in the said area and for sure the Bahay Kubo will be destroyed. Even though it was my last moment to experience inside the Bahay Kubo but I am happy to know and see how my father exerted efforts on doing something he loves to achieve. What makes it different from the other modern houses, it's the good vibes. You feel more relaxed and fresh. That is why it is common nowadays that some businessman is building these Bahay Kubo and selling at a big price. It is not only of the efforts of the builders but also the kind of materials used in the Bahay Kubo. It is rare to witness in the city but these are mostly seen if you have time to travel in the mountain areas in different provinces.
BAKYA
Bakya photo source : https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/18-monthly-photo-contests/235802-ang-pulang-bakya.html
"Bakya" is made of firm wooden slippers or sandals with leather or rubber on top. I have a great story with this because this reminds me of my grandmother. My friends and cousins were used to wear beautiful shoes and for sure they are expensive. Honestly, I felt jealous in those times because I don't have any one of those. I and my grandmother were used to sweeping the front yard and the rest of the neighborhood. It has been a habit and a routine of my grandmother for cleaning and I am her number one assistant. There was a time, my grandmother decided to bring me with her to the market and she asked me what I like. I told her that, I am always wishing to have a sandal and she bought these pair of bakya. I was the happiest person on that day. I can remember that I just wear it on special occasions such as weddings, birthdays or fiestas. If we are going to compare in the new generation nowadays, for sure they will not find bakya too attractive because of many nicer displayed shoes or sandals at the malls. But for me, it was the best moment in my life with my grandmother. I treasure it and value those bakya. To tell you honestly, whenever you take steps, it creates a sound, and the longer you wear it, the more painful especially if you have sensitive skin because the rubber or leather will create heat on your skin.
BANIG
Banig photo source : https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/414331234474155379/
"Ang paghimo ug banig usa sa mga trabaho na ginabuhat sa mga Pilipino. Ang banig kay usa ka gamit na nagsilbing hapin sa kagabhion sa panahon na kita ganahan na matulog. Naghatag kini ug bugnaw na pamati sa kalawasan ug hapsay na pamati kung ikaw maghigda sa banig. Kasagaran sa mga katigulangan ganahan kaayo mag gamit ug banig hilabi na kung sila anad na kaayo niini."
My grandmother used to place first the banig then put the bed sheets and blankets on top of it. These are still available in the markets and people are continuously buying for it even though they have already the bed foam but it will always come out o their mouth that using banig is still a different feeling to experience. Banigs came out in different colors and designs.
HARANA
Harana photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lulotruiz/2340698228
To experience Harana has been a dream of every Filipina woman because this is the most formal way of showing your love to someone. "Harana" is a traditional courtship to do of Filipino men. For example, there is a man who wanted to court the woman he loves so he must dedicate a special song to that woman and must sing it in front of the woman's house but most women are watching men from their windows. This shows respect not only for the woman but also to the woman's family. By doing this, you simply show how serious and truthful you are to your feelings towards the woman you love the most. But this has been less practiced nowadays because some men can court women by texting, sending letters, video, or in-person but if this will be implemented even in modern times, I think it will be more proper and organize. I salute those men out there who have the courage to do the Harana to our beautiful and deserving Filipina women. If I will be asked, I rather have the harana than taking me out from expensive restaurants or buying things. Because for me, it's not about the place, things or food but it is all about the sincerity, truthfulness, and courage of the man to express his love to the woman.
Women clothing
Image source: https://sepiaera.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/women-in-traditional-dress-early-1900s/
"Tungod sa mga kabaghuan sa panahon karon, daghan na kaayo ug kausaban sa mga pamaagi ang babaye magsul-ot sa ilang mga sanina. Uban nakalimot na sa importansya sa pagsuot sa saktong sanina na ginahimo para lang gyud sa mga babaye. Apan kini masuot lamang sa panahon kung adunay mga selebrasyon or okasyon na mahitabo sa lugar usa na ana kung adunay "Buwan ng Wika". Makita gyud ang tinuod na kagwapa sa usa ka Pilipina kung hapsay ang dagway ug magasuot sa saktong suoton. Diri pod nato mapamatuod and usa ka dalaga na Pilipina na nagpasundayag sa iyang pagka simple. Hinaot sa tanan na bisan kita na impluwensyahan na sa mga kabaghuan, dili gyapon makalimtan asa ta gikan ug unsay nagpakahimo nato karon."
Daghan kaayo ug salamat sa pag-gahin sa imong oras sa pagbasa. Makahibalo gyud ko kung unsa kaanindot mabuhi saunang panahon. Pirme nato timan-an kung adunay mga butang na maghinay hinay na ug kawala dili unta nato pasagdan na mapapas ra nin ana kadali kay kini usa sa mga ginabuhat na saunang panahon sa wala pakita matawo diri sa kalibutan. Ang paghinumdom usa ka aksyon na pagrespetar sa mga kaniadto. Maayong buntag sa tanan hilabi na sa mga Sugbuanon.
Wala na talaga yan. HAHAHA kahit anong ipilit natin social media na ipinalit sa lahat ng mga bagay na mas magandang gawin. 🥲 Pati harana hindi na din nagagawa ng karamihang mga lalaki e. Iba na talaga sa panahon ngayon. While reading this it makes me feel sad because the world was changing to worst.