Marital Practices in Visayas

In Partial Fulfillment of Second Quarter

Health III

Submitted by:
Acut, Warrien Jeff C.
CLarido, Ryce John S.
Comaling Pauline Mae N.
Datu, Sittie Aynah D.
De Pedro, Anne Catherine A.
Ellezo, Ethan Jed Y.
Lao, Ali Hussein S.
Lucman, Sanjeda S.
Olino, Shan Kemp J.
Soco, Stephen Ray E.

Submitted to:
Ms. Annalisa G. Mortola
Health 3 Teacher

Submitted on:
October 30, 2019

1
 Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . 3
Sugbuhanons . . . . . . 4
Leytenos . . . . . . 5
Warays . . . . . . 6
Karay-a . . . . . . 7
Ilocanos . . . . . . 8
Summary . . . . . . 9
References . . . . . . 10

2
 Introduction

The Visayas, among the 3 islands in the Philippines, is the smallest.

There are many tribes that inhabit this island, mainly the Sugbuhanons,
Leytenos, Warays, Karay-a, Ilocanos, and many other tribes. This paper
aims to provide information regarding the different marital practices of
each tribe.

3
Sugbuhanons

When courting, the Cebuanos also resort to serenading, which is

known locally as balak. They also write love letters that are sent via a
trusted friend or a relative of the courted woman.
Presents are not only given to the woman being courted, but also to
her relatives. Similar to the practice in the Pangasinan region, as
mentioned above, the Cebuanos also use love potions to win the
affection of the Filipino woman.

4
Leyteños

They perform the pangagad or paninilbihan or "servitude", instead

of paying a form of dowry during the courtship period. In this form of
courting, the Filipino suitor accomplishes household and farm chores
for the family of the Filipino woman. The service normally lasts for
approximately a year before the man and woman can get married.

The Tagalogs of Luzon also refers to this courtship custom as

paninilbihan meaning "being of service” but is also referred to as
subok meaning a trial or test period for the serving suitor. The
Bicolanos of Luzon’s Bicol region call this custom as the pamianan.
5
 Warays

In Samar, customs continue to cling on like vines to age-old beliefs

with stubborn tenacity. They refuse to die. Nowhere is this more evident
than in their courtship and marriage practices. Semi-primitive customs are
still fashionable there. Modernism seems unable to contain them.
Courtship may take the form of Pakighiruhimangraw or teasing or
flirting. Pakipagharampang is the broaching of a marriage proposal; this
is their version of the Pamanhikan of the Tagalogs or the Tampa of the
Ilocanos. Which means that a Parayakan, or an emissary is sent to propose
a wedding match.
6
Karay-a

Among the Panay Bukidnon, courtship began with the pangagad,

which was a year-long period of service rendered by the suitor to his
prospective parents-in-law. This was followed by the patalanha/sikreto,
when the suitor, without the woman’s knowledge, met with her parents to
express his intentions. Presently, these first two steps of traditional
courtship are omitted, and customs leading toward marriage begin with
the modern courtship. After the woman accepts her suitor’s marriage
proposal, he and his family meet with her family for the pabagti, in which
he makes his intentions known to them. The discussion includes the
dowry, or brideprice, which may consist of heirlooms and farm animals.
When the couple’s families are satisfied with the terms discussed, the
suitor presents a tu-os ‘token gift of agreement’ to the woman’s parents,
and another day for the pahimpit is set.

7
 This is a discussion in greater detail regarding the dowry,
the hungaw ‘wedding’, and the punsyon ‘feast’. Before the wedding
itself, the groom is subjected to the bayaw-biit, a game in which he must
identify his bride-to-be from among seven women, each covered by a
cloth. Having passed the test, the groom is introduced to the community.
He distributes the bi-it ‘tokens’ to his in-laws, such as a sanduko ‘dagger’
to a sibling; a biningkit ‘necklace’, saipang ‘blouse’,
and patadyong ‘barrel skirt’ to the mother; and the dapay, ‘bedsheet with
a bird design’, for the bride’s amang ‘grandfather’.

On the day of the hungaw, the manughusay reviews the provisions

of the tu-os to ensure that these have been complied with. The punsyon
begins with the wedding couple and both sets of parents sitting gina-
itib ‘facing each other’ and engaging in the pangasi, when they alternately
sip rice wine. This is done with a tayok ‘ladle’, which is used to scoop the
wine from a sibulan ‘jar’. The amang sings the ambahan, a song in praise
of the newlyweds. The ala-salud follows, in which the guests place money
in a bamboo tube as a collective gift to the couple. The musicians give the
cue for the binanog dance, and the couple’s parents dance with each
other’s spouse. Before leaving their daughter to her husband’s care, the
bride’s parents recite the pamilinbinlin ‘counsel’.

However, a simpler option for the suitor who wishes to begin

married life without the punsyon is the pabayaw, in which he publicly
expresses his intentions to the community, and he proffers a pig to his
prospective in-laws.

Polygyny is practiced on the condition that the man can afford to

support his wives. All the wives may live under the same roof, or a wife
may also choose to live independently. Either way, the first wife’s
consent is a prerequisite. In a polygynous household, wives may acquire
nicknames as determined by their personality, behavior, or relationship to
one another. In an actual household in Barangay Nayawan, Tapaz, Capiz,
the wives have the following nicknames: Baw-as ‘cannot bear children’,
the first wife; Duri ‘industrious’; Saling, also called Sablayan ‘flawed’,
8
who became mentally ill; Lugpian ‘cannot be defeated’, who will not be
subservient to anyone; Francing, the friendly wife; Budak, the stout and
heavy one; Punay ‘a small bird’, the petite one; and Simplicia, the simple
one. Their husband is named Alyawan, as befits his charming and flighty
nature. The children call their stepmothers iti. Custom law allows divorce
for infidelity, cruelty, childlessness, desertion of the conjugal home, or
wife stealing.

9
Ilocanos

Courtship begins with a series of casual conversations and visits to

the girl's home where the boy gets to know the girl and her family. Long
courtships are expected to give both parties a chance to be sure about their
own feelings for each other. 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.

10
 The relationship, once formalized, is carried out with utmost
discretion. The girl is expected to remain modest and chaste. 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.

Panagasawa or marriage to the Ilocano is but a reaffirmation of the

man and woman's gasat (fate). It is considered a sacred partnership which
lasts until the death of either partner.

Once the couple decide to marry, the boy informs the girl's parents
about their plans. This announcement is known as
the panagpudno. Approval is sought from the boy's parents since they
usually spend for the wedding and provide for the dowry. When both
families agree, the date of the wedding is set either by consulting
the planetano (an almanac which lists all good or bad days for all
activities), or by communicating through the billeta, a letter sent from the
boy to the girl by a messenger. The response is also sent through the same
messenger.

It is during the palalian, a meeting between both families held in the

girl's home, that the sab-ong, the sagut, the parawad and the other details
of the wedding are discussed. The purpose of the sab-ong (dowry) is to
provide the couple with something to start their married life. It may
consist of a piece of land or enough money to buy some land. The sagut is
the amount of money needed for the bridal trousseau. Borrowing a
wedding gown is taboo for the Ilocano. It is regarded as a grave insult to
the families of the betrothed. The sagut provided the basis for the Ilocano
boast that "the Ilocano groom always dresses his bride from head to foot."
The parawad is given by the groom to the bride's mother as a token of
appreciation for properly bringing up her daughter. The sab-ong is
presented during the albasya, a long, elaborate ceremony held the day
before the wedding.

11
 It is a taboo for a bride to fit in the bridal gown before the wedding
because this brings bad luck or misfortune to the couple. It is also taboo
for the bride and bridegroom to ride in the same vehicle in going to church
for the wedding because this portends bad luck. Care must be taken by the
groom when giving the aras (several one peso coins) to the bride during
the wedding ceremony. The dropping of even only one coin brings bad
luck. Only one matchstick should be used to light the candle of the groom
and bride. Those candle burns faster is believed to die ahead. The veil
sponsors should pin the veil very well, for there is a belief that a veil that
falls augurs an unsuccessful married life.

On the sinadag (eve of the wedding), another ceremony, the saka, is

held. In the saka, either at the boy's house or at the convent, the couple are
ritually introduced to their sponsors and prospective in-laws. The
highlight of the ceremony is the couple's public declaration of love for
each other.

As a rule, all Ilocano weddings must be held in church. After the

ceremony, all proceed to the groom's residence for
the padaya. The padaya is a lavish wedding feast which also serves as an
occasion for the renewal of family ties and loyalties. This practice
enhances community life with the involvement of the neighbors in all the
preparations. The reception is a ritual in itself as all participants observe
a certain decorum that clearly illustrates the Ilocano respect for tradition.

After the wedding ceremony, when the bride and bridegroom arrive
at the latter's house, an old maid waiting at the foot of the stair’s hands
them lighted candles. Care should be taken to have these candles lighted
when being carried to the altar inside the house otherwise, one of the
couple will die young. The parents of the newlyweds secretly advice their
respective son or daughter to go up the stairs ahead of the other. Reaching
the topflight first symbolized authority in the family. Groom is beaten in
this race, he becomes ander di saya ("henpecked).

The last ritual for the day is the mangik-ikamen in which an old man
and an old woman present the dal-lot (wedding song). The theme of
12
the dal-lot is the ups and downs as well as the do's and don’ts of married
life.

A day after the wedding, three rites are held. These are the atang, an
offering given to the spirits of the departed kinsmen
and posing and mangatogangan whereby the groom turns over his
personal belongings to the bride.

13
 Summary
As an overview for the cultures about dating, courtship, and marriage in Visayan
tribes in the Visayas island group of the Philippines, each of the tribes possess their
own unique traditions relating to love and marriage. The Philippines as an
archipelago has a diverse culture from Luzon to Mindanao, and the Visayas island
group is one of those regions that contain a diversified culture and tradition. In the
five Visayan tribes stated and described in this report, we observed many different
and distinctive ways on how they tackle with dating, courtship, and marriage. Since
they settle in the same island group, they may have similar aspects as well as
differences in their culture and tradition.

In the Waray tribe, courtship takes the form of flirting or teasing with your partner,
while in the Ilocano tribe, courtship begins with casual conversations where the boy
visits the girl's home and gets to know the girl and her family. Differences aside,
there are also similar traditions between these tribes and one example is that both the
Cebuano tribe and the Ilocano tribe practice the “harana” or serenade as a way of
expressing love and affection to another person. Same for the Leyteño tribe and the
Karay-a tribe who both practice “pangangagad” or service for the girl and her family
for a specific amount of time. There are plenty of examples and there are a lot of
different culture and traditions from many different tribes of the three island groups
that makes the Philippines what it is, and the dating, courtship, and marriage
traditions are just one of the characteristics that our country has.

14
 References

Clark, J. (2011). Death Beliefs and Practices Among the Sulod of Central Panay. Retrieved from
https://www.aswangproject.com/death-beliefs-and-practices-among-the-sulod-of-central-panay/.

Ilocano Folk Beliefs. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Folk_Beliefs/ilocano_folk_beliefs.htm

Courtship in the Philippines. (2019, September 22). Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtship_in_the_Philippines.

Filipino Dating Culture: How Dating is Done in the Philippines. (2019, October 30). Retrieved
from https://www.trulyfilipina.com/blog/filipino-dating-culture/.

Love, Courtship in Filipino Culture. (2002, February 14). Retrieved from

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/love.htm.

15