Culture on Death
DONGLASI is an individual or choral singing done at the wake of the dead usually by the old folks. Its lyrics should compose a story and wishes of good fortunes for the family of the dead.
BAYAO is somewhat similar to donglasi but performed by an individual.
In our culture, burials are to be taken on the 3rd, 5th 7th.... day since the death of the person.
Youth's Role - serve coffee and and biscuits mostly during the night time. While its not yet time for snacks they do some choral singing thus enlightening the mood of the night and easing the sorrows of the relative and friends of the dead.
Culture on Weddings
At the olden timeswedding is done thru a BAYASand by the virtue of the Pangamaen or the Barangay Captain. Pangamaen will bless the husband and wife as a couple.
Daing and Liwliwa are the common trends usually done for the ceremony.; It is again done through singing but accompanied with dancing this time. Lyrics is composed of advices and wishing of good lucks to the newly wed couple. Daing is done by ladies while liwliwa is for men.
Tawid or inheritance in terms of rice fields, lum-a or gusi will be given on the 3rd day after the wedding.
This modern time, wedding are iniated by priest, municipal mayor or a preciding judge.
NOTE: DADAY-is an almost forgotten tradition. It is done by cursing and mildly hurting a foreign (or a woman from other places, outside our baranggay) fiance of a gentleman from Bila. If the man brings home his fiance several ladies from the place will visit her to perform the Daday. If the lady surpasses the test then she can marry her man else she has to go back to her home and leave her man alone. It's like ladies power, fighting for the man you love duh. Nowadays students from elementary or high school often performs daday during special occassions, baranggay fiesta mostly. I hope you can watch one.
Courtship
Courtship is mainly done is a house called dad-at, it is where several ladies, mostly are friends, gather and sleep during the night. Man can go and visit the lady he wanted there.; If someone among the ladies like the man they will let him in and let him enjoy some time with them (they just play and tell stories, not the kind your thinking) else they will throw a bucket of water to the poor(mostly ugly maybe) man.
NOTE: dad-at is a place where ladies sleep during the night and ATO for men.
If they guy should announce their engagement, he must first serve (mostly chopping some woods, fetching water and helping in the field) for the family of his girl friend for a couple of tie before she can marry the girl.
Sickness
Sipsip-ok is a kind of ritual to determine the cause and cure of a certain ailment of sickness. An alternative medicinal practice administered by a local medecine man/womann (lola wakwakingan for Bila)
Buyag is a chanted prayer for curing the sick, pleasing kabunyan, and prayer over food and drinks. For our generation, the tibtibi we do before we start a drinking spree usually lead by the oldest in the group of someone who knows how to do the buyag in order to avoid severe drunkenness and hang overs.
- a place for making a traditional woven shelter (biki)for chicken and other birds. Biki is very convenient to use, handy, durable and is loved by old folks. Bikiry in Bila is Located at Dawey's Place, Gawaan. For a practical gifts for your grannies this Christmas why not order BIKI to Mr. Dawey at 09106019769
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