Death is an important part of life for the Filipinos.

It

has been a part of the lives of the people since time immemorial
and became an interesting theme in the culture of the Filipinos.
It is during this time when people come together to display the
colorful culture of a nation, a culture that is very complex and
a result of the syncresy of multiple cultures forming into a new
one, that,

which we Filipinos are enjoying.

This paper is about the funeral practices and beliefs in

Bitadton, a small town located at the town of Culasi, Antique.
It is an attempt to put together, in one short account, the
funeral practices of the people in Bitadton. The concern of the
study is from the time that a person is dying until the time
that the family of the late person is done with the hukas.
The data used were gathered through personal interview of five
individuals who were born in the 1930s and early 1940s and
lived

in

Bitadton.

It

will

explore

the

continuity

of

folk

beliefs and practices and the transformation of such things into

something that is not new but not completely foreign.
attempt

to

show

the

effects

of

the

introduction

It will
of

new

culture, especially religion, which have permanently etched new

formations in the sculpture that is that of the Filipinos.

The Space that is called Bitadton

Bitadton is a barangay located in the town of Culasi, in
the province of Antique.

It is the last barangay of Culasi to

the North and is separated from the barangay Naba to the South
and Barangay Aguila to the North by rivers. It is a coastal area
but has a fertile farmland.
According to the Historical Data on the Municipality of
Culasi (1953), which was compiled by the teachers in the area
and passed to the Bureau of Public Schools, the barangay was
established in 1787 and was formerly known as Binanwahan but
was

later

changed

in

to

Bitadton,

which

came

from

the

term

Batad, a plant that was abundant in the area. Nothing much but
the occasional epidemic, natural calamities, fires and World War
II was documented about the history of Bitadton.
The Office of Planning and Development in Culasi (2010),
have reported in their Barangay Profile that the population of
Bitadton numbered to 2899 in 2010. These people are Christians
and most are affiliated with the Iglesia Filipina Independiente
Church, others are Roman Catholics and Baptists.
Death in Bitadton
The Panabang is read to a dying person. It is a prayer
which asks for God to let the dying persons soul in to heaven

and for St. Peter to open heavens gate. Also, a priest is asked
to give the dying person the sacrament of anointing of the sick.
Immediately after the death, family members, relatives and
neighbors would congregate at the house of the late person and
help in the preparation for the funeral. Some would clean the
body of the dead; the men would make a coffin and a grave while
the others put up a tent. The women would help in preparing the
house for the haya (funeral wake). Meanwhile, amidst the busy
preparation for the funeral, one member of the family would go
to the church convent to request that the church bells be rung
to announce the death of a person, as well as to secure a
schedule for the funeral mass. The ringing of the church bells
to announce death is called Agunias.
Preparation of the Body for the Funeral Wake and the Burial
After

the

death

of

person

is

confirmed,

the

body

is

cleaned. To have the body embalmed professionally depends on the

family of the dead; however, there was no Funeral Home in Culasi
until the 50s. Because of this, cleaning and preparing the body
for the funeral wake and the burial is undertaken by the family
of the deceased. It is usually done by wiping the whole body
with

alcohol

and

pouring

alcohol

in

the

mouth

of

the

dead

person. This is done to slow down and/or prevent the corpse from
smelling and rotting during the funeral wake.

The corpse is then clothed. The clothes of the departed are

usually

depended

on

the

preference

of

the

dead,

if

not,

is

chosen by the family members. The clothes used are usually the
best garments of the deceased; the males were dressed in Barong
Tagalong and the females in long dress. The apparels are usually
white and/or black.
The body is then placed in a bed enclosed in a mosquito net
or the body is put in a coffin if there was one available and
ready. As there were no funeral homes yet in Culasi, the coffins
are made by the family members, neighbors and others who are
willing to help. It is made of plywood or board and can be
painted or not. The inside of the top of the coffin is usually
line

with

cloth,

in

which

the

names

of

the

family

of

the

deceased and some messages are pinned.

While some are preparing the body and the coffin, others
would

go

to

the

cemetery

and

prepare

the

burial

site.

They

either dig a grave or construct a tomb. The cemetery in Culasi

is located at the town; however, because Bitadton is far town,
the dead are usually buried at the cemetery on the next town
which

is

located

at

Barangay

Bitadton.
Pre-Burial Activities and Beliefs

Aguila,

the

Barangay

next

to

The corpse is not buried right away. It is traditional for

the people of Bitadton, as well as the whole of the Filipinos,
to hold a vigil at least for a day. The people who like to give
their condolences would go to the house of the deceased and
usually

stay

for

some

hours,

even

through

the

night.

The

atmosphere of the vigil, especially during the wake, is festive.

It is during this time that many curious practices and beliefs
are observed.
The Funeral Wake
Funeral wake before the advent of the Funeral Homes did not
last for long. It is usually a 24-hour event, unless, the family
is waiting for some people before the burial. During this time,
people visit to look at the dead for the last time, to help the
bereaved family and to show their sympathies. They go near the
coffin and look at the deceased person and/or to pray.
People usually visit at night, as it was convenient, and
stay

for

most

of

the

night.

And

to

help

these

people

from

getting sleepy and bored, games and other activities were held.
Old people form groups to play card games such as panguinge and
balakyak (black jack); others play instruments, sing songs and
talk about the deceased person. The children lump together and
play games or sports.

Important Items Used in the Funeral Wake

During the whole period of the vigil, a light beside the
coffin should never be extinguished. The light could be a candle
or a lampara (lamp). It is considered to be kado (bad) when
the light is extinguished. It is believed that the light next to
the dead person guides the soul of the dead while travelling
towards heaven. It is therefore, bad for the dead when the light
is extinguished because there will be no light to guide the soul
in his journey and the soul will be lost.
A basin with water is placed under the coffin or altar. The
basin is lidded with a knife and cotton placed above the lid.
This is done to ensure good weather during the course of the
wake.

Because

most

of

the

houses

are

small

and

cannot

accommodate a large number of visitors, a tent is put up outside

the house. This is where most of the people stay for the vigil.
It would be uncomfortable to stay outside under the bad weather;
hence the act is done to prevent bad weathers.
A black handkerchief is usually seen around the head of the
members of the family of the dead. It is donned to show that a
person is in mourning and to prevent the hairs of the mourner
from

being

tousled

as

it

departed to brush their hair.

was

taboo

for

the

family

of

the

The natungdan, a person that never leaves the side of the

coffin or the body during the wake, is always present in funeral
wakes. A natungdan is a close family of the deceased and is
usually undertaken by the mother. He or she sits near the coffin
and

should

never

be

passed

by

the

visitors

(gaduaw).

The

natungdan usually wear a kerchief (or a shawl) in his/her head.

The wearing of black cloth (kerchief, shawl) over the head is
patterned after the Virgin Mary wearing a black shawl over her
head during the black Saturday.
Close members of the deceased also wear a black badge/pin
and clothes associated with mourning, such as black or violet.
In case, that there are no black or violet colored clothes, the
family

can

wear

white

clothes

but

vehemently

prohibits

the

colors red and green.

Taboos in the Funeral Wake
It

is

prohibited

to

cook

and

eat

vegetables

that

have

crawling and trailing vines, such as Camote tops, kangkong. The

prohibition is based on the belief that someone (members of the
family) will die following the deceased member of the family.
Vines crawl and hold on to things that in on its way, it is
believe that death, like the vines, would follow and hold on to
the person until he/she dies.

It is also taboo to sweep the floor with a stick broom

(silhig-kugong) because it is believed that death would fall
over

the

paypay)

whole
after

family.
the

third

It

is

day

alright

of

the

to

wake;

use

broom

however,

(silhigthe

dirt

should not be swept out of the house as it would incur the same
result as sweeping the floor with a broomstick.
There are also a number of foods that is forbidden to cook
or eat during the course of the funeral wake. It is prohibited
to cook dried seafood, shrimp and fish paste and other foods
that are smelly. It is believed that the corpse would become
smelly. They also avoid eating squid because its tentacles look
and act like the crawling and trailing vines; and food with red
colors, such as shrimp, because the color is offensive to the
mourning/somber atmosphere that death has brought about.
There are also certain rules to follow when visiting a
funeral wake. A person who visits the funeral wake (gaduaw) is
advised not when he/she is sick because his/her sickness might
turn for the worse (malimas). Those who have funeral wakes at
their own home should not visit another funeral wake even if the
deceased is a relative.

Pregnant women do not visit funeral

wakes as much as possible because they fear that something might

happen to the unborn child.

It is prohibited to give contributions directly to members

of the family of the deceased. Most of the contributions (limos)
is cash and is drop to the floor near the natungdan.
practice

is

done

because

it

is

believed

that

the

one

This
who

receives the money (limos) will also receive illness and bad
future from the one who gives the money (limos).
Funeral Mass
The Funeral usually takes place after lunch and the dead is
transferred from the house to the church followed by a funeral
procession. Those who participate in the funeral procession are
called gakumpanyar, a bastardized term for the Spanish word
acompaar which means to accompany.
There are three kinds of funeral rites that a family of the
dead can avail: the Misa Requiem which was the longest, the
Ordinary Funeral mass, and the simple sprinkling of Holy Water
to the coffin. The last one is the funeral rite that is availed
by those who cannot afford the first two.
After the mass, another funeral procession takes place from
the church to the cemetery.
Burial Activities
When the funeral procession reach the cemetery, the lid of
the

coffin

will

be

opened

for

another

solemn

prayer

and

sprinkling of Holy Water. After this, the names and messages

pinned in the lid of the coffin are taken out. The lid of the
coffin

was

opened,

not

just

for

the

sprinkling

of

the

Holy

Water, but also to allow the people a last look of the deceased
and for the deceased to see the living before he is buried.
After

short

time,

given

for

prayers

and

crying,

the

coffin is closed to be buried. It can be buried underground,

which is called tunod or it can be placed inside a tomb. If
the coffin is placed inside the tomb, the head should be the
first to get inside the tomb so that the soul can easily get out
and will not have to turn around. After that, the tomb is sealed
and the people who attended the burial leave the cemetery.
Post-Burial Activities
After leaving the cemetery, the people who attended the
burial goes back to the house where the funeral wake is held. A
basin full of water with pomelo leaves is set in the entrance of
the house for the people to rinse their hands. This practice is
done to rinse off bad things and spirits that may follow. The
people are then given snacks.
At night, of the same day, the family and relatives of the
dead would prepare for the activities that they have to do for
the next day. They would ready the things that they need for the

rigos, which literally means taking a bath. They would smear

charcoal and grease to the people in the house to ensure that
they will participate in the activity for the next day.
Rigos
Rigos which means take a bath, is a practice that is
done the day after the burial. The people participating in this
activity would go to a place with moving water, such as the
river and the sea.

The participants would leave the house as

early as possible with the natungdan at the front. If they are

walking, the natungdan should be the first to walk and go out of
the house; if they are riding in transportation, the natungdan
should be seated at the front seat. The natungdan would be
carrying a bagahan, a pot or a can with a burning charcoal
inside, husk of coconut and kamangyan, a native incense. The
natungdan would also be the first to reach the area where they
will bath, or the first to get out of the transportation and
will be the first to bath. The natungdan will be bathed by a
manugbobo, which means the one who pours.

The others can

follow suit and bath in the water. Meanwhile, the manugbobo

would take the bagahan, let it be float away by the water and
make sure that it will be float directly away from where the
people are bathing. The natungdan would, again, be the first
to get out of the water and the first to go back home. After

reaching home, the natungdan would then extinguished the light

that is made sure to be lighted during the course of the funeral
wake.
Panabog
The

panabog,

which

means

driving

away

is

done

at

twilight after the rigos. Members of the family would walk

around the house, one of them is holding a lighted bamboo while
making noise. When they reach the area where they started, the
one holding the bamboo away, if the fire on the bamboo becomes
stronger, they will do it again from the start until the fire no
longer fights back. This practice is done to drive away evil
spirits, by making noises. The fire stooping to fight back is
a sign that they were successful in driving away evil spirits.
Belasyon
Belasyon is a prayer for the soul of the departed done by
someone

who

knows

the

Holy

Rosario.

It

is

done

for

nine

consecutive days. During the tenth day, the family would have a
little feast. There would be food (panagda) to offer to the
spirits

(ancestors)

as

well

as

to

the

(idalmon). The panagda would be buried

underworld

creatures

after . This could be

done for months after until the death anniversary but is not
compulsory.

Hukas
Hukas, which means severe, is a practice observed by
the people of Bitadton to show end of the responsibility of the
family for the soul of the dead. This can be observed months,
even years, after the death anniversary of the deceased. A mass
would be held at the house where the funeral wake is held and a
followed by a feast. It is believed that the hukas, ends the
journey of the soul; it would then be judged as deserving of
heaven or hell.
Conclusion
Death is as colorful as life in the Filipino culture. It is
during this phenomenon that many activities and beliefs, that
are

both

different

native
in

and

foreign,

Bitadton,

are

small

observed.

Christian

It

is

barangay

not

much

that

have

allowed syncresy and transformative continuity to permeate the

culture

that

they

know.

Native

beliefs

merged

with

that

of

Catholic belief which was introduced to us by the Spaniards,

producing a new set of beliefs that is neither fully native nor
foreign. MacDonald (2004) described transformative continuity as
that which is accomplished by using the belief structure within
a

new

framework

or

by

simply

transposing

pre-existing

structure into a new idiom (p.7). This is very evident in the

funeral belief and practices in Bitadton. There, definitely is a

set of native belief structure imbedded in the working framework

that is used in Bitadton like the set of taboos that have took a
religious tone but still retain some of its native background.
The funeral practices and beliefs and Bitadton are not very
unique. Many of the practices and beliefs that are observed in
Bitadton is also observed in other parts of the Philiippines.
Isidro (1978), in her article Death in Baras, recorded many
funeral practices and beliefs in Baras that are similar to what
is practice in Bitadton.

She was able to include in her article

practices like sounding the church bells to announce a death of

a

person,

preparatory

practices,

and

taboos

that

are

also

practiced in Bitadton. However, even though the mechanics of the

practices are somewhat similar, the names of these practices
differ making it uniquely owned by the Bitadton. An example is
the agunias which is the sounding of the church bells is known
as dubla in Baras (Isidro, 2004, p. 2). The belief in the
existence of the soul is also present in other part of the
country. It is generally believe by the Filipinos that a soul of
a person exists, can leave the body and wanders around (Mercado,
1991, p. 2) and is a smoke image of the body (Jocano, 1964,
p.5).
These practices and beliefs, though fun and interesting,
are

slowly

being

forgotten.

Some

of

the

beliefs

that

are

included in this paper no longer have reasons or justifications

as to why they are believe because even the old citizens of
Bitadton do not even know the justification themselves. The most
sad thing, however, is that some of the funeral practices are no
longer observed. One practice that has bothered the elders is
the wearing of black clothes any time. They believe that black
is for mourning and that the people wearing it without regard to
its purpose is like inviting death. Most of the activities in
the funeral wake are also going away from the activities that
are

practiced

in

the

past.

Because

factors, activities that foster

are

left

behind

for

of

technology

belongingness and

activities

that

are

and

other

cooperation

borrowed

from

the

western culture.
It is good thing that some of the funeral practices and
beliefs that were passed through time are still practiced in
Bitadton.

It

would

be

very

good

continuously practiced in the future.

thing

if

these

are

It would help if these

are taught to the new generation that seems to be so fascinated

by

the

ideas

from

the

western

country.

Because

with

the

preservation of these funeral beliefs and practices would make

the culture that we embrace intact.

References:
Bureau of Public Schools (1953). Historical Data on the
Municipality of Culasi Province of Antique.
Office of Planning and Development (2010). Municipal Profile:
Culasi, Antique.
Online Journals
Isidro, M.C. (1978). Death in Baras, Philippine Studies, 26.
Retreived from
http://ojs.philippinestudies.net/index.php/ps/article/viewF
ile/1669/4626
Jocano, F.L. (1964). Notes on Sulod Concept of Death, the Soul,
and the Region of the Dead, Philippine
Studies, 12. Retreived from
http://ojs.philippinestudies.net/index.php/ps/article/downl
oad/2563/5182
MacDonald, C.J-H. (2004). Folk Catholicism and Pre-Spanish
Religions in the Philippines,
Philippine Studies, 52.
Retrieved from
http://www.ojs.philippinestudies.net/index.php/ps/article/d
ownload/956/942
Mercado, L.N. (1991). Soul and Spirit in Filipino Thought,
Philippine Studies, 39. Retrieved from
http://www.ojs.philippinestudies.net/index.php/ps/article/d
ownload/956/942
Schumacher, SJ (1984). Syncretism in Philippine Catholicism Its
Historical Causes, Philippine
Studies, 32. Retrieved
from
http://www.ojs.philippinestudies.net/index.php/ps/article/v
iewFile/3833/4054

Personal Interview
Clemente, Socorro. 81 years old. Bitadton Sur, Culasi, Antique,
December 27, 2013.
Dioso, Adelaida. 75 years old. Bitadton Norte, Culasi, Antique,
December 27, 2013.
Dioso, Gerilito. 67 years old. Bitadton Sur, Culasi, Antique,
December 27, 2013.
Lomugdang, Estrelita. 87 years old. Bitadton Sur, Culasi,
Antique, December 27, 2013.
Orcia, Acay. 81 years old. Bitadton Norte, Culasi, Antique,
December 27, 2013.

Funeral Practices and Beliefs in Bitadton

Bitadton Culasi Antique

Glaiza Ann Alon

University of the Philippines-Visayas