The Meeting Of The Minds

Menchu, my cousin on the Sison side (daughter of Uncle Gening & Auntie Auring), used to teach Chemistry at the UP in Diliman. Here comes Rolex, the son of Uncle Toti & Auntie Rose on the Rosete side, as a student. Rolex would have that wide eyed look - not that he is very enthusiastic with the subject matter; he just inherited that trait (as Erich would say - wow wow wow boteng umiilaw). Fate would have had it for Rolex became a student of Menchu. Eventually, Menchu did inquire from Rolex if he is related to the Rosete side. Admit if you must Rolex - that might be an A without batting an eyelash. I never found out if Menchu learned about the relationship before or after Rolex's grade was issued.

Lolo Eduardo

He was a frequent visitor in our household. No dumateng nga naggapo Burgos ni Apong ket nagado nga papeles iti awit na. He was your traveling executive (via Pantranco). He edited and annotated his papers in his own hand.

Adda sweater na pinirmi nga isuot ta nabi-it nga lam-minnen ni lolo. Agangsab pay no agkaro iti asthma na. He could never wear shoes so he wore his socks with leather slippers. My playmates in Proj.7 will run after him and remind him that he forgot his shoes when they see him down the street.
He called his children with their full names - no nicknames. I used to think how formal & less display of emotion could that be. Manuela was never Manue, Rosario was never Rose nor Consuelo was never Consing. In my household if the full name is uttered then the owner of that name is in trouble. But I learned - that is Lolo's terms of endearment to his children. Won't it sound better if Renato was Rene or Concesa was Connie? There was the silent music to their ears for these children knew otherwise.

Istorya

Nagado iti istorya nga mabalin nga pag-sasaritaan - be it true or just plain story telling a lie. All these stories revolve around characters or situations that left a good mark or otherwise in our own psyche. Maimas ko nga lumagip even if there were times I'd rather not.

Agno is in the midst of a turmoil right now. It is a little town who would want to be. It has its own windmills to slay and numerous Sancho Panzas to carry these out.

I strongly believe that for any undertaking to happen and to succeed, one has got to make difficult choices. One has got to make a stand.

Saan nga mabalin nga agtugaw latta idiay bakod and be a fence sitter ag-uray iti naturay nga Sancho Panza. I keep going back to my fond memories of Agno since it reminds me of a past rich in tradition and family. Agno was able to produce numerous success stories as far as its children are concerned. Saan nga maawanan iti nalalaing be it in technology or the academe. But I keep thinking why the feeling of despair & failure? Could it be the threshold of utmost uselessness has not been crossed yet to eventually accept an alternative instead of maintaining the status quo. This is the beauty of the blog; mabalin iti to think aloud and be mentally vocal (hehehe). If I were still a college student, I will surely be reprimanded by my father. I still remember what he said on my senior year - screw up and not graduate & you're screwed for the rest of your life. Narigat kuna na - awan iti pag-bal-balinam no sa-o ka la nga sa-o. That's the Sison in him.
And I go back to my main idea - amin nga malaglagip tayo ket adda latta iti pinag-bal-balinan - be it for the better or for the worst. What is important is we remember - we remember to learn from them - learn to slay our own windmills just like Sancho Panza.

Damon

Our first pet was a big dog named Damon. He was gifted to us by Uncle Ponsing & Auntie Nieves. They did not have any children; instead they raised dogs like parents would raise kids.

Damon was our toy in Proj.7. He had the "mestiso" look with a brownish black fur. He was the guardian of the household and he ate what we ate. He became a fixture that every kid in the neighborhood knew him. When Papa would be arriving home from work, Damon would have a loud bark to welcome him back.
Erich was so young then and loved to tease Damon. He enjoyed aggravating him until Damon growled.
One time, Erich just will not stop. He kept taunting Damon until our pet just did not have any recourse but to get back. He aimed at Erich and was poised to pounce at him. Papa saw this. I will not elaborate any more what happened after.
Damon was laid to rest right in front of our house. That was the first time I learned to grieve.

Agno High School

The high school building in Agno sits at the heart of Eskina Laud. The ancestral home is just a skip and a hop away. Uncle Mente (Clemente) was once a Principal and a teacher in the school. He used to teach Physics - a course I barely passed when I was at the UP.

My mother told us that Papa was a student of Uncle Mente. Mabalin ngata nga nakaruwar ni papa without sweating a bucket of effort? According to the stories then, indeed papa was a student of Uncle Mente - ngem "there are no ka-kabsat here" kuna na kano. I am sure Uncle Mente meant every word he said. The question was - which will prevail? Papa was the youngest boy - you think tatay will not intercede?
However, I need to give my father due recognition. He was alot smarter than perceived especially in numbers - mathematics, algebra, name it. Nalalaing pay ngem ni Erich iti arithmetic.

Columbus From Badoc, Ilocos Norte

Lola Guillerma was one of the Rosete sisters. She married Atty. Andres Rana and eventually settled at Badoc Ilocos Norte. She was never called by her name then; instead she was COLUMBUS.

Umay umudong nga aggapo Ilocos na addo awit na nga bawang - Ilocos is noted for bawang (garlic). She would travel back and forth from Serrano Laktaw, where Lolo Inocencio lived, and to Proj. 7.
Apay ngata Columbus iti panayod na? I am posting one of her rare pictures together with the picture of Christopher Columbus. You be the judge.



Her curly yet not kinky white hair had a wave similar to Columbus. One trademark of the Rosete women was the natural curl in their hair. Addo iti ma-swerte nga bab-bae nga Rosete ta adda iti kulot ti bu-buok da. Ngem kuna da met, ti kulot ti buok ket nakaro nga suplada - ask my sister she should know.
Lola Guillerma & Lolo Andres had 2 children - Uncle Eddie & Auntie Marilyn.

The House At Abaggattan

This house sat along the main highway. The family of Uncle Ben & Auntie Espie together with my cousins lived in the second floor while a Chinese Ilocano family rented the groundfloor wherein they used half of the space for their living area and the rest as a sari-sari store. I still remember Yolang - the daughter. Marissa and I used to pair her off with Randolph.

Uncle Ben was a dentist and had a small clinic upstairs. He used to clean and fix our teeth during the summer vacations. Remember - there was no electricity then. All of his rementas together with his equipment were manually operated, I should say, foot operated. The speed of the drilling machine would depend on his mood. No makakankanta during the process ket medyo mabagal nga tumaray diay drill. What a slow painful process.
He later on suffered a stroke rendering him paralyzed on one side of his body. I saw him at the PGH Rehabilitation Medicine as a patient - me being his Physical Therapist.

Todos Los Santos

People will trek to the sementeryo over the weekend to remember those who have passed on. Adda da tatay, nanay ken uncle & auntie idiay Agno.

Many of our relatives will be there to clean the pantion, light a candle, say a prayer and socialize with other family members. Funny but relatives would just see each other idiay natayan. My family in Manila will be with Papa at Holy Cross Memorial Park. I will not be there to visit him - instead I will be here where I am to say my prayers. It has been a year and a half since he passed on. I was not there with him and my family on those days.
Instead my brother and my sister together with my sister in law took on the responsibilities of seeing him through and being with mama all the time. I had it so easy. I did not have to handle the difficulties of emotional turmoil. All I did was pack my bags and go home to Manila when I was informed of his passing. Cecil, Erich & Becky took care of the painful details of the funeral arrangements. The flowers were exquisite and the religious were generous with their time to say mass everyday. Our relatives and friends came to condole. After he was laid to rest and all has been said and done, all I did was pack my bags again and come back here where everything was back to normal and nothing has been displaced.

My life just went on as usual. I went back to my chores and routine. Ngem isso da nga nabati idiay, especially Mama, life will never be the same.

I have struggled with these feelings and guilt for a long time. It has never been easy. This blog is a sorry excuse for me to perpetuate the memory. I will never do any justice in the manner of passing on the stories Papa & Mama shared with me. It will never be the same. The local color and inanities of papa will always be missing. All I can do is to pass on these stories. Pass these on maybe not in its entire context but the part that would make us all look back with fondness - dagiti malagip tayo. Do not make these anecdotes fade in time. There has got to be a more productive way for me to deal with my mourning. I'm so sorry to rant. Dios Ti Agngina.

Dios Te Salve

May is the month for Flores De Mayo - Flowers of May. Manila has its SantaCruzan; Agno had its Es El Fruto.

I did not understand what this meant except for its literal translation which is is the fruit in Spanish. There was a short procession from one house where the Virgin Mary image was stationed temporarily to be moved to somebody else's house to stay there for a week (similar to the Block Rosary). The song sung during the procession was the Dios Te Salve Maria. As you go down the tune, there is a part that goes Y vendito es el fruto thus that was where the title came from. There was the usual crowd of Manangs together with the ubbings nga maki-libot. The best part of course was the merienda served for the participants. The Filipino hospitality at its best - kape ken nabang-eg nga pandesal. Mabalinnen kuna da - uray ta naragsak tayo met nga nakilibot. Ay apo - natapok met bassit ta saan pay met nga naispalto dagiti dalan idi. Naka-sinelas nga rubber wen no saka-saka nga magna dagidiay makilibot.

No Duaduaem Pay

I will acquiesce to a request. Adda nagkari na no mabalin ket ikabil ko idtoy iti lyrics ti No Duduaem Pay.



Nasiyat kuma if we can get a translation of this especially for the ilocano-challenged. There will be a lot lost in translation along the way. Ngem, makita no anya nga pintas iti ilocano dialect.

No Duaduaem Pay
Laeng ti pegges ni ayat,
Nalawag la unayen,
Ta ulpit mo ken ranggas....

Ala man biag ko,
Sawem man ti pamuspusak
Tapnon mabalin kan,
Nga lipaten o imnas....

Lipaten kan ton wen,
Ngem adda ak ton diay tanemen,
Ngem no itan saan,
Saan nga mabalinen, ay...

Iddem ta ayat,
Dinak kad pagtuokenen
Yantangay siksika,
Ti innak ay - a - yaten.

Abal-Abal ken Simut-Simot

Natural toys were in abundance during the summers in Burgos. Apong's ancestral home was surrounded with tall trees. There was one specifically, located right across close to the small church.

Abal-abal are beetles that stay up in the trees especially during the summer rainy season. You hear these chirping at night in unison. We would wait for these to fall(since the trees were too sturdy to shake) then we picked these up. Randolph, my other cousin, would have strings handy to tie these critters; when these are ready we spun them around making these "fly". Another toy was the simut-simot. The "gasera" was propped up in the wooden dining table and we waited for the simut-simot to approach the gasera, circle this around and eventually got trapped to burn. How about those lighted bugs we caught and placed in glass bottles? These did light up and the glow got magnified by the darkness surrounding us. Apong Baket (grandmother) was very patient with us. Makaunget no nakaro nga alikuteg ta saan na nga mabalasa dagiti baraha na. Those playing cards would be collectors items now. These look like the tarot cards maybe used by the gypsies to read your future.
Ayan na aya dayti dakkel nga lata ti biscuit ni apong baket? Makasamsaramsam ni Apong Lakay ta iden-net na daytoy idiay kape na. My grandmother never ran out of samsaramsam- be it the kankannen, MySan biscuits or the sarguelas (sineguelas) and lum-boy usually delivered by the agtal-talon. Roll these suckers in salt and enjoy them - nagsugpet no kwa ngem naimas latta.

Don Angel Sison Bridge

The Sison side of my family is very political. Don Angel Sison (Tatay) was once the mayor of the town. Two sons followed suit - Uncle Ponsing (Fulgencio) and Uncle Arning(Arnulfo).

My father was never a mayor - though he was in the thick of things politically. A bridge was constructed during the time of Uncle Arning as mayor which was to connect the commercial part of the town (palengke) to the Sabangan side across the river. This bridge was a big help to the commerciantes for they do not have to row their bancas to bring their goods to town. Instead they can travel by foot or with the assistance of the water buffalo (nuwang) pulling the ulnas laden with merchandise ready to be sold. This structure was named after the Sison Patriarch. Below are two pictures taken at the foot of the bridge. The photos are faded - one can hardly recognize the faces. However, the memories are very vivid. We did not care what good the bridge did for the town. All we were concerned about was it was a SISON bridge.

Tatay Ken Nanay; Lolo and Lola

I have been fortunate to be around my grandparents. That says a lot about my age but so with the memories that these people have passed on to me.

The concept of an extended family has been passed on to our two boys. AJ and James grew up grounded to their roots. Awan itti maurnong mi ta agkaraawid da met nga duwa idiay Pilipinas. Summers would rather be spent with the family at Project 8. Jim & I will be hurting so much in our pocketbooks but the thought that Papa & Mama are having a blast with the boys is good enough for us. I had great summers with my grandparents; I am sure papa and mama felt the same way too.

BRAGGING RIGHTS

I have always been proud of my family and my heritage. Let me share with you a speech written by my mother last Dec. 07. Please click on the image above to peruse through. She will be turning 80 this 05 Nov. yet she remains active physically and mentally. Umapal ak iti laing na makasurat in ilocano iso ngarud nga I try my best to write in ilocano too. She makes me mighty proud - you all should be too - she is a Rosete.

The Eskina Character Associations

My summers in Agno were peppered with character associations. I grew up knowing Quentin the village wine -o will come and get me if I disobey nanay.

He had this swaggered manner of walking especially when he was drunk (was he ever sober). He talked to himself and had the piercing empty look. I would constantly see him idiay sirok where the store was. Our family had one too - Lolo Carlos Fran. Papa called him Lolo Charlie. Agkadwa da maduma-duma nga uminom ken mabartek.
Tiya Ninay Nino, whose husband is Tiyo Iban, made the best bagoong to die for in Laud-Eskina. We became fast friends, especially when i was constantly in Agno during my semestral breaks in college. She would proudly show me her bagoong stored in her burnay idiay balay da. You bet - I would regularly bring home a bottle of this delicacy on my way home. By the way, Tiya Ninay also earned a monicker; Ninay SiokTong ( See-Hok-Tong, a trademark or brand of cheap liquer one can buy idiay laud for a shot).
Lola Itay (Margarita) lived at the Kampo Santo. She was already old and bent when I got to know her. She also had this resting tremors common with the elderly. Yet, she made the best iniruban. I will wait for one of you to describe this delicacy for fear I might not do justice to it. The iniruban is a standard fare served in all gatherings - be it a reunion or luwalo. She never rode the tricycle on her way to town ( it was still non-existent); she walked suong na iti lab-ba nga adda iti iniruban.
Lolo Pedro Enrique is the cousin of Nanay married to Lola Toyang. They have an ancestral home mapan agturong idiay Kampo Santo. No adda iti pabunar, Lolo Pedro would take charge of literally guarding the food (kasanno met ket puro basanica nga napunno iti maduma-duma nga sida). No - you can not wrap some of these to go - he'll make sure awan iti ag-itaray iti sida. Lola Toyang, on the other hand, was also kub-bo then. He had snow white hair up in a bun. She, together with Lola Tasyang, would lead all the prayers during the luwalo. Ayaban da amin nga santo tapno kaka-asyan da kami amin.
Isso da met iti nalaing nga ag-dal-ot no adda iti natayan. I got introduced to the word "ag-dal-ot" very recently. The elderly would cry out loud while reciting the good traits of whoever passed away. The manner of the recitation is totally different. I am not so sure if any of the elderly back home still do this. When we had the wake for my father in Manila, everything was so civilized. Awan iti nag-dal-ot. That could have been the best going away present for Papa.

Lolo Inggo

He used to scare me. His big figure slouched near the dining area one elbow propped to the elevated step to support him. His domain was the dining area. He seemed to be the guard who would have the discretion to let you through.

He has a stubble on his chin. He has a pipe and he constantly slobbered. It was not easy for me to kiss his hand (agmano) for like I said, he scared me. My mother had to carry my brother, Erich, for he too was scared of him. Lolo Inggo had cerebral palsy. " Berto, ayan na iti relo". That was his constant question everytime he saw my father. Papa would willingly oblige and give him either a wristwatch or a lighter. Lolo Inggo can't tell the time but just the same he was happy to have a wristwatch.
His lower legs have atrophied due to disuse. He literally crawled across the room. SInce this was too hard for him, he stayed in one spot. He had to be fed by Lola Amalia. He didnot have the use of his hands for fine motor skills. Everybody was on his beck and call.
As I got used to him, the fear disappeared. Instead I would eagerly anticipate his loud voice to ask for his cigarettes. He whined and complained when not attended to. He can even curse. Maybe it was the commanding tone in his voice that overpowered his helplessness.
His disability did not stop him to put his own stamp of power in that household.

In The Absence Of The Amenities....

Life was simpler then. There were no faucets nor running water. What tatay & nanay have was a big well, right beside the house in Agno, & way back yonder in Burgos.

We're talking of a very deep well- I couldn't even fathom the bottom of it for it was too dark down there. I would usually tiptoe to bend over and holler down - just for it to answer me back with my own voice.
Our drinking water was fetched from this well. There was a bucket tied to a long sturdy string attached to a bamboo pole. Masapol nga guyudin diay tale tapno maibaba dayti pag-ikkan iti danum. Necessity dictates for ingenuity. One need not exert extra effort to lift the bucket back to tierra firma. At the end of the bamboo pole will be weights. These weights will serve as the "pull" to bring the bucket up filled with water.
Drinking water was stored in "burnays" or giant clay pots. There was no need to boil the water. The "burnays" kept the water cool - kasla met laeng ice cold. There was no such thing as bacteria or e-coli. Contaminated water was never heard of.
Outhouses were very common then. To answer the call of nature, one needs to walk out of the house literally and do their "toiletries" in a separate smaller house. Iso ngarud nga adda "orinola" idiay ngato (upstairs) nga mausar no ting-nga iti rabi-i.
It was permissible to "agpukan iti kay-kayo" to be used for fuel to cook food. If wood is not plentiful then the dried husk or the palm of the coconut is the alternative. Pots fashioned out from clay or soft stone (kab-ka-banga) were bought from the mercado to be used as cookwares.
Adda met baso ken plato nga mausar. The plates were not made of corelle; I still remember those aluminum plates together with the aluminum cups for coffee. Eventually, these aluminum plates evolved into plastic plates (the horrors of horrors to do greasy dishes then).
Like I said, life was simpler then.

Burgos

My mother too came from a big family. I also have quite a number of cousins on this side of Pangasinan.

The only difference is, I am the oldest grandchild on the Rosete with 2 or 3 cousins of my age; while the Sison cousins are a lot. Bottom line - PLAYMATES. The ancestral home in Burgos is relatively quiet in comparison to the Eskina abode. Lolo Eduardo & Lola Juliana together with Lolo Inggo & Lola Amalia lived in this house.
What do I remember most? The numerous turkeys that they raise. We would all chase these turkeys & listen to the loud "chuckling " sound they made. Lolo & Lola lived in the amianan part while Auntie Espie, mama's sister, lived in the abagatannen side. It would be a minutes' walk to cousin Marissa's house to be able to play with her.
Edward, my other cousin, would complete the group. the three of us- Marissa, Edward & I would be the best of friends during that summer. Take note though - these two cousins have the looks. Marissa is pretty; she was a beauty queen in her younger days just like her mother. Edward, on the other hand, took after his father - Uncle Teofilo-a handsome man. My lola Juliana had their college graduation pictures hanging in the living room of the ancestral home. I can not compete for space in that matter (chuckle like the turkey).
Lolo Eduardo used to roll his own cigarettes. He had a tin can full of dried tobacco leaves together with loose rolling papers. He would enjoy enhaling the pungent smoke while carrying out an intelligent conversation.
The Rosete family from Burgos was not as big in number compared to the Sisons from Agno. I did have fewer playmates then. But I guess the Manang in me was very much cultivated - being the oldest among the grandchildren. I would like to think that my cousins consider me as a source - the linking pin to keep the spirit alive.

Going Home

I grew up in Manila. However, Papa & Mama both have made it a point to bring us home to both Agno & Burgos.

Eventually, I looked forward to Aprils. This will be the time I will go home for my summer vacation. I remember riding the Pantranco then. The bus was equipped with a humongous opening on each aisle (how can i describe it) for all of the passengers to climb in. There was no need for any airconditioner. Andiyak malagip no nakaro ti tapok idi. The first stop(istasyon) will be Camiling, Tarlac. This place is noted for its tupig (amputang). Papa will cater to our whims for a coca-cola. Mama will insist on healthy food - hardboiled eggs (balon). The driver & the conductor will be taking their merienda while enjoying the blaring sound from the jukebox.
After a couple of announcements - " Dagidiay mapan umisbo ingkayon", the Pantranco rolls on. The towns of Mangatarem, Bugallon and Sual will be passed until we get to Alaminos. Up to now, I associate Alaminos with The longganiza. I still salivate when I recall the smell of these just fried longganizas.

Agno was the last destination of the Pantran. The ancestral home is settled right smack in the heart of Eskina. Idiay sangwatan ti balay kum-millo diay Pantran. No sumungadden, agsitaray dagiti ubbing ta kitaen da no assinno iti dimmateng nga naggapo Manila.
There was no electricity then so the lighting was thru Petromax & those bottles filled with gas with wicks at the end. There was no cold storage to store food. Leftovers were placed by nanay, my grandmother, in a wooden cabinet to be consumed on the next meal. I still remember how she called sugar - ripinado.
My father had eight brothers and a sister. We had a big extended family. Our reunions were always something to look forward to. These were usually held at Uncle Arning's - idiay igid ti ilog. Saan ko unay nga malagip no anya iti sagana. I was always busy playing with my cousins.

Mabuhay & Hello

I have started this blog to serve as a linking pin to our families the Rosete - Sison from Agno and Burgos Pangasinan. Let this be our common platform readable by everyone. We are all open to comment, reminisce and argue. I have always wanted a "periodico" where all of us can update each other. Pseudonyms are alright. We can eventually introduce to the younger set their roots - and hopefully they do appreciate it.
Best -