Yami’s File: Undas Traditions

Host: Hello everyone! As you all know, Pehpot is due with her (gasp!) fourth baby, so she asked me to be here and give you some entertainment, er, some worthwhile articles (oh she asked me to write on her blog!)

Host: So guys, I think we better name this portion as Blogging Today. The hottest talk show in blogniverse. You will be seeing a lot of me every Mondays and Wednesdays (that’s our day slot). We will be having guest bloggers (and most of them are her kumares) and so I hope you will continue to support the show even if Pehpot is not here.

This week we are focused on the traditions that comes with one of the most celebrated or respected occasion in our country, All Saint’s Day or to us Filipinos, UNDAS.

Our guest blogger for today (you would not believe) is a former media personality. She used to write in a tabloid but now is a full time mom but still sneaks on writing for cause. Let’s all welcome, YAMI from Mom Writes For A Cause!!!

Yami: (wish she had brought her kids along.. ) shy smile..

Host: I would love to ask you how you met Pehpot and how you were able to grow your friendship over the net but I guess there is a better place for that kind of chit chat (maybe later..) so now, tell me, how does it feels to be one of the guest here in Blogging Today?

Yami: Blogging Today? ah so that is the title of this guest blogger thing of my kumare. I am thankful to my Mareng Pehpot for inviting me as a guest blogger here today. It feels good to be given such an opportunity by a seasoned blogger like her. Thank you.

Host: So Yami, tell us about your UNDAS traditions. Do you still went to the cemetery to light up some candles and bring flowers to your departed love ones?

Yami: I grew up in the Catholic tradition of visiting the cemetery every Nov. 1. We would brave the crowd just to bring flowers and candles for our departed loved ones. The occasion itself serves as family reunion to us. And the ‘reunion’ would not be complete without the sumptuous “sinigang’ or ‘nilagang baboy’ served for lunch. In the afternoon, my mother would cook ‘kakanin’ usually ‘biko’ for our snack before we head to the cemetery.

Host: Sinigang? That sounds unusual to me. It was the first time I heard such during UNDAS, but I am pretty sure it was such a fun ” reunion”.

Yami: Yes it was but now we no longer practiced the tradition in recent years. It’s because there were no tombs to visit anymore. The area where once the cemetery stood for decades is now the haven of a big commercial establishment. My uncle failed to recover what was left of the remains of my grandparents. Oddly enough, the commercial area is reportedly haunted by ghosts.

My uncle was able to secure a ceremonial place for my lolo and lola at the next town’s cemetery.

So for many years, my family has been celebrating All Soul’s Day at home. I would light a candle beside the picture of my lola (sorry I have no picture of my Lolo to show you) and say a little prayer for them. My kids grew up seeing my simple way of remembering the life of their great grandparents. I hope they would do the same when they are older. I also light some candles outside our door, another common practice of those who practice the faith. It is said to guide the path of the spirits in another life.

The most common practice that my kids love during UNDAS is the sharing of ghost stories specially local legends like manananngal or aswang..

Host: (sits uncomfortably) Oh well, as much as I want to talk about ghosts and all, our time is up..In behalf of pehpot, I would like to thank you Yami for sharing with your UNDAS traditions.

To know more about Yami, head on to her site: Mom Writes For A Cause and Yami’s File. Again, thank you so much Yami and hope to hear more from you, see you again on Wednesday for our next episode of Blogging Today.