Modernization takes their place nowadays when it comes to marriage customs and old practices. Today wedding is seems to be elegant, unique and expensive. Way back in the pre-colonial times, ancient Filipinos were living in scattered barangays and
ruled by different chieftains. Although they were living separately, they were
similar in many ways. Their religion, dress codes, houses, system of government
and either marriage practices and economic activities. To make the long story
shorts, they were refined and civilized. In the ancient times the traditions and customs was really rich specially in wedding.
Let's look back and see how rich and colorful their traditionwhen it comes to Wedding.
How to perform Courtship and Wedding Arrangement?
• Courtship usually begins with harana and paninilbihan
• Pamamanhikan is asking permission to wed the affianced pair at the same time seeking for the blessings before they get married.
• Together with Bigay-Kaya and Panghihimuyat, Himaraw is another payment payable in gold or in land. The himaraw was a compensation for the mother for all the sleepless night lost while the bride was an infant. Including the bride’s wet nurse received a share of dowry; it was called “bigay-suso”.
• If the boy's family does not meet the requirements of dowry system, a paninilbihan (pangagad), or servitude may be resorted to. Pangagad involves the serving of the boy in the household of the girl doing chores like chopping firewood, fetching water, helping in the farm, doing house repairs, etc. This usually lasts for months or even a year.
• After all the process of dowry or
paninilbihan, or the combination of the two, the contracting parties now decide
on the appropriate date and place, the officiating person, and the witnesses.
The preferred months for weddings before the coming of the colonial powers were
those during or after harvest, that is, September to December. As to the
appropriate day, any day except Tuesdays and Fridays was agreeable in
pre-colonial times. Tuesdays and Fridays were/are believed to be the days when
evil spirits would be roaming around to harm people. With the advent of
Christianity, Saturdays and Sundays became the preference.
• As to the officiating person, the most preferred in pre-colonial and colonial tomes was the babaylan (an indigenous Filipino religious leader, who functions as a healer,a shaman,a seer and a community "miracle-worker" ) because of the belief in his supernatural abilities and his dominant position in the community. In the absence of the babaylan who may also be the datu, a respected elderly may be asked to officiate. The witnesses, on the other hand, were usually the elder members of the family and of the community.
Who among the Filipino's practiced the traditions?
This was practiced in Western Visayas and IloIlo.
What are the reasons of the changes behind wedding traditions?
Wedding tradition doesn't really stop, but the changes start when Advent of Catholicism, Spaniards and Americans come in the Philippines. Superstitious beliefs regarding marriage was adapted in the later centuries.
What are some changes that takes place today in Courtship or in Marriage?
• May, as a favorite month of wedding was an influence of Spanish occupation being the time when Flores de Mayo, Santacruzan and Fiestas take center Stage. June, on the other hand, is an enduring American influence.
• Some couples prefer to simply lived together without ceremony or state license.
• Love and courtship before was done through pamamanhikan and harana but now love and courtship is done through texts, chats and emails.
• Today, many couples meet, find themselves attracted to each other, decide to date exclusively, engage in sexual activity, decide to form a permanent relationship, move in together. Perhaps marry.
• In vast majority of cases, the couples are of opposite genders. However, a small but growing percentage of couples who wish to marry are of the same gender.
When did the tradition and customs stop? Are the traditions still practiced today?
Due to colonization, modernization and globalization, Filipino Culture has gone through transformation, in the far-flung areas of Panay, many of these traditional marriage beliefs are still being practiced and survived.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources:
• Tessie T. Sagadraca
http://www.slideshare.net/babaylan1111/philippine-history-part-i
• Henry F. Funtecha
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2006/06/16/ilonggo.traditional.courtship.and.wedding.rites.1.html
• Phil Star
http://www.philstar.com/inbox-world/439964/how-would-you-compare-love-and-courtship-philippines-then-and-now
• B.A. Robinson
Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
• Wikipedia
for defining unusual words.
Research for Philippine History, Government and Constitution.
• Miss Thelma Villaflores
Let's look back and see how rich and colorful their traditionwhen it comes to Wedding.
How to perform Courtship and Wedding Arrangement?
• Courtship usually begins with harana and paninilbihan
 |
| Pamamanhikan |
• Pamamanhikan is asking permission to wed the affianced pair at the same time seeking for the blessings before they get married.
• Together with Bigay-Kaya and Panghihimuyat, Himaraw is another payment payable in gold or in land. The himaraw was a compensation for the mother for all the sleepless night lost while the bride was an infant. Including the bride’s wet nurse received a share of dowry; it was called “bigay-suso”.
 |
| Dowry can range from carabao, piece of lands, jewelries, cash, brass gongs etc. |
• If the boy's family does not meet the requirements of dowry system, a paninilbihan (pangagad), or servitude may be resorted to. Pangagad involves the serving of the boy in the household of the girl doing chores like chopping firewood, fetching water, helping in the farm, doing house repairs, etc. This usually lasts for months or even a year.
 |
| After courtship and pre-wedding traditions. Everything will be set for the last step. The Wedding o Kasal. |
 |
| Babaylan lead the wedding of two contracting parties. |
• As to the officiating person, the most preferred in pre-colonial and colonial tomes was the babaylan (an indigenous Filipino religious leader, who functions as a healer,a shaman,a seer and a community "miracle-worker" ) because of the belief in his supernatural abilities and his dominant position in the community. In the absence of the babaylan who may also be the datu, a respected elderly may be asked to officiate. The witnesses, on the other hand, were usually the elder members of the family and of the community.
Who among the Filipino's practiced the traditions?
This was practiced in Western Visayas and IloIlo.
What are the reasons of the changes behind wedding traditions?
Wedding tradition doesn't really stop, but the changes start when Advent of Catholicism, Spaniards and Americans come in the Philippines. Superstitious beliefs regarding marriage was adapted in the later centuries.
What are some changes that takes place today in Courtship or in Marriage?
• May, as a favorite month of wedding was an influence of Spanish occupation being the time when Flores de Mayo, Santacruzan and Fiestas take center Stage. June, on the other hand, is an enduring American influence.
• Some couples prefer to simply lived together without ceremony or state license.
• Love and courtship before was done through pamamanhikan and harana but now love and courtship is done through texts, chats and emails.
• Today, many couples meet, find themselves attracted to each other, decide to date exclusively, engage in sexual activity, decide to form a permanent relationship, move in together. Perhaps marry.
• In vast majority of cases, the couples are of opposite genders. However, a small but growing percentage of couples who wish to marry are of the same gender.
When did the tradition and customs stop? Are the traditions still practiced today?
Due to colonization, modernization and globalization, Filipino Culture has gone through transformation, in the far-flung areas of Panay, many of these traditional marriage beliefs are still being practiced and survived.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources:
• Tessie T. Sagadraca
http://www.slideshare.net/babaylan1111/philippine-history-part-i
• Henry F. Funtecha
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2006/06/16/ilonggo.traditional.courtship.and.wedding.rites.1.html
• Phil Star
http://www.philstar.com/inbox-world/439964/how-would-you-compare-love-and-courtship-philippines-then-and-now
• B.A. Robinson
Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
• Wikipedia
for defining unusual words.
Research for Philippine History, Government and Constitution.
• Miss Thelma Villaflores
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