Local Conceptions of Time, Space, and Weather Based on Native Meteorological Terms

Local Conceptions of Time and Space Based on Native Meteorological Terms

Pangasinan conceptions of time and weather can be easily gleaned from local meteorological terms which are often peculiar to the culture. The striking thing about it, it must be noted, is the variety of terms and resultant nuances in meaning, yet another indication of advanced, sophisticated language.

Time of Day

Old Pangasinan had the following generalized terms to indicate the time of day: Onbubutay lay agew means the sun is coming out, meaning sunrise. Onleletak lay agew also means the sun is cracking or breaking, meaning sunrise as well. Kaogogtoay agew is the exact midday. Alegsay lay agew is past midday. Pegtaw is half of the day. Kaligsay na agew is about 1:00 pm.

Palbangon is a Pangasinan term used to refer to morning twilight or madaling-araw in Tagalog. It is common for the people of Bayambang to prepare for farm work during this time. They need to wake up at this time if they are going to irrigate the field or if they are going to harvest rice or corn. Those with farm animals such as cows, goats and carabaos also wake up early in the morning (kabuwasan) to put them out to pasture and feed them before the sun comes out. Dennis Flores of Brgy. San Vicente recalls how his parents would upbraid them this way when they were young farm hands: "Ay bangon kila, tinmerak la'y saklor na duweg!", a local expression that is equivalent to "Hoy, gising na, mataas na ang araw!" ("Wake up, it's already high noon!") Literally, the expression means "the carabao's horn has crushed."

Kakaugtoan or kakkaktangan (synonyms: kakaogtoan, kaptangan, kapetangan, kapkaptangan, kaug-ugtuan, ugto'y agew, ugtiagew, utiagew) is a Pangasinan term for “tanghaling tapat” or midday or may refer to such a hot and humid situation, which can roughly be between 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. It is believed by some Bayambangueños, such as Mrs. Delia Ferrer, that this is the time when stray spirits and elements that cannot be seen are present everywhere. There is also a belief that their power is stronger at such a time. Parents thus prohibit their children from going out of the house so they would not be harmed by these elements.

Atagey agew is the term used to describe late morning in Pangasinan. Mr. Pacaambung Bagalong narrates that when she was young, her mother would often yell at her, "Bangon ka la, atagey agew la!" every time she woke up late in the morning and could not do the work that should have been done before sunrise. Elders always warn the young ones not to wake up late or let the sun rise long after one wakes up because it can cause body pain and will make one gloomy or inactive. Also, anybody who wakes up late and couldn’t do his or her assigned task early in the morning will be called “batugan” or idler.

Mansirunget is a Pangasinan term used to refer to evening twilight or takipsilim in Filipino, when the sun is below the horizon. The sky and surroundings turn orange due to the sunset. Joey Ferrer recalls that, in the 1950s at least, mansironget is also referred to as “mansisinggawan lamet so agew tan labi,” meaning "day and night are snatching each other again."

In the olden days (from the Spanish period), all family members had to go home because it was time for "orasyon" or evening prayer. The elders also instructed the children to stop playing outside because so many evil spirits came out at this time. Clarita Ferrer Tagab specifically recalls that, at exactly 6:00 PM, the siren went off or the church bell pealed to signal the time to pray the orasyon -- 3 Hail Marys and the standard Catholic angelus prayer. "Wherever we were, we stopped, faced the church, then prayed that prayer." Even people walking in the streets stopped reverentially and made the sign of the cross and silently mouthed the angelus together with the rest of the populace who were similarly looked frozen in movement. "Or we were supposed to be home and pray the oracion together as a family."

Pegley-labi is a Pangasinan term used to refer to midnight.

 Dawn or palbangon is either aralem (deep) or atapew (shallow). Manliwawa refers to the time when light starts to manifest. 

 

Additionally, according to the reference book, “Pangasinan Pinablin Dalin (2015) by the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission,” old Pangasinan folks told time by means of natural ‘clocks.’ The coming of dawn, daybreak, or new day is indicated by the following:
 

-    The gradual waning of mabitewen ya labi or a star-studded night.
-    Stars that criss-cross each other vertically in the sky.
-    Appearance of kaganyon, stars formed like the upright position of the index finger and the horizontal position of the stars.
-    The gradual fading away of the ariwaras, the highway-like formation at night time.
-    The fading of the boat-shaped formation of stars northward.
-    The third crowing of the rooster: 4:00 a.m.
-    The flowers of the patola open at four o’clock in the morning.
-    Appearance of the bagak or kabuntatalak, the morning star.
-    When the timbangan stars a slanted position and the Eastern star is higher than the other, it signals that morning has come.
 

Afternoon
-    The mimosa, andibaeng, and the lobao-lobao close their leaves in the afternoon.
-    The four o’clock plant (Mirabilis jalopa) opens its flower at the same time in the afternoon.
 

Night
-    First crowing of the rooster at night: 10:00 p.m.
 

Midnight
-    Second crowing of the rooster: 12:00 midnight.
-    Appearance of two stars in a lineal horizontal position (timbangan): midnight.
 

 

Months

In the 1950s, the following nomenclature came out apparently in an attempt to create a Pangasinan-language calendar.

Kailuam - January

Karasig - February

Karamay - March

Kaptangan - April

Talabit - May

Lislis - June

Pawikpawik - July

Mamawal - August

Biskeg - September

Dita - October

Pakayari - November

Oyamo - December

Seasons

There are only two seasons in the Philippines, of course -- hot/dry and rainy/wet seasons -- but this fact has not deterred Pangasinans from developing other specific terms pertaining to the climate and the weather. Ambetel a panaon is cold season (November to February), panaoy sibila-o is wet season (June to October), amagan panaon or tiagew is drought or dry spell (March to May), ampetang a panaon is summer or hot season (March to May).

Rainy weather

Words for rain are strikingly numerous. Nepnep is the term used by Bayambangueños to refer to the rainy season, when rain is often seemingly non-stop. This phenomenon of long, continuous rain -- often at an extended period that tests one's patience and fortitude -- usually happens during the first semester of the school year, so students would often carry an umbrella or raincoat with them.

According to Mrs. Felicita Dinong, when she was young, children were often like prisoners who had escaped from their cell because they enjoyed this time for they were free to bathe under the rain with their playmates. Unfortunately, cough and cold are also very common during this season.

On the other hand, this is the usual time that farmers await as a signal to plant rice and other crops in the field. It saves them a lot of money because they no longer have to run out of water for irrigation.

Uran or rain per se is associated with the adjectives maksil (strong) or makapoy (weak), and there are specific terms according to intensity: maya-maya (drizzle), tayaketek (light rain), or alimbusabos (tornado), uran a libog-libog (particularly heavy rain), beye-beye ("nonstop heavy downpour"), binak-binak ("raining cats and dogs"), and siyam-siyam (seemingly endless rain).

Other terms for nepnep (rainy season) are nepnep na duweg or uran na duweg (literally, ulan ng kalabaw or carabao rain, meaning strong, nonstop rain) and uran ya benger (literally, ulan na matigas ang ulo or hard-headed rain, meaning rain that is not that strong but doesn't seem to stop).

Aloboob is a typhoon that brings torrential rain.

Dalapa is that "rare weather phenomenon in which it rains while the sun is shining."

 

Tagitak is sudden rain or downpour.

Cloudy weather

Malurem is a term used to describe a cloudy sky. It is a sign that heavy rain is approaching and there will be thunder and lightning, so people often stay inside their homes. To prevent lightning from striking, locals cover their mirrors with blankets and turn off their electrical appliances for they believe that these strongly attract lightning. Warding off lightning from striking is also the reason why locals place palaspas (Palm Sunday wreaths) in front of their windows.

Makakauran is also used to refer to impending rain. On the other hand, mayemyem is a general term to describe a mildly inclement weather.

Foggy weather

Malinaew locally means foggy, but fog is actually kelpa in Pangasinan, while linaew is dew. There is even another term, amol, which means dew at dawn or in the morning; linaew is dew at night. It is often malinaew at 3:00 to 5:00 in the morning. According to elders, it is good to go outside early to inhale fog because it is a cure for certain diseases such as cough, cold and fever. Foggy weather is typical of the months of December to February.

Windy weather

Pangasinan terms for wind are as follows: Alamag is "a harsh wind but does not come as typhoon." Abagat is southeast or east wind. Amian and miskey are north winds that bring cold weather. Timog is south wind. Maragem means windy, but a gentle breeze is described in Old Pangasinan as mapalpalna or masiasiasem ya dagem. Similarly, the title of the most popular Pangasinan folk song "Malinac La'y Labi" refers to a "calm night."

In coastal towns, "the winds that blow across the land serve as guide to the direction of the sea current. Amianan is north wind, habagat the south wind (sagur ya dagem), and angin iti daya for the eastern wind, angin ya aggapo iti laod or west wind." (The last two terms are most likely from Bolinao language.)

 

Hot weather

Tiyagew (or tiagew, tyagew) is a Pangasinan term for dry season. Elvira Serafica of Zone 6 said that this is the best time to sell palamig, halo-halo, and other food and beverages to quench the thirst caused by hot or dry season. Also, children love this time because it means they can often have an outing and family bonding at various resorts and beaches in Pangasinan.

During the hot season, the piyaes insect (cicada) is often heard, hiding in trees.

An especially intense tyagew can lead to gawat or time of famine. "Anggapoy uran, makapoy so ani, anggapoy nasaliw ed tindaan, tan saray alog, bitaktak iray dalin da." (With no rain, harvest is poor and there is too few produce sold at the market. In the fields, the soil is often cracked.)

Flooding

Even flooding has resulted in a variety of terms. Elnab is "weak flood that stays for a limited time." Danas is "flood with strong force." Lanayap or lanayap so danom refers to the large amount of water that accumulates during typhoon, resulting in widespread or great flood. When this happens, it is necessary to take extra precaution against the appearance of animals that pose danger such as snakes, mosquitoes and even rats.

Directions

North is amianen or baybay. Abalaten is south. Sagod or sagur is west, while bukig, letakan, bubutayan, or pepelnakan is east.

 

Natural portents of bad weather
 

According to Andico, et al. (2015), “Signs of an impending storm (or strong rain or the coming wet season) are as numerous as the stars in the skies” among ancient Pangasinans, including those from Bolinao. "Locals knew when typhoons or aramag (makmaksil ya dagem) will occur in a particular time during the dry and wet season." "Locals also knew when rains would come earlier in between the seasons." These natural weather forecasters include:
-    whirling-like cloud formation
-    circling clouds from the east
-    sudden surge of bitingly cold wind or pul-oy (biglaan ya mapalasapas ya dagem)
-    winds (dagudog) emanating from the west (panrupan)
-    early morning wind amyan (mapayapayan dagem na kabuasan)
-    dark and red color that shades the sky
-    sun’s corona which shades the moon
-    cloud formations (narakam-rakam nen genem)
-    fast sailing clouds are signs of storms
-    whenever the sun is not in its full rounded shape
-    at sunset, the sun is manlomdeg (kapantaklep) or turns red
-    whenever a rainbow appears in the west with heavy clouds
-    a short arc rainbow in the east or baylan
-    thunder (karol) that roars from the north amianan (amian), the south bagatan (sagur), and east (baylan)
-    white, sud-like bubbles of the waves (daloyon) or whenever the sea shows crystal-clear water
-    strong waves, which appear like firefly (kalintutudoy kankanti)
-    turbulent waves which criss-cross the vast sea as in a lightning (kirmat)
-    the sounds emitted by the kingfisher salasak and the crow, as these fly northward
-    any bird that quips for three consecutive nights
-    the appearance of the flying ants andadalok (untitikyab ya tabuney)
-    the advent of a flock of birds, manok-manok, from the north and flying towards the shore
-    low-flying praying mantis
-    chicken roosting on the treetops until late morning
-    croaking of the frog
-    whenever the sea cucumber (balat) rises above the water
-    when schools of fish jump in and out of the sea
-    algae, lumot-lumot (lamuyak), are washed ashore
-    seaweeds (ruot) float in seemingly as these are tossed by the waves
 

Other associated beliefs
 

Rain is a blessing, but it is also a curse when it falls on the chosen date of any big event, such as wedding, christening, or anything that requires a major gathering of relatives, friends, and the community. Locals therefore routinely resort to little rituals to avert an impending rain. 

 

If a big event is threatened by an impending rain, locals resort to these simple counter-spell strategies (panagsura rituals) on the day before the major activity: 

 

- Hang outside the shirt that you will be wearing to the occasion. 

- Wave a broom or broomstick at the sky. Offer raw eggs to saints on the altar.

Another panagsura ritual to forestall the bad weather (such as an impending thunderstorm) is performed on the big day itself: 

 

- Burn cloth (any used cloth, for example) and shake the burning cloth under the floor of the house.

 

Yet another ritual that residents in Hermoza routinely do to dissuade, as it were, the impending rain from falling on their parade is as follows: 

 

- Once it rains while everyone is inside the house, draw a sun on a piece of paper, have it colored, and show the drawing to the sky. But before it rains, draw a picture of the sun right on the soil.

Other beliefs and practices related to rain, thunder, and lightning are aplenty. 

 

- When there is thunder, do not wear red, or lightning might strike you. 

 

- Kung kumikidlat, magwilig ng suka sa mga bintana at pinto. (If there's lightning, spray vinegar on windows and doors.) 

 

- Maglagay ng palaspas sa pintuan o bintana para pangontra sa kidlat. (Place a blessed palm leaf on the door or window to prevent lightning.)

 

- Kapag kumukulog, huwag maingay dahil naglalaro ng bowling si San Pedro. (When it thunders, don't make noise because San Pedro is playing bowling.)

 

- Manames ka ed perprimiron oran na Mayo pian arawi kad sakit. (Maligo sa pinakaunang ulan sa Mayo upang malayo ka sa sakit.) 

 

- If the day is hot or humid and you want it to rain, give your cat a bath. 

 

- Huwag gumamit ng payong na kulay pula o may patusok na bakal sa tuktok baka makidlatan. (Do not use a red umbrella or one that has a spike on the top because it might be struck by lightning.)

 

- Takpan ang mga salamin pag kumukulog at/o kumikidlat dahil tinatamaan ng kidlat ang salamin. (Cover glasses (glass windows) during thunder and/or lightning because the lightning strikes the glass.)

 

- Make the sign of the cross and say, "Jesus, Maria, Joseph," whenever there's heavy rain, lightning and thunder, as protection.

- Additionally, according to Santiago Villafania, “there's a traditional prayer or oracion passed down by the elders to ward off unforeseen obstacles such as sudden rain, especially during emergencies or urgent situations where immediate presence is crucial: “Lihis Tagitak Sagranatak Paparunatak.” Tagitak refers to sudden downpour.”

 

KEY INFORMANTS: Felicita Dinong, Bical Norte; Delia N. Ferrer, Nibaliw Norte, Bautista; Arsenio Regacho, Malioer; Elvira Serafica, Zone 6; Alejandra Ordonia, Sapang; Erlinda Tamondong, Nalsian Sur; Pacaambung Bagalong, Zone 7. NAME OF PROFILER/MAPPER: Serjoe de Guzman, Jhon Lloyd Palisoc, Fatima Bagulong, Daisy Dinong, Rheallyn Ferrer, Andrea Joy Ordonia and Liezel Tamondong. ADVISER: Mr. Christopher Q. Gozum. SCHOOL: Bayambang National High School, Senior High School. 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMANTS: Bernabe Mercado Jr., other local residents

 

VALIDATORS: Clarita F. Tagab, Joey Ferrer, Santiago Villafania, Joseph Anthony Quinto, Melchor Orpilla, Andrea F. Umoypa

 

REFERENCES:

Why it's difficult to learn Pangasinan by Gabriel Cardinoza, Philippine Daily Inquirer, with a quote from Edgardo Quiros. Pangasinan: Pinablin Dalin, Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission (2015)

 

EDITOR: Resty S. Odon