Pangasinan Conceptions of Time and Weather

Pangasinan Conceptions of Time and Weather

 

Local conceptions of time and weather have produced peculiar terms in Pangasinan.

 

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.

 

There are only two seasons -- hot/dry and rainy/wet seasons -- but this fact has led to other specific terms pertaining to the climate and the weather.

 

Nepnep is the term used by Bayambangueños to refer to the rainy season, when rain is often seemingly non-stop. This 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 (strong thunderstorm), 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 are nepnep (rainy season), 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)

 

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.

 

Lanayap so danom refers to the large amount of water that accumulates during typhoon. 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.

 

Malinaew means foggy. It is often malinaew or foggy 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 is maragem, but a 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."  

 

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 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.)

 

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. VALIDATORS: Clarita F. Tagab, Joey Ferrer, Santiago Villafania, Joseph Antonio Quinto,

Melchor Orpilla, Andrea F. Umoypa; EDITOR: Resty S. Odon