Panagkargay Barya ed Lapag ya Abong: Coins Beneath the Threshold of Fortune

 Panagkargay Barya ed Lapag na Abong: Coins Beneath the Threshold of Fortune

Across many Filipino homes, particularly in parts of Pangasinan, one may find an unassuming yet meaningful detail embedded in the cemented floor: old coins carefully set into concrete. Known in Filipino as paglalagay ng barya sa sahig ng bahay para magsilbing pampaswerte and in Pangasinense as panagkargay barya ed lapag ya abong ta pampaswerte, this quiet tradition reflects a deeply rooted belief that prosperity begins at the very foundation of the home.

A Belief Cast in Concrete

The practice traces its origins to the wisdom of elders who upheld the conviction that coins placed on the floor would invite good fortune to the household. When traditional bamboo houses gradually gave way to cement structures in the latter half of the twentieth century, this belief adapted rather than disappeared. As families poured concrete floors—symbols of permanence and progress—they embedded coins within them, sealing prayers for abundance into the very structure of their dwellings.

Old coins, often forty years or older, made of copper, nickel, or silver alloys, are typically used. Their shapes vary—most are circular, while some are polygonal or decagonal. Though modest in material value, these coins are rich in symbolic meaning. Positioned permanently in the cement before it hardens, they become part of the house itself, visible reminders that prosperity is not only earned but also hoped for and invoked.

Custodians of the Tradition

The practice is not confined to a particular era. Houses built decades ago and even those constructed from the year 2000 onward continue to bear this mark of inherited belief. Its persistence underscores the role of culture-bearers—parents, grandparents, and respected elders—who transmit the custom through storytelling and lived example. Children grow up seeing coins embedded in their floors, hearing narratives of luck and blessing associated with them, and eventually replicating the act in their own homes.

Transmission occurs primarily through oral tradition and observation. There is no written manual, no formal ceremony required. Instead, it is the gentle authority of pamahiin—folk belief—that sustains the practice. As long as stories are told and examples remain visible beneath one’s feet, the custom endures.

Layers of Significance

Historically, the embedding of coins reflects a transitional moment in Filipino domestic life—the shift from bamboo dwellings to concrete homes. It symbolizes continuity amid modernization, demonstrating how intangible beliefs find expression in new material contexts.

Aesthetically, the coins lend subtle ornamentation to otherwise plain cement floors. Their metallic sheen contrasts with gray concrete, offering a quiet charm that blends faith and design. Yet beyond appearance, the deeper value lies in the spiritual and social dimensions of the act. It is a gesture of hope, a declaration that the household aspires toward prosperity, harmony, and stability.

Socially, the tradition strengthens intergenerational bonds. It affirms respect for elders’ wisdom and connects present families to ancestral ways of thinking. Spiritually, it embodies the Filipino inclination to harmonize the physical environment with unseen forces of luck and blessing.

Present Condition and Future Safeguarding

The practice remains observable in many homes in Bayambang and neighboring communities. However, like many intangible cultural traditions, it faces the quiet threat of fading through neglect. Modern architectural preferences, changing beliefs, and diminishing attention to oral traditions may gradually erode its presence.

Safeguarding this heritage depends on continued transmission—through documentation, storytelling, and conscious practice. Community mapping efforts, such as the profiling conducted on September 23, 2018 in Bical Norte, Bayambang, Pangasinan, ensure that the tradition is recorded and remembered. Key informants like Violeta Datuin, aged 73, serve as living bridges between past and present, preserving collective memory through personal testimony.

A Foundation of Hope

Ultimately, panagkargay barya ed lapag ya abong is more than a superstition. It is a metaphor made tangible: prosperity laid at the foundation, hope sealed into the home. In a world of shifting values and rapid change, this small act reminds us that culture often resides not in grand monuments but in humble details—coins pressed into cement, carrying with them the quiet wish that every household may flourish.