Panao'y Gawat

 Panao'y Gawat

"When is the season called gawat? Why is it called gawat? What foods are associated with the gawat season?"

Some words have the power to bring back an entire chapter of life. In Pangasinan, one such expression is panao'y gawat—a season traditionally associated with the rainy months, the period between planting and harvest when income was scarce and families had to make every peso and every meal stretch. It describes not merely a time of year but an economic condition that was once a common experience among farming households.

A simple question posted on social media rekindled memories of panao'y gawat. Bayambangueño commenters shared stories of frugality, the humble dishes their families prepared during lean times, and how both the economy and the climate have changed over the years.

For Joseph Anthony Quinto, gawat is closely tied to the agricultural cycle: "(It means) less disposable income and money since it is the planting season and the crops have not yet reached the harvest stage. Most people back then were farmers. Their money had already gone into farm inputs or they had borrowed money for those inputs. That's why spending dropped."

Simply put, it was the period when farmers had already invested their resources in the fields but had nothing to harvest yet. With little money circulating in the community, many families had no choice but to tighten their belts.

Joey Ferrer recalled what he jokingly described as his mother's "austerity program" during panao'y gawat: "During the gawat season, my mother's austerity program was simple. We would just cook cracked corn."

Tessie Reyes agreed, adding: "That ground cracked corn cooked into a meal was delicious."

In times of scarcity, simple but filling dishes became staples. Other commenters mentioned foods commonly associated with panao'y gawat: leftover rice with pork drippings or cooking oil and fermented fish paste (bagoong), sinakob, pakasyat, dried fish, and ripe mangoes or bananas. These modest meals have become part of the shared memory of many Bayambangueño families.

The commenters also reflected on how the seasons themselves have changed. As Marina Austria Pauig observed:

"The rainy season used to be difficult because it coincided with planting. When I was young, it lasted from July to September. Now, it seems the rains can come in almost any month."

Her observation highlights how climate change has disrupted the once-predictable rhythm of farming, making it even more difficult to anticipate the lean season.

Yet more than a story of hardship, panao'y gawat is a story of resilience. It was a season of sharing whatever food was available, helping one another through difficult times, and holding on to the hope that the harvest would eventually come.

Today, the forms of livelihood of many Pangasinenses have become more diverse, and agriculture is no longer the sole source of income for most families. Even so, panao'y gawat remains alive in the collective memory—not simply as a season of scarcity, but as a reminder of perseverance, resourcefulness, and the enduring spirit of community that helped families weather life's leanest months.

(Note: Text was AI-assisted and AI-enhanced; posters made using ChatGPT)