Marriage and Affianced Pair Essay

1. Identify and describe the folkways that happened in your hometown during the last ten years and compare it today. Include the dressing, relationship between parents and children and the customs and traditions. 1. Mano Po – Blessing of the hand/ means â€Å"right† [opposite of â€Å"left†] and po is a word you say to show respect. Before – Usually, it’s the kids who execute the â€Å"Mano Po† although adults will also do this especially when visiting their parents, or the parents of their girlfriend. Now – the kids are not using â€Å"Mano Po† and it seems that some kids today are disrespectful to elders. But some kids are â€Å"Sosyal† because instead of using â€Å"Mano Po†, they’re just kiss their parents or elders to show their respect. 2. Po and Opo – Kind of respect you use among elders in the Filipino culture. It’s also a custom provided in the Philippines. Opo is actually 2 words. PO and o. O generally means yes or what. Po is just added on to certain sentences in Tagalog to mean respect for older people. Before – kids are saying Po and Opo to elders to show their respect. Now – some kids are not saying Po and Opo that’s why it shows that they are disrespectful. 3. Bayanihan – Filipino term taken from the word bayan, referring to a nation, town or community. The whole term bayanihan refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective. Before – people are helping each other to achieve a particular objective. Now – they do not help each other and sometimes they don’t care if you need help. 4. Harana – an old Filipino courtship tradition of serenading women, probably a Spanish influence. It has been practiced mostly in rural areas and small towns. Before – The man, usually accompanied by his close friends, goes to the house of the woman he is courting and plays music and sings love songs to her. Now – Serenade is not popular. Because today, you can court a girl by simply texting her or sending a text messages or court a girl even in other gadgets or through technology and a girl can say yes to a boy through technology also. 5. Pamamanhikan – From the word panik [which means to ascend or to climb a house’s flight of stairs], pamamanhikan is â€Å"the asking for the girl’s parents’ permission to wed the affianced pair.† The custom symbolizes honor and respect for the parents, seeking their blessing and approval before getting married. Before – the man is going to a woman’s house to ask for the girl’s parents’ permission to wed the affianced pair. Now – even if the man did not went to a woman’s house to ask girl’s parents’ permission to wed the affianced pair, the man can still marry the woman. And sometimes, the couple are going to marry each other not because they’re ready or they’re really love each other. But because they have a baby. 6. Wearing formal clothes to church Before – people who are going to church to attend a mass are wearing a formal clothes. They are wearing long sleeves or t-shirts, pants, and dresses. Now – people who are going to church to attend a mass are wearing informal clothes. They are wearing clothes that are spaghetti straps and almost see their cleavage, mini skirts or shorts, sando’s, and sometimes they are wearing cap. 7. Saying please, thank you and excuse me Before – people who have hurt anyone would say I’m sorry; people who have received goods would say thank you; and people who have a favour or request would say please. Now – people who have hurt anyone wouldn’t say I’m sorry; people who have received goods wouldn’t say thank you; and people who have a favour or request wouldn’t say please. 2. List and compare the values of the past Filipino culture as to how it is practiced in our generation. (provide examples) 1. Tattoos used to be a big practice. There are very few left who can do the traditional tattooing. It is said that a ring of tattoo is done for every war you survive/ every man you kill. It starts from the ankles, and extends to the forehead. You have to at least reach the neckline to become a chieftan. 2. Male Circumcision is also a tradition handed down, and it is still being continued today. 3. Some people still give dowrys. Unlike dowry for westerners (which is given by females), dowry in the Philippines is offered by the groom to the bride’s family to show how much he values their daughter, or literally, how much he is willing to give to get her hand in marriage. It’s not practiced much now, except for some regions. 4. Filipino cultural values are centered around family and the Roman Catholic Church. Filipinos’ home life centers around family. Elders in the family are highly respected and generally live in the homes of the adult children. Children often reside in their parents’ home until marriage. Many social activities are based around family. 5. Filipinos are known to be devout Roman Catholics. Their Good Friday processions are world-famous for including re-enactments of the Crucifixion. All major religious holidays are observed and celebrated. Churchgoing in the Philippines is often not restricted to just Sundays; many Filipinos attend daily Mass, although this trend is decreasing.