Halloween vs. Undas
My cousin asked me if Americans visit the graves of their dead family members during the holiday we call “Halloween”. When I said we didn’t, he was really surprised by that. October 31st in America is Halloween. But on November 1st in the Philippines marks the day that people all over the archipelago flock by the millions to visit cemeteries and reunite amongst dead loved ones.
“You mean people don’t even visit the cemetery at all?” he said in Bisaya. He thought I was joking. And then I told him that instead of visiting loved ones at the cemetery, the same way that he has done all his life, and the same way generations of Filipinos have done for hundreds of years, Americans take their children, put them in costumes, and walk them around the streets asking strangers for candy.
At that point, he was laughing in disbelief.
Tonight I’d be briefly introduced to a long tradition, albeit one that has evolved over time and place. Older than America and even older than the Philippines, with roots that seem to end (or begin rather) at Aztec civilization. Sent to the Philippines between 1565 and 1821 via trade ships coming from Mexico (alongside another famous Aztec import: chocolate), a hybridization of Catholicism’s “All Saints Day” and the Aztec’s festival presided over by their goddess Mictecacihuatl (pronounced Meek-teka-see-watl), the holiday that most Filipinos today call “Todos los Santos” or “Undas” would simply become another opportunity for them to get together, socialize, and eat.
“When we were younger, undas was more like a fiesta, except that the streets did not have colorful hanging flags. My mother would usually roast chicken and cook other wonderful dishes in her magical kitchen. We would don our best attires, ride in the family car and then, while in the cemetery play hide and seek with cousins around tombs or aratilis trees. Back then, undas was just like a family reunion with our family spending a whole day to eat and chat while waiting for the candles to shrink to their doom.”
Dennis Villegas, Filipino photographer.
I didn’t get to hang out at the cemetery during the day like millions of other Filipinos did, but tonight’s brief visit was a still a treat. I shuddered as my cousin casually mentioned that the bones of those whose cemetery fees weren’t paid by the next of kin were removed from that cement wall of grave boxes right beside us.
I peered into one of those empty tombs, asking myself if that rock was a skull left behind, or if that piece of fabric was actually strands of hair from someone’s lola. But my fears suddenly dissolved when we finally approached the graves of our dead relatives huddled together in their own set of cement grave boxes. My lolo is buried here, the same one who babysat me while my mom had to run errands. And my aunt, the youngest in my mom’s family who died when she was 5 has her own tomb as well. Its small size symbolic of her untimely death.
Ok, to be honest as much as I wanted to be sentimental, I was still afraid. It was dark. And we were in a cemetery. It was time to go home.
I remember spending all day at the cemetery. We have a private mosuleum with a small kitchen and an even smaller restroom. Friends and family would stop by and pay their respects to my lolo and lola. Of course Filipino food was always abundant for all who stopped by.
Now that’s a tomb fit for a king/queen!! Remil, remind me to accompany you whenever you spend Undas back home haha. Sending my prayers to your lolo and lola. Salamat!
Just got back from the long weekend at the province for Undas!! It was my first time since I was probably very little around 4 or 5 or so. I remember spending the night in the cemetery. Our family bought 2 lots for the private mausoleum, one for my grandparents and the other one as some sort of living room or gathering area with a bathroom and stuff and that’s where we put all our cots and “banigs” to spend the night. The little kids slept on top of my grandparents graves (sounds freaky I know, haha but my sister did not want to get up the next morning coz she was so comfortable!) LOL. We were there all day Nov. 1, spent the night and went home early Nov. 2 to wash up then back again after lunch to clean up everything. 🙂
There were so many people in the cemetery it was actually quite fun! I was looking forward to this experience as an adult because back when I lived in Jakarta my cousins and childhood friends would always speak highly of the this tradition about how it brings everyone together. I got to see everyone I hadn’t seen in years because of living abroad and at one point during the night we visited all the graves of relatives and family friends and lighted candles for them and did a lot of catching up with families who were also there to spend the night. So much food! Lechon, etc etc, it was a feast in every mausoleum. The whole cemetery (both private and public) was so alive there was no reason to be scared. People brought sound systems and karaoke machines and basically everything Filipino you could imagine. Haha this is turning out to be quite a story! It’s just that I just really got back and got to read this in my feeds so I decided to share my story too 😀
Salamat Justine!!
It wasn’t until Remil’s and your comment that I found out you can actually get a lot complete with amenities in a cemetery! I wish I had stayed during the day to see all the people and the food. Aiming for next year for sure. I found a website listing the 5 best places for Philippine cemetery architecture: http://langyaw.com/2011/10/31/5-best-places-for-philippine-cemetery-architecture/.
I guess its safe to say I’m thinking ahead? lol. Gotta make sure my future family will have a place to eat when they visit me haha. Thanks again!
Bogo is the town next to my province! Amazing. Have yet to go there though.