The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-12-12
~~HRIsTMAs Is as popular a holiday
with the Tagals as with the west


cal ceremonies are Malay in varying de
gree In Manila. Iloilo. cebu and tho
other cities the observance OF the feast
is very much the same as In the small
towns OF Spain, Mexico or Cuoa. In the
native cities and towns there are
glimpscs OF the savagery which prevail
ed Ihen Logaspi first landed upon the
shores, while in the sparsely settled
country districts. and particularly
where the Tagal and the Igorrote meet
and blend. the day is as barbarous and
strange as it was in the dark ages of
European history, Civilization in the
Philippines finds it's summit in Manila
and thence slopes downward and passes
into savagery a-aong the Aetas, Cad
danes. Itavi;. Negritos and other eth
mic types.
In the cities IL Is very much like any
one of the great saints days Work Is
set aside, the streets are filled with well
dressed crowds, the churches are
thronged with women and children. the
chimes toll from every institution and
every now and then a brightly colored
and gay looking religious procession
moves along a principal street Some
times a church follower carries
little statue of the Christ Child
sometimes he holds the figure OF
st. Joseph. From a wealthy church the
procession is large, and over the figure
carried is a beautiful canopy rich in
carved woods, gold and tinsel. The de-
vout fan upon their knees as the pro-
cessions pass, and Protestant and Cath
olic alike remove their hats TO render
courtesy TO the great faith of the world.
Through December IL is warm, and ev-
erybody is dressed in his or her best.
The men are attired I'm white linen
suits. with white manila hats, or else i'm
black coats and white trousers with
black hats To The American eye there
is one very funny feature In that nearly
every man wears his shirt on the out
side OF his trousers.
The better educated Tagals follow the
example of European fashions, but. on
the other hand. the poor Spaniards and
half breeds take after the Filipnos. 1t
is funniest of ali when young Tagal
blood wears a little French derby hat
pair OF black alpaca trousers and a
magnificent linen shirt which comes
down almost to his knees. He struts by
as proud as the proverbial peacock and
looks down upon the more simply dress
cd representatives OF foreign lands
When evening comes, every house Is
bright with lights, and in every door
way is hanging lamp or gaudy jap
-4-.--& 4.l--- 49,
initiate the Spariards and Malays and
have lanterns and lights at every coign
OF vantage. Sometimes those who have
been converted or who yield lip service
20 Christianity celebrate the day with
countless multitude % flrecrackers.
Amid the noise and the lights one can
easily sec how queer a mixture is OH
tanned by joining together three antag
onistic civilizations and races. With
nlGntfall music is heard everywhere.
The Filipino, whether Tagal, Visaya or
lsorotte, loves music. and learns TO
play all ~ the simpler instruments Ey-
cry regiment has a band, and almost
every club and theater it's own brown
orchestra. Besides these. there are num-
berless professionals who can be hired
for mere song and who find Christmas
day one OF the best in their commercial
year. The piano i'm one house echoes
the violin i'm the next and the flute I'm
your neighbours across the street gets
sntangled with the cornet a few doors
bcleH--esRa- the trombone a few doors
above.
But in the country | found a freer
and broader life at Christmas Nature
is ,le2S- trammeled and -the-saxage
shows through the veneer of civiliza
ton. Here are men I'm white shirts and
with bare feet, womer with boleros and
sarongs which give a generous view of
their many physical charms. In tvery
town are religious professions and on
every thoroughfare peddlcrs unknown
20 the United States They carry sus-
pended from the neck box, large or
small, on which is written in large let
ters in both the Spanish language and
the native dialects the name of the
relic. curio or attraction contained
within. A square window covered with
glass allows the devout 20 look through
and gaze upon the treasure inside This
is sometimes bone or tooth of a saint.
nail or fragment of wood from the
true cross, an ancient idol rechristened
after saint, handkerchief blessed by
some dead bishop or archbishop. or a
fetch that has come down from dead
Tagal ancestors.
The patron pays small price, never
more than a cent and as little as tho
one-twentieth part of our cent. After
feasling the eyes upon the obiact
he or she kisses the little glass windov,
and departs In happier and wiser mood
There are thousands OF these peddlers
and the only wonder Is how they al,
get a living.
At nightfall there are social gather
ings called catapusan. They arc sur
vival3 OF barbarism ana stin disclose
much OF their primitive nature. They
begin with eating and drinking. and
keep this up until the last participant
has gone home. It is not the simple
fare OF everyday life. but a rich diet
of meats. fruits and vegetables cooked
in many ways. Some Of the dishes use
parts OF the animal which are discarded
by civilized society. but which are ap-
preciated by savages in other lands
Thcy bear a strange resemblance to the
Iargiq "a bfph lg geYXed sf fha tlfuuats