Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-07-10
DR.. EDWoRDs' LETTER.
Telling Of Some Of the Religious Oh.
servanees Of the Native Filipino.

lures OF most OF the social gatherings
in the Philippine islands. AS might
be assumed in the case of a people
who give expression to their relig-
ious feeling by many an outward man
Hesitation and symbol, the three great
events, birth, marriage and death, are
the three eminent occasions of pro-
nounced religious as we'll as social
celebrations. Church festivals are al.
ways accompanied by music of some
sort, eithertral, brass band or choir,
and some times by all of these. Dur.
ing the Spanish-American war a pop.
ular air, much sung by soldiers, was
melody which had its inception in
San Francisco. 1t was lively mel
ody Of the ragtime type, "a Hot Time
in the Old Town Tonight. 1t is not
an unusual thing for this tune to be
played at funerals in the provinces.
This is not due to the unfeelingness
Of the people, but it is the only tune
that they have learned from the Am
orleans.
In the islands birth is regarded
as one Of the important events of the
community and the welfare of mother
and child becomes the subject of
much solicitude on the part Of father
and grand parents. Baptism usually
takes place a week or ten days after
the youngsters birth. The babe is
borne to church by mother or some
near relative, at the head of a long
of the men and women of
the community. In a provincial town
Of less than three thousand inhabit
tants may be seen a procession of
more than three city blocks in length
the whole company walking in double
file, clearly attired.
At the church the parents and god
parents assemble about the babe
while the rite of baptism is solemnly
observed. The pledge of the god-par-
snts is most impressive, and its sig
nificance rises above that of a mere
formal observance. 1t is followed out
n after life, and the children are ev-
er highly regarded by the god-parents
and by them are cherished. Many
children whose fathers are unable to
afford them schooling are educated
BY their god-parents who are often un
related to them by blood.
After the baptism there is usually
feast and generally danca In
bhe Philippines a dance is a social
event to which the volatile nature of
the people readily lends itself. 1t is
a frequent amusement among the
poorest as well as the wealthiest, ant
always the waltz is the favorite. Dan
cling is by no means confined to the
young people, for the native matron
will be flattered by your invitation,
and on the floor she will glide easily
no matter what her age. There are
a number of native dances, some of
which are danced by young girls
alone. Sometimes there is a wierd,
ness in these native dances, espec-
tally among the semi-savage tribes of
Negritos where a combined chant ant
dance is solemnized to the sun.
The stranger in the provinces Is
to see the ease with which
the women participate in the dances
with their slippers which an Ameri-
eau could not keep on the feet. On
rare occasions the slipper falls off,
but the girl keeps on dancing bare
footed, around to where the slippen
was dropped and then deity catching
1t on her foot, continues on in the
dance without interruption.
Marriage in the Philippines some
times takes place at a very early age
but this is unusual. Generally the
young people do not marry until they
have reached the age of eighteen.
Some marriages Of twelve or FOUR
.een are recorded but these are not
usual. The Filipino youth usually
Ices not marry until he is able to pre-
vide a home. The marrying age is
not much less than in the United
States, and the proportion of married
persons is about the same.
The advent Of babies is eagerly
ooked forward to by the Filipino wo
men, for they feel that they are thus
IGNORING their husbands. Unfortunat
y however, mortality among babies i
7ery great for the women have no
dea of how to care for the young.
have seen young babies stuffed will
ruit and sweet things until they wer
It point Of death. Cholera carries off
thousands Of the babies before they
ire year old. In Manila about