Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-05-20
RELIGIOUSOBSERvANCE
CONSTITUTES LEADING FEATURE OF so.
CIAL GATHERINGS In PHILIPPINES,
DR.. Edwords Describes Religious and Social
Celebrations at Birth. Marriage and
Death Of Islanders.


observances constitute the leading fea-
ture of most of the social gatherings
on the Philippine Islands. AS might
be assumed in the case of people
who give expression to their religious
feeling by many an outward manifes-
tation 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
always accompanied by music of some
sort, either orchestral. brass band or
choir, and sometimes by all of these.
During the Spanish American war
popular air, much sung by soldiers,
was a melody which had its inception
in San Francisco. 1t was a lively
melody of the rag-time 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 pro-
vinces. This is not due to the un-
feelingness of the people but it is the
only tune they have learned from the
Americans.
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
grandparents. Baptism usually takes
place a week or ten days after the
youngsters birth. The babe is borne
to church by It's mother. or some near
relative, at the head of long pro-
cession of the men and women Of the
community. In provincial town of
less than three Thousand inhabitants
may be seen a procession of more than
three city blocks in length, the whole
company walking in double file clean
ly attired.
At the church the parents and god
parents assemble about tlse baho while
the rite OF baptism is solemnly OBJ
served. The pledge of the god-par-
enIs is most impressive. and its signi-
ficance arises bove that of mere
formal observance. 1t is followed out
in after life, and the children are ever
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 d-parents who are often unre-
lated to them by blood.
After the baptism there is usually
feast and generally dance. In the
Philippines a dance is a social event
to which the volatile nature of the
people readily lends itself. 1t is q
frequent amusement among the poor
est as we'll as the wealthiest. and al
ways the waltz is the favorite. Dane
ing is by no means confined to the
young people. for the native matron
will be fiattered 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 wierd-
ness in these native dances, especially
among the semi-savage tribes OF
Negritos where combined chant and
dance is solemnized to the sun.
The stranger in the provinces is
amazed to see the ease with which the
women participate in the dances with
their slippers which an American
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 slipper was drop
ped and she deftly catches it on her
foot and continues on in the dance
without interruption.
Marriage in the Philippines some
times takes place at 8 very early age.
but this is unusual.x Generally the
young people do not marry until they
have reached the age of IS. Some
marriages of l2 and IA are recorded
but these are not usual. The Filipino
youth usually does not marry until he
is able to provide home. The mar
rying age is not much less than in the
United States. and the proportion of
married persons is about the samo.
The advent of babies is eagerly
looked forward TO by the Filipino wo-
men. for they feel that they are thus
honoring their husbands. Unfortu-
nately, however, mortality among
babies is very great, for the women
have no idea of how to care for the
young. have seen young babies
stuffed with fruit and sweet things
until they were at the point OF death.
Cholera carries Oft thousands of the
babies before they are year old. In
Manila about three fifths of the chill
dren die before they are one year old.
The government is now doing much
to educate the people to q better
knowledge of hygienic conditions.
and it is to be hoped that this mortal
ity will be greatly lessened.
Clarence Il. Edwords.