OF PICNICS, OUTINGS AND DEER HUNTING IN OLD SARIAYA By Eric J. Dedace The surrounding areas of Sariaya in the old days abound in scenic beauty, dominated by a great view of mystic and majestic Mount Banahaw to the north. The late “Tia Puping” provided a very picturesque description of their place at Muntingbayan that was bought by her paternal grandfather, Mr. Policarpio Alcaneses, a native of Barrio Concepcion, from his sister-in-law Mrs. Romana Gagasa Alcala in the early 1900s. Situated near the River “Keanuang” which means carabao in old Sariayahin lingo, it was just across the old Spanish bridge from the west, near the two watchtowers or “Kastilyo” that straddled both sides of the road so described earlier. It was there that her grandfather erected their very first house, a small nipa hut sometime in the year 1902. To the north was a heavily forested area where white monkeys can be seen noisily scampering from one tree to another. Accordingly, even wild boars and deer abound at Mount Banahaw and so hunting for them was a great diversion for the hard working head of the family. Proof of that is the presence of deer horns that adorn the interiors of their house. Likewise, the late piano teacher Miss Enriqueta Reynoso Mendoza had her own story about the rich fauna of Mount Banahaw then. Accordingly, her maternal grandfather, Mr. Emeterio Reynoso was a close associate of erstwhile Sariaya Presidente and Tayabas Provincial Governor Don Maximo Rodriguez whom they used to refer to as “Amamang Mimong” , their good neighbor who lived one block to their north along Calle Rizal. According to the stories of her mother, “Maestrang Nitang”, Mr. Reynoso was a frequent companion of “Don Mimong” during hunting trips to Mount Banahaw which they did in the company of choice dogs. Prized dried deer head and horns were fixtures of their living room in the old days. From an article by Mrs. Nancy S. Valdoria in her Sariaya Community Magazine publication, the late Engr. Eladio Jumpalad Alcala (born 1912), talked about the visit of American Governor General Dwight Davies at their family’s circa 1900 house, sometime in his childhood. Accordingly, it was his eldest brother Pedro, who served as the guide and companion of the highly-placed American dignitary during his hunting sorties at Mount Banahaw. Proof of that is the presence of a few deer antlers as decorations in the spacious living room of their residence which is the largest in the whole of Barrio Pantoc. Heading out from Sariaya for a nice swim, the residents flocked to the gradually sloping sandy beaches down to the crystal clear waters of the bountiful Tayabas Bay coastal areas, notably Barrio Castanyas. Since it was still very clean then, people gathered fresh mussels on the seashore for breakfast as Donya Concepcion in her “Tayabas Chronicles” reminisced during her childhood days, as the erstwhile Conchita, the little girl of the 1890s who spent vacations at their place there because frequent bathing in sea water cured her foot sores, alongside the drinking of Sarsaparilla extract. The tuber of the Sarsaparilla plant was plentiful in Castanyas then, as well, which was boiled in the proportion of six liters of water to a handful of the plant, then filtered and sweetened with either sugar or caramel. Even with the “Pungapung” which tubers are popular feed for the pigs, the stalks were cut into six inch lengths, roasted in fired coconut husk or charcoal and dipped in patis squeezed with calamansi juice prior to eating. So described in a December 1903 Castanyas picnic organized by the lady Conchita, the young men and women rode horses to the venue while her mother Juliana together with affluent copra agency client, friend and neighbor Donya Eduarda , wife of ex – Gobernadorcillo Don Roman Reynoso, rode the calesa. At the mouth of the Keanuang River, the older women were in hammocks while the young ones that included Conchita’s friend Mariquita, daughter of Donya Eduarda, dipped in the river. Lunch consisting of lechon, rice, chicken and fish was eaten bare-handed in “saha ng saging’ with cups of hot chicken broth and a dessert of buri fruit or “but-ong buli” in honey. The games consisted of proverbs, riddles (“bugtong”) and phrophecies in Tagalog and Spanish amid much shouting and laughter. The afternoon merienda was had by the sea shore where they ate “Panganan” a native delicacy, “Puto and Dinuguan”, and by nightfall, everybody was already home in town. The Mamala River was another favorite picnic site in those days care of its pristine clear and cool water. The Herrera family had access to it care of a land with a hut of bamboo and palm leaves built under coconut trees, owned by Conchita’s paternal uncle Don Joaquin Lopez Guerrero or “Joaquinito”. He was a maternal first cousin of Conchita’s father Isidro, whose father was Don Joaquin Garcia Guerrero, a high placed Spanish government official in Manila. Joaquinito who managed the Casa Guerrero, a copra trading house in Lucena, was instrumental in persuading Isidro and Juliana to settle in Sariaya from Tiaong in 1890 to manage their own copra trading house. Sometime in the year 1905, Don Roman and Donya Eduarda Reynoso invited the Herreras to a birthday picnic at Mamala River for their daughter Mariquita, but only Conchita was able to attend. As always, the young people rode horses while the elderly were in a calesa, stopping briefly at the ruins of the third church of Sariaya at Barrio Tumbaga which according to a legend was destroyed by the Moros. At the riverside, a long bamboo table was set with food on banana leaves where the young people led by the birthday celebrant had the choice of eating there or on tree shades, while the elders had their food on another table set for sixteen people. They played cards thereafter, betting with half-pesetas for amusement and returned to Sariaya by walking the two kilometer distance. “Amamang Goyo” had his own story of picnics in the Sariaya countryside but this is of a different nature. His father, Mr. Florentino Idea was a political leader in barrio Morong who earned the respect of the residents there, and who was a close associate of the rich landed gentry of the town notably Gobernadorcillos Venancio and Lucio Rodriguez then addressed as “Kapitang Bina” and “Kapitang Lucio” respectively, and town Presidentes Don Catalino and Don Maximo Rodriguez. He was also close to the first Deputy of Tayabas province, Don Emiliano Gala and his son Ernesto. With the coming of the election period right after the Feast of San Isidro Labrador, Mr. Idea would come to town to invite these rich political bigwigs of Sariaya for a lunch and afternoon merienda picnic at the River “Kipot” in Morong. With that, his family and close relations would be rendered very busy with the preparation of genuine Morong specialties like “Bulanglang na Hipon”, “Sinangag na Hipon” “Minuraang Binanging Hipon” “Kilawing Mura”, fried fish, and other dishes, mostly utilizing the freshest catch from the still pristine clear waters of the river. “Minuraang Binanging Hipon” involved the brief grilling of the fresh shrimps before they were shelled and shredded for adding to coconut meat and water, which was cooked further until tender. Meanwhile, “Kilawing Mura” is broiled shrimps which are shredded before adding coconut meat, “Sibuyas Bumbay” or the pungent red onion variety, garlic, salt and black pepper. These Morong traditional fares would be washed down with fresh clean water from a nearby spring, “Sabaw ng Mura” or coconut water, with fat ripe sweet “Liturdan” bananas as delicious dessert. In the early 1900s they must have rode horses and calesas but by the 1920s, the Galas and the Rodriguezes would ride their cars until barrio Bucal, since there was no road yet from the town going south to the Pili-Morong-Antipolo areas. Leaving their vehicles near their rest houses in Bucal, such as that of the enormous twin semi-circular-staired Gobernadorcillo Lucio Rodriguez house near the railroad tracks, which likeness is painted at the second floor of his three-storey house along Calle Rizal, Mr. Idea and some of the men folk would fetch them for a one-and-a-half kilometer walk to Morong. The curious entourage included the politicos’ wives and children bringing their swimming clothes and towels, one of whom “Amamang Goyo” remembered as the young Naty Rodriguez, the beautiful daughter of Don Catalino, who later married into the Cabunyag family of Candelaria. Upon arrival at Morong, the guests were always introduced to the barrio folks and afterwards they had frolic and fun in the cool, clean and refreshing waters of the River Kipot. The afternoon merienda was a very hearty fare of “Minukmok na Saging” taken with “Sabaw ng Mura”. Then, they would call it a day and Mr. Idea and party accompanied them to their waiting cars at Barrio Bucal. The late Mrs. Josefa Albrando-Idea (born 1920) had her own picnic story to tell at a bathing place called “Talarog” in the river of Morong as well. It was the birthday of her elder brother Macario or “Kuya Ayong”, and he invited young men and women for a delightful swimming party. It occurred in the 1930s and the river was still its wholesome, clean and sparklingly clear self, with lots of shrimp and fish and a spring of clean drinking water. Most of the guests were their relations, as well as some neighbors , such as sisters “Isay, Pili and Miliana” Idea and their cousin Enrica. However, the apple of Macario’s eye, accordingly was a lady who hailed from Bauan, Batangas named Vicenta Castor or “Intang”. Delightful outings as such oftentimes serve their obvious purpose of possible courtship among romantic and love-struck young people. Lunch was a delicious pot of “Pinaksiw na Baboy” and “Ginataang Manok na may Papaya”, with “Minukmok na Saging na Saba” as hearty merienda fare. Being young and energetic, they just walked the whole length of the trip back and forth, punctuated with delightful banter and much laughter. Eventually, Vicenta married Mr. Victor Manhit, one of the original founders of the Cupid’s Club that institutionalized the fabulous Valentine’s Day parties at the park, while Macario married one of the Idea sisters in his river swimming party, “Pili” or Felisa.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:13:53 +0000