By: Alecs Carreon, Mai Castel, Margaux Chincuanco, Pat
Coronel, Celina Cruz, Tin Fontanilla & Marielle Pelayo
‘Pangangaluluwa’ meaning:
‘ghost visit or haunting’
When:
Days before and after November 1 and 2
Where:
Los Baños, Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Quezon,
various provinces of the Philippines
Since when:
As early as the Spanish occupation
(when the new Christians’ music evolved to include
extra-liturgical services where they performed music
that they preferred over the Latin music in church)
Who:
(Mostly) young people dressed in white
or draped in white sheets that form a
musical group that is named a
“pangangaluluwa”
What:
Pangangaluluwa is pretending to be the
wandering souls of the dead by young
men and women while going from house
to house begging for prayers and alms
as they sing songs
For example:
Pangangaluluwa song “Pitong Sakit” was popular in
Tiaong, Quezon; “Palimos”; “Malaya Lola”
Kaluluwa’y dumaratal
Sa tapat ng Durungawan
Kampanilya’y tinatantay
Ginigising ang mga buhay
Kung kami po’y lilimusan
Dali-dalian po lamang
Baka kami mapagsarhan
Ng pinto ng kalangitan
Kaluluwa kaming tambing
Sa purgatoryo nanggaling
Palimos po!
Why:
The“pangangaluluwa” group is to
represent the dead people going to each
house asking for alms and prayers from
the living. They are also the
representatives for the souls stuck in
purgatory that ask for small gifts from
the houses that they do visit.
Status:
Seldom practiced anymore.
It is said that some still practice this
tradition in far provinces.
Reason:
Some say that people are tired of
giving alms because others took
advantage of the situation and stole
things (especially food and animals)
from the backyard.
Eligio. (2007, October 30). All Saints’ Day. In Wow Paradise
Philippines. Retrieved on February 11, 2011 from
http://www.wowparadisephilippines.com/all-saints-day.html
Halloween in the Philippines. (2009, October 26). In WikiPilipinas.
Retrieved on February 11, 2011 from
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Halloween_in_the_
Philippines
Samher, C. (n.d.). Halloween – Filipino Style. In HubPages.
Retrieved on February 11, 2011 from
http://hubpages.com/hub/-Halloween-Filipino-Style