Pamukaw, October Tradition
October is rosary month.
Growing up in a small town just after the war, I always have October as a month that is like something to look forward to. Why? It is because of the pamukaw. Ang mga kapilya mag organisar gayud ug pamukaw sa mga miyembro aron sila madasig sa pagpangadje sa rosaro. Sa among panahon, kung bulan na sa Oktubre, tulo (3) gyud ka misteryo sa rosaryo ang pangadje-on.
The pamukaw was very active during our days as children. I was a bit naughty as a child. So, upon waking up due to the pamukaw, I was always ready for the prayers. But I would situate myself behind the big reclining chair so that if I would feel sleepy and eventually would fall asleep (during prayer time), I would simply lean on the chair and would not be noticed that I was not kneeling on the floor. I would only wake up when it was time to recite the “Bendito y Alavado. . . “ This a a concluding prayer in Latin mixed with Spanish. Our grandmothers then were products of the Escuelas De Niñas and the American Educational System.
Chapels had their own musical instruments for the pamukaw, pamasko ug pamiyesta. So when October came, during my childhood, the pamukaw music would be heard at dawn. Ang pasakalye mao ang tulonggon ug magasugod sa: “ Mga amigo ug mga amiga, bangon na sa higdaan . . .”
Another line ran like this: Viva viva si Maria, si Maria La Concepcion. It was really fulfilling to go around for the pamukaw and after the suroy it would be the joyful ringing of the bells as we converged in church. And most often, the last house that the pamukaw group visits, would take care of the pamainit.
But Covid has wiped out this tradition. A few years back, there were still folks from Triumfo, San Roque ug San Vicente who did the suroy for the pamukaw. Apan karon, mingaw na kaayo. The young people now are missing a lot from what we enjoyed before – the beauty of cultural heritage.I also remember that at the end of our rosary before, there was always that prayer to dismantle communism in Russia. One time I had guests from Croatia, honeymooners and they were looking for a quiet place to stay. They did not choose Panglao. Instead they read from the PAL in flight magazine about the quiet town of Baclayon with my number to call for an ideal homestay location focusing on heritage tourism. They were wondering how we are able to know their country’s history. Croatia just had their independence in 1996.
Reading the life of Pope John Paul II, you will surely see the connection we have with those countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia and so many other states under the communist rule.
Our forbears prayed for them. And I can also remember that it was our President Cory who brought the image of Our Lady of Fatima when the USSR, Union Soviet Socialist Republic was dismantled and what is left is just Russia.
And such is the power of prayer and the power of the rosary.
Busa, mga amigo ug mga amiga.
Bangon na kamong tanan
nga nahikatulog sa higdaan.
Bangon na kamo, mga kristiyanos
ug pangadje na sa rosaryo
sa inyong nahimutangan
Viva viva si Maria,
si Maria La Concepcion.