Archive for the ‘besao’ Category
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentation 3:22-23
I am Philian Louise Weygan Allan, born in 1957 in the city of Baguio to Galo and Maria Weygan. Born, raised and studied with my 7 siblings in the public and private schools in our city. We are a healthy big family with no major illness when we were younger, except for those occasional attacks during the flu season. We roamed the mountains and valleys, swim the rivers, grow our gardens and raise our chickens, pigs and rabbits. A childhood full of memories and entering to a competitive high school and a breeze of the wind in college.
While I was working and doing my Master in the University of the Philippines-Baguio. One morning while we were in church, I was suddenly struck with pain and could no longer carry myself to walk. I limped and the next day my mother brought me to the hospital where all sorts of x-ray, test and doctors’ appointment ensued. I was diagnosed with a broken back, a fractured spine lumbar 5 and 6 and was pinching my nerves. Every movement was pronounced with pain and sitting and standing is impossible.
For over than five months, I was unable to walk, confined to traction in bed and wasted away.
Those five months, the late Dr Servando Liban II, a neurologist worked on my case like a hawk. He believed I will walk again even when I did not believe I will. Worked on my case when I made the decision not to go through surgery and instead take a more conservative treatment when my 5th and 6th lumbar got crashed and bit into my nerves which rendered my feet useless. Dr Liban explained very well the situation and gave an option of surgery or conservative treatment, there were no guarantees but I choose to go the conservative way of having lumbar traction, pain relievers, and other medicine that would help me recover. He would do a weekly home visit to check on me, check that I am tied to my traction day and night with intervals.
Those five months I was not able to walk and stayed in bed, my parents, my siblings would take turns putting and removing my traction; washing me up, putting and removing the bedpan, serving and clearing out my food and assisting me with almost everything that a normal person should be doing. There were times, I can pull my self and sit down on the bed or slide down to the chair that they left beside my elevated bed. At the foot of my bed was the traction being pulled by a sack of stones as weights, at one time I remember it was a sack of sand with a specific weight requirement.
Those five months my siblings were in school and my parents were at work. As I lay in bed I would listen to the radio, the teaching and worship songs that were played in a radio cassette player. I would know the time that a drama was played, the country sounds were on, the news would be aired. And when I was not listening to the radio, I was listening to evangelical teaching tapes by religious leaders and religious songs, hymns and worship from cassette tapes left by my mom and dad for me to while the day that I am left at home.
At the later months, I find myself nauseated, feverish and at times groggy and delirious. Maybe for laying down too long, the side effects of medicines and maybe a mind that wanders. Came a time I give up as everything I eat came out, and even prayers were not able to calm my tired and broken body. I cried a lot and prayed more. Then I wrote my last will and testament, wrote goodbye letters to my parents and by March 6 I was ready to meet the FATHER.
That week in March 1982, my parents were attending activities of the miracle crusade team of Janet Combs at the Church of the Resurrection. They joined the teachings, the healing ministry and the nightly worship service. On that particular March 6, a team of Episcopal Church Women led by the late Mrs. Esther Cosalan joined my mother and they prayed for me. I cried as I lay down in bed, knowing that, that morning I asked God to take me home with him to eternity. They surrounded my bed, reading the Bible, singing praise and worship, praying, laying their hands on me. After they were done, Aunty Esther took my hand and said “Philian you rise up and walk!” I was in pain as they helped me get up, sit in my bed, they put my shoes on and then led me to the living room. And miracles of miracles, Mom and Aunty Esther held my hand and crying, I walked from my room to the Sala.
Since the Night worship service was happening in church and the women were going to go, they asked me if I can join them. So, my siblings changed my clothes, put my socks and pink walking shoes. (How can I remember those details boggles my mind, it is amazing, as I was in a bad state before that) While in church, I was sitting, standing and when testimony came, I was helped and walked to the front and shared my testimony on how God healed me instead of taking me home. That was my first time to share my testimony on how God healed me, gave me a new life and extended it. Gave me the answer of a prayer, a husband a bigger family, and see the nephews, nieces and grandchildren grow.
Forty years from March 6, 1982 has been a long time. I have travelled far and wide, have met people from all walks of life and of different cultures, have taught and learned in different classrooms and locations. God allowed me practice a profession and a vocation, made me an educator, a cross culture missionary, development worker, and a public legislator.
Forty years ago, a miracle happened and continue to happen in these times.
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am. (psalm 39:4)
Sangal di kultura -together again
Posted on: July 19, 2016
Together Again
Summers and Christmas breaks are the perfect time for Reunions because most schools are on vacation. Families, clans, class, schools, organizations and people groups come together for common interest and strengthening the value of unity and self help through these reunions.
This coming May 1 is the UB Science High reunion, where we will be going back to our alma mater. I always find it refreshing as we will all stand and sing the Science High hymn,
The past week the 11th Igorot International Consultation (IIC) was held in Teng-ab, Bontoc, Mountain Province. It was the late Governor Leonard Mayaen who accepted the invitation to host the IIC which will coincide with the provincial celebration of the Lang-ay. Initially, the Weygan family intended to go where the nieces and nephews were to join the Katagoan caravan and on to the Lang-ay. Two family rooms and one single room was reserved. But with the unpleasant passing on of the beloved head of the province, Leonard Mayaen, everything changed. The activities of the province was canceled and so the family also decided not to join this IIC-11. According to Yvonne Belen who came from Netherlands, the attendance was acceptable as it was a little over a hundred participants considering the current developments in the province. I have attended the IIC in Green Valley, in London, in Australia, in Banaue and in Baguio Country Club. We hope that more will attend the next one in Hawaii by 2018.
Last February 6, 2016 we also had the Galeled Clan Reunion with the theme “Let’s join our hands to reach the world.” The next International Galeled Clan Reunion is on July 7-8, 2016 in Calgary, Canada. Here the members of the clan converge with people coming from the Philippines, USA, Australia and Europe. In these reunions relatives trace their roots, they meet relatives to renew, gain more friends and establish contacts with new found relatives. It is with the idea of strengthening bonds and knowing people in authority who they can seek help, identify professionals who they can go to, and identifying people in GO and NGOs who focus on some concerns they can form partnerships. One of the output of this reunion is the start of the Galeled Scholarship fund, where the Mayor Mauricio Domogan gave the initial fund. Another point of unity is the revival of the Galeled Cooperative that needs to be formally registered and managed.
My husband’s Abanay-Lumbaya family clan just had their reunion this April 16, 2016 at the BSBT Assembly Hall where we had people coming from Mountain Province, Manila, German, Netherlands and other places. One person we met was the family of Bayani Loste, based in Manila and a lawyer with specialty on Intellectual property Rights. He works also at the Fortun, Narvasa & Salazar law firm. Aside from the presentation of the families was the blessing of a set of gongs before it was used for a community dance. After that was teaching the young people to beat the gongs and to dance. It was encouraging to see everyone exchange insights on the positioning of the hands and the sway of the body.
It was my mother who has started me in tracing my roots with her family and dad’s family. When we were younger my mother would so a senga by butchering a pig and calling the different families to come and join the party. At the end of the party was the distribution of the “watwat” a piece of un cooked meat that was segregated to members of the extended families. who came and for those who did not come, my mother would send the drivers to go and give their watwat. She emphasized the importance of being part of the family and the community. My dad was the one who would go from one wake to another, doing bayao and Christian service. My parents would say “ta kabagian tako datodi” meaning they are our relatives. They would go to weddings because they are kakailian and even if they are not directly blood relations, they are in someway relatives because they are affiliated. And so the reunions conducted now are ways to strengthen those relationships. It is “together manen (again) times” where one gets a chance to meet those near and far.
But a critic says “reunion tapno ammo ti ibotos ti election” meaning “Reunion so we know who to vote this election” it is so because relatives are expected to support those who are in the clan. Similarly, classmates campaign for their own classmates and those in organizations cheer on those in their organizations or relatives of their members. And so it is “together again.!”
Sangal di kultura -Siloken Clan
Posted on: July 17, 2016
SILOKEN – a reason to take a nostalgic trip
Going home to Besao is a nostalgic trip as it reminds me so much of my mother. She used to tell stories of the life in the village. When I was in elementary grades she sent me to Panabungen for a summer and I stayed with Lolo Weygan. That summer was very memorable as we roamed the mountains, rivers and the valleys. We danced during the church fiesta and when summer was gone, I came back to grade four full of stories to tell. When I was younger, mom and I spent some time with our Lolo Telba and Lomana in Padang an. I remember that at night there were many people in the house and they tell stories which lull me to sleep while I was keeping warm in front of the fire which was kept lighted to keep the house warm. In the morning I would find myself sleeping in the cot, presumably my grandma carried me during the night.
So it was not a surprise to my parents, when I requested that Raquel Haight and I would spend a whole summer in Besao for our practicum. We would work in the Municipal Hall and in the afternoon walk up the hill to Calvary and watch the sunset as we talk of dreams, of challenges and anything that we find worth talking about. I don’t even remember most of them. During the weekend, when we were not doing laundry or otherwise, we would join the babalasang and babalo for a picnic. At one time we joined a big group entered the caves and ended up in Lake Danu. They brought pots, pans, rise and chicken which ended up to be pinikpkan for lunch. For dishes we had talupac (banana stalk) and we kamet (ate with our fingers.) Many other stories come rushing in my mind whenever I remember Besao, where my forefathers came from.
Last May, the Siloken Clan gathered together in St James High School for the reunion. This was through the invitation of the host families led by Roman and Nelie Basilio as well as Modesto Daytec Gaab. So from Baguio together with Aiza and Jan Michael and cousins Lydia Andres and Balusdan we left on a Friday morning assembling in BSBT so that the scheduled 7:00 am became 8:00. Finally, going and taking stops taking photos at the highest point of the Philippine highway system; in Abatan for lunch and purchased vegetables, at the Mountain Province arc, in Sagada and finally Besao. Upon arrival, we went straight to the Municipal hall to settle taxes and other documentary needs before going down to Padangaan. It was a reunion of some sorts, as cousins came and we talk through the night.
The next day was the reunion and it was full of fun, food and stories. A whole bus came from Panabungen led by Aunty Mary the surviving child of the third generation of Siloken. I am considered a fourth generation and my niece Aiza a fifth generation of Siloken. Another jeepful came from Sagada, those who came from Agawa and the other villages arrived much earlier. People came from as far as Patiacan of Ilocos Sur. I do not know most of them, but many seem to know some and it was a time of tonton (trying to trace the families.) Upon arrival people went to the Reading center of the church for food or they went straight to the registration table.
The program started with all the preliminaries until the most important part of introducing the families. There were four siblings Coman, Mimitan, Damgasen and Lapeyas. So they flashed the family trees to show where the families can trace their roots. The biggest number of participants came from MIMITAN. They include the Balangayao-Langgomay; Sayen-Duday; Laayam –Manuel; Weygan- Engway; Weygan-Catimban. The other families were also presented. And yet in the Mimitan family alone, we do not all know each other so it was a lot of photos taken so we can bring home and see our relatives.
Other families includes the Koman-Tandangan; Damgasen-Attondi and Lapiyas-Lagman. Then it was too soon to end the program and we all went for lunch of pancit, pinikpkan and lots of rice and pork. We enjoyed fellowship meal together and time to catch up with each other before everyone went their way before the night falls. It was agreed the next year reunion would be in the farm of Col Ernest Gaab. My niece and nephew decided to go to Sagada and I trekked down to Padangaan for another type of reunion with cousins and kakaanakans.
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