Filipino houses are not just places to live in — they are the repository of the history, memories and identity of their residents.
A study by Dr. Raquel Florendo, professor from the College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines Diliman entitled “Accesorias of Sampaloc: A Social Construction of the Filipino Experience in the ‘Everyday’ Spaces of the Home” sought to determine the meanings Filipinos attach to their homes through the interpretation of their physical and symbolic attributes. “Home spaces” are the individual’s values, dispositions, behaviors and thoughts including one’s sense of comfort, security and ease associated with home.
The accessorias in District of Dapitan, Zone 470 in Manila served as the research site since it is a community that has maintained its rural ambiance emanating from generational context of homes built in 1930s as part of Manila’s suburban. The criteria for choices of the 20 sample homes were the following: built during the 1930s to the 1950s (pre war houses) and occupied by their original owner families. Tools for data collection used unstructured interviews in the form of conversations and “storytelling” with the members of the families who lived in the 20 homes.
Typical dwellings in Dapitan identified as “accessorias” units
HISTORY AND MEMORIES
Homes construct connections with the past. They serve as historical remnants which situate themselves in chronological time in Manila’s history. The accessorias are considered as sites to recover histories of individual families and communities like births, deaths, marriages, difficulties and success. Since the sense of family within the Dapitan community is very strong, the accessorias represent not only personal histories of the people but a generic spirit of place — the families of the accessorias chose to stay in the community not only for socio-economic reasons but because of their sense of belonging and attachment to the neighborhoods where they grew up in.
People recall vivid remembrances anchored on specific events and occasions that marked major changes in their lives. One of the residents narrated:
“Noong maliit pa kami, parang ang laki laki ng sala at maski yung bahay. Madalas kaming magtaguan sa ilalim ng tukador sa kwarto ng nanay at mesa sa comedor. Me isang pasko na sa gulo namin sa paglalaro nahulog yong kuya ko sa hagdanan. Diyan lumagpak sa baldosa. Mula noon di na kami pinayagan maghabulan sa loob ng bahay.”
“Kabisado ko na talaga yung bahay namin. Pare-pareho nga yun mga putol ng lupa dito pati na yung ayos ng mga bahay nakahilera, yung laki ng kuwarto halos isang sukat lang. Pag pumasok ka sa isang bahay, alam mo na yung ayos kasi parang yung pinapasukan mo bahay mo rin. Iba-iba nga lang yung pakiramdam, pero yung puwesto ng gamit halos pare-pareho.”
“Araw-araw na ginawa ng Diyos, iisa lang naman yung pinagkakaabalahn namin, siyempre yung pong araw-araw na galaw dito sa loob ng bahay. Ang bilis ng panahon, dati rati bata pa ako, tapos papasok sa eskuwela, kakain, maglalaba, uuwi, magpapahinga, tutulog. Ngayon yung mga apo ko na ang inaasikaso ko ganun pa rin yung takbo ng buhay namin. Naiiba lang kapag me okasyon, gaya ng Pasko, fiesta o meron pera para makaraos ng birthday.”
HOME AND IDENTITY
Homes construct personal notions and identity of oneself. “The way people decorate as well as live in their homes is reflective of a very important component of themselves which links them to who they are particularly, their sense of family and sense of self. It anchors them to their self worth,” Dr. Florendo said. Decorative objects are special to the Filipino because they are related to experiences with the family, events special to them, achievements, and their faced challenges. These objects serve as concrete symbols of the past, present and future goals and aspirations. For the Filipino, the meaning of his private life is closely rooted to the decorations in his home linking him to who he is and where he belongs.
“Alam mo sa bawat sulok ng bahay, ang dami kong naalala. Mula sa pinto ng bahay namin, pati yong mga pre-war na rehas na yan para bang natuon na sa akin yung itsura. Kahit nakapikit pa ang mga mata ko nakakagalaw ako dito nang hindi nababangga. Gaya ng tabla na yan sa hagdanan, Alam mo ba itong sugat ko sa tuhod diyan galing. Siguro mga limang taon lang ako noon noong mahulog ako diyan.” - shared by one of the residents
Another resident recounts the significance of the Dama de Noche plant in their backyard:
The old vine that has grown to the third level of the dwelling since the 1940s
“Mga pitong taon pa lang ako noon, teka nga tama ba? Oo, birthday ni nanay yon. January three, kasi pagbirthday niya, halaman sigurado ang binibili niya sa me Quiapo, nasa lata ng Darigold. Yan yung Dama de Noche namin diyan sa kanto ng bahay. Ang bango-bango pa rin kapag hitik sa bulaklak. Yan ang remembrance ni nanay sa amin hanggang ngayon.”
Dr. Florendo recommends that the old districts have to be maintained because they are the repositories of the culture of the place and aspects of Filipino identity. She is planning to publish her dissertation as a book and eventually initiate community-based programs so homeowners can realize the significance of their homes as maintenance systems of culture and strengthen their sense of belonging to their community.
A prewar collections of vases
Slippers left on the stairway as it has always been done
Random placement of decorations
The family garden that existed since the 1930s
Ang “banggerahan” still in use
A mix-match placement of some personal markings
Precious family photographs
By Gracious Romero
