Just like my father, Mother was a very strict disciplinarian. She would not spare a pinch on the siñgit (groin or inner part of the upper leg) if we did not behave. Very often it was on account of my constant fighting with Elix that we were punished. We were like cats and dogs. If […]
1994 Memoir – 10. Mother’s Misfortune
Mother brought to Vigan a lot of raw hides for tanning and got a sizable amount for them from relatives of Father who bought them for their slipper-making trade. She was no doubt very happy and was looking forward to a bigger business of buying and selling raw hides. But alas, her twenty peso bill […]
1994 Memoir – 9. Raft Riding Down Abra River
Before our trips to Vigan by raft, Mother would prepare food for the day-long trip, consisting of rice, tapa (dried meat), eggs, tomatoes and salt, wrapped in banana leaves. At sun break we rode a cart pulled by a cow from Bangued to Nagtalabongan, where we boarded a raft propelled by four oarsmen using bamboo […]
1994 Memoir – 7. My Father Florencio Sibayan (Inciong)
Tatang was a very industrious and religious man. He avoided trouble and continuously had a smile on his face. He was humble, simple, and loving. I never saw him pick a quarrel with my mother or with anybody. His advice to me and my brother was to avoid trouble and to run to our house […]
1994 Memoir – 6. My Grandfather Eleuterio Sibayan (Terio)
Lolo Terio was a very sturdy, tall, dark-tanned man. He used to meet us at the Abra River raft landing area to help us with our load of raw leather that Mother was bringing for him to tan. He carried me astride his shoulders as he waded in the knee-deep mud while his cart pulled […]
1994 Memoir – 5. My Grandfather Gavino Bravo and Grandmother Lucretia Bandayrel Bravo
My lolo looked very old. He was baldheaded, wrinkled, and bent. I asked one time how old he was and Mother said he is 60 and is “reservado,” one who does not work and need not pay any tax because of old age. Lolo smoked a lot, chewed “buyo” and was fond of drinking “basi” […]
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