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” […]
1994 Memoir – 4. A Better Home
Our second house was made of wood, with G.I. roofing instead of nipa roof, and bamboo walls, wooden floor instead of bamboo, and it had a place for bathing called BANGSAL. Later on it had a separate toilet, too, far from our house proper, inside our yard. In this new house we had a real […]
1994 Memoir – 3. Our Sleeping Time
We used petroleum lamps or candles at night to eat our supper, then went to sleep early under one large mosquito net or a wide buri (blanket-covered) mat. Father and my brother used one blanket while Mother and I used one blanket together. We slept on the bamboo floor. Before sleeping we prayed Our Father, […]
Story of My Life (1994) – Chapter Titles
Introduction Story Of My Life Our Sleeping Time A Better Home My Grandfather Gavino Bravo My Grandfather Eleuterio Sibayan (Terio) My Father Florencio Sibayan (Inciong) My Mother Victoriano Toyang (“Idot”) Raft Riding Down Abra River Mother’s Misfortune Mother’s Personality Orphan’s Song Pre School Life and Out-of-School Life Early Primitive Life Early School Experiences The School Teachers […]