Filipino Building Beliefs and How They Influenced Architecture Norma |. Alarcon Abstract Filipinos are a deeply religious people. Many past events of his- torical interest attest to the significant role of religion in their everyday life. Early Filipinos were animists who believed in the existence of a supreme being whom the Tagalogs referred to as Bathala. The Mocanos call him Kabunyan and he is called Laon or Aba by the Bisayas. This animism was further strengthened by the early migrants from Island Southeast Asia who were themselves ani- mists. Like them, our ancestors worshipped the sun (the source of life and energy), the birds, the trees, the mountains and the hills, and the rivers, brooks, and lakes. The early religious worship included the veneration of the spirits and the ancestors. The early Filipinos believed in the cult of the dead and, in addition, the cult of the spirits. They also believed in the offering of sacrifices to appease their gods. In the absence of temples, sacrifices and the accompanying rituals took place in their own homes, at sea or the rivers, or sometimes in the mountains and open fields. Our forefathers believed in the underworld where creatures that can cause unexplainable misery lived. However, there were also powerful talisman or agimat that were used against these creatures. Moreover, Filipinos had beliefs that normally guided their way of life. With these beliefs, they devised means to coun- teract the consequences and effects that might befall them in some extreme cases. These beliefs persisted even with the intro-260. The Journal of History - Volume L Numbers 1 ~ 4 - January - December 2004 duction of Christianity, which was coupled with new expres- sions and things associated with the new faith, Folk Christianity was born out of the weaving of Christianity and traditional folk beliefs. In the mid-1980s, the Chinese feng shui (literally wind and water) found its way in the country, particularly in building con- struction. Today, the consideration of traditional building beliefs that often preceded a construction seemed to have been lost and forgotten. This paper would like to recollect on these various superstitious beliefs and how they influenced house architecture before the feng shui era. These will include the site selection procedure, the months, days and seasons for building a house, the rituals before starting construction, and the beliefs and their attendant consequences of good health and family life, as well as protection from evil spirits. Introduction One interesting aspect of Filipino culture is religion. Though it is claimed that the Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia, the religion is multi-faceted, with pre—colonial traditions and beliefs com- bined with the Christian faith. These beliefs have found their way even in architecture and construction which have guided generations of architects. In mid-1980, feng shui found its way into the Philip- pines. Architects, especially in urban areas, slowly broke away from some traditional beliefs and started consulting geomancers in Bud- dhist temples found in the country. Feng shui involves the two power- ful forces of nature: wind and water. The interaction of these two forces creates the size and shape, direction and levels of the earth's topography in both earth forms and water forms. Feng shui is a Chi- nese mystical practice “that blends ancient wisdom with cultural tra- dition, a body of knowledge that lays down guidelines for life’s differ- ent situations” (Too 1996). With the dragon as the principal symbol, the practice of feng shui is categorized into the use of form (the dragon’s presence in a site) and the compass (the most popular of which is the pa kua). Both categories are affected by the five elements: water, fire, earth, wood, and metal. The formula is constant with expected re- sults in varying degrees. Feng shui, therefore, is all about utilizingAlarcon | Filipino Building Beliefs and Architecture 261 vital energies (the dragon’s cosmic breath or chi), particularly those that may be propitious and positive rather than destructive and men- acing. On the other hand, Philippine traditional beliefs in architecture and construction involve personal attitude with unseen forces. This is founded in our forefather's ancestral worship and the cult of the spir- its. Branded as “superstitious beliefs,” these are rooted in animism wherein the early Filipinos venerated the sun, animals, vegetation, and other numerous landforms and water forms. The offering of sac- rifices for the appeasement of the gods and the spirits was performed in their own homes, on the seas and the rivers, or sometimes in the mountains and open fields. There were no temples for such rituals. Besides the spirits (anitos and managales), there were under- world creatures which the early Filipinos had to contend with as they were perceived to cause unexplainable misery. The Filipinos were often guided by numerous beliefs, which in extreme cases ex- plain why they resort to certain devices to counteract malevolent happenings that befall them. Despite the introduction of Christian- ity and later, modernism, Filipinos held on to traditions. Inevita- bly, there was the mingling of the traditional with new expressions and things associated with the new faith: Sunday masses, novenas and vespers, processions, rosary beads, religious icons, scapulars, and the like. In construction and architecture, the latter items were preserved as a protective device for the family and to maintain peace and prosperity in the household. Indigenous Building Beliefs The Philippines has diverse groups of indigenous tribes who were mostly nomadic and had little art to speak of. They lived in a commu- nity that normally resorted to swidden or slash-and-burn agricul- tural environment or lived along bodies of water for practical rea- sons, like food and convenience in travel. Thus, houses were not built permanently and were usually made of light materials like nipa and bamboo. This community environment allowed them to build tem- porary houses.262 The Journal of History « Volume L Numbers 1 — 4. January - December 2004 Each demographic grouping was guided by its own particular custom thus, what was effective to one tribal group might be ineffec- tive to another. Moreover, because of constant communal reloca- tions and unexplainable experiences they encountered that conse- quently caused negative effects, variant rituals and consultations with the spirits were performed. This paper is limited to the study of the customs and traditions the early people had to observe in house con- struction: the choice of site, the period for house building, and the things to watch closely during actual construction. Choice of Site Notall sites for house building can be auspicious. In feng shui, the orientation and the form of the terrain determine the site of the dwell- ing. This aspect of the feng shui could be easily determined since this process is more visual. In the Filipino tradition, however, the process of knowing if the chosen place is favorable is difficult since one has to contend with unseen spirits who have to be consulted. In order to ensure the good health and protection of the household, the prospec- tive house builder confers with the babaylan who performs the ritual of selecting the site, followed by food offering to the good and evil spirits that dwell in the chosen location. In Bukidnon, dressed and unsalted chicken and tuba (a drink from coconut sash), or in some cases, tobacco rolls and tilad or nganga (betel nut with lime) were the customary offerings to the spirits. Another way of finding out if the spirits consent to the building of the house was to observe the behavior of animals. When a carabao that was tied in the middle of the site became restless, the site was deemed inauspicious for building the family house. However, when the carabao laid on its side, this indicated that the spirits would allow the construction on the chosen site. In Quezon, the family was ad- vised to move to another site when insects were found in a basin of clean water left overnight in the lot. The Bukidnons, on the other hand, saw to it that no balete, kanaway, and bago trees grew on the site. They believed that these trees were inhabited by the taglogar or engkanto. Among theAlarcon | Filipino Building Beliefs and Architecture 263 Manobos, certain omens, dreams, and oracles were considered in selecting the site for the house while the Tausugs consulted either the imam or the panday (the carpenter), For the Tausug, the site must be as strong as the human body so that the lot should either be a flat, dry, level land (datag) or a flat land sloping towards the west facing Mecca (sadlupan). In some parts of Batangas, house building rituals are still prac- ticed. A stick, measuring an arm’s length found in the prospective site is thrown some distance away. After prayers are invoked, the stick is picked up and measured again. If the stick has lengthened it is an indication that the lot is a good site for the house to be con- structed. In the Ilokos, the father, at the fading of daylight, kneels in prayer at the site where the house is to be built. After praying, an improvised cross whose arms are not permanently fastened is planted and left overnight. The next day, when the cross’ arms are either tilted or bent, bad luck forebodes, and worst, when the cross is uprooted and laid on the ground, death may occur. When either of the two hap- pens, the site is abandoned. Period for House Building After acquiring the spirits’ approval, the family selects the ap- propriate time to build their house. Certain periods of the year have to be observed: the month, the day of the week, and the time of the day. The Tausugs, for example, consider particular months in the Tausug calendar. Al-Hadj is the time of pilgrimage to Mecca. This period brings the prospect of being able to travel to Mecca and eventually become a hadji, a person of religious and social prestige. Julkayida is the period that will allow the owner to have a bountiful livestock and harvest as well as financial success. Jumadil Auwal is another period that assures the owner the proper time to approach friends and relatives on matters of finance and family concern. After the month has been selected, the Tausugs choose from the following five lucky days: second, eighth, fourteenth, eighteenth, and twenty- second with the second day, as the best to start the construction. It264 The Journal of History « Volume L Numbers 1 ~ 4+ January ~ December 2004 was believed that this day corresponds to the water element, a cool- ing agent that provides comfort and luck to the house and its dwell- ers. For the Hiligaynons, an almanac consisting of dates, months, lunar cycles, high and low water tides, and other events is con- sulted. The almanac indicates the position of the bakunawa, a huge snake with supernatural powers living elsewhere. According to the almanac, the position of the bakunawa changes every quarter of the year in a counter-clockwise motion, so that from January to March the bakunawa faces the north with its tail towards the south; from April to May it faces the west; from July to September to- wards the north; and from October to December towards the east. Based on this configuration, the Hiligaynons consider March as the worst month while September brings unemployment, suffer- ing, and prolonged ailment. October and November are months of fear, fright, and death. The rest of the months would give the owner good fortune, friends who will help him achieve success and prosperity, honor and power in the community, and even travel opportunities. The Tausugs are very particular with the time of the day when construction should start since this also dictates the good luck of the house owners. The best time to start work is between 5:30-6:00 a.m. or at 1:00-3:00 p.m, while the unlucky time is between 7:00-9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Customs and Traditions in Construction The family stays vigilant while the house is under construction. They watch closely for signs that may cause negative consequences to the household. For this reason, the house owner takes necessary pre- cautions in ensuring that nothing happens while the house is under construction. Consequently, when construction is about to begin, the Manobos are cautious when a worker sneezes while on his way to the construction site or when the turtle’s voice is heard, or further still, when the mating season of the doves starts. When any of these take place, the work has to be postponed or a new site has to be con-Alarcon | Filipino Building Beliefs and Architecture 265 sidered. When construction has to proceed, a ritual consisting of in- vocations to the family deity and sacrificial offering of betel nut and chicken is done. The Manobos see to it that the color of the chicken is pleasing to the deities. If it is, blood is poured at the base of the first post, the roof, and the flooring. Immediately thereafter, a second sacrifice of blood pouring is performed on the center of the floor, on all other posts and on the intended position of the doorway to ensure the protection of the family. To ensure that that the house is strong even against the harshest weather, the Tausugs believe that house building should be patterned after the way the child develops in its mother’s womb. Believing that the navel is the first to appear in the development of the fetus, the central post (pipul) is erected first, followed by the southeast post (right hip or “pigi”) and northwest post (left shoulder or “agaba”), the southwest post (left hip or “pigi”) and northeast post (right shoulder or “agaba”), the west post and east post (left and right ribs or“gusuk”), the north post (neck or “liug”), and, finally the south post (groin or “hita”). Before the first post is erected, a ceremony called habuli pipul is performed to ensure good fortune for the homeowner. A small piece of an expensive cloth and a handful of unhusked rice are placed at the bottom of the pit of the first posthole. Another ceremony, gantung (known as the ‘hanging one’) takes place when the house's flooring is being laid out. Here an earthen pot, the anglit lupa, is tied to the top of the center post underneath the flooring and the other end of the rope tied to a nearby rock or tree. This link symbolizes the connection of the child’s umbilical cord to his/her mother’s navel. Symbolizing strength, this ensures that the house will not be destroyed easily. Fi- nally, to ensure the financial prosperity and comfort of the house- hold, a second gantung ceremony takes place before the family occu- pies the newly-built house. Two glass jars or bottles, filled to the brim with unhusked rice, and another with clean, fresh water, are tightly sealed and tied together, then made to hang from the top of the kingpost underneath the roof. The Yakans are wary of signs that signify death. They see to it that the site is clean before excavation for the first posthole starts.266 The Journal of History - Volume L Numbers 1 - 4+ January — December 2004 While digging for the postholes, they observe the presence of either white ants, a symbol of abundance as it is associated with white rice; or worms, a symbol of death because it is associated with corpses. In the event that during excavation they find a hole beneath the pit they are digging, extra effort has to be made in finding a second hole. If the hole leads to either the east or the west, it would be a precursor of death in the family. Another ritual which the Yakans carry out involves the participation of the whole family. Balls of soil are placed around the posthole and are left overnight. If any one of these is found to have fallen into the pit, a new site has to be consid- ered. To mitigate the negative effects that might befall the Yakan house- hold, the presence of elements to symbolize life are laid like putting two doors towards the rising sun, having an odd number of rooms and stair steps, and using only a few small windows to avoid the entry of evil spirits. Moreover, to avoid death in the family, crooked wood and posts with holes are not used while cracks in the wood are pared off to prevent difficulty during illness among members of the family. In addition, for the husband to outlive his wife, aside from his sleeping on the east side of the bed, the house is made to face the east as well. The Iokanos, on the other hand, see to it that the notches in the sawn logs which resemble the devil’s eyes are smoothened out. More- over, when the house is being constructed, the carpenters avoid stand- ing under the shadow cast by posts in order to avoid death or sick- ness. For unknown reasons, children are not allowed to go near the building site while the flooring is being laid out. Should this happen, the house has to be reconstructed. Philippine Architecture in the 21* Century Building beliefs and traditions have not been totally discarded in the practice of architecture in the Philippines despite globalization and the emergence of modern high technology. Though today’s ar- chitects no longer perform the old traditional rituals, some choose to adhere to old practices simply to appease the anxious homeowner.Alarcon | Filipino Building Beliefs and Architecture 267 These methods vary according to the interpretation of both the ar- chitect and the owner. For instance, a simple offering of fruit placed ona makeshift altar at the center of the lot is made for three to seven consecutive days. The appearance of the new moon is deemed the best time to start construction. Pouring of pig or chicken blood (padugo in the vernacular) is still done to ensure the protection of the family from malevolent spirits. Pouring of concrete on the first post hole and the laying out of the first wall require the presence of the head of the family (to make certain that the house will stay strong for a long time). For prosperity and protection from evil spirits, the placing of coins and religious medals is still customary. These practices, though superficial, are significant expressions to augur prosperity and, per- haps, to some degree, peace of mind of the family. However, there are superfluous beliefs that defy logic. For ex- ample, constructions during months with the letter “r’, like Enero, Febrero, Marso, etc. have to be avoided to ensure that no harm will happen to the family. However, for practical reasons, these are the best months to build houses due to good weather conditions. The position of the stairs and the number of steps are priorities in the list of simple do’s and don'ts in architecture. The steps should not be in odd numbers following the sequence of oro, plata, mata. In addition, the stairs should not be in a position where the household members have to pass under it. However, in most instances, since space is lim- ited, the space beneath the stairs has to be utilized. How does an architect contend with this situation? This is where his/her design ability is tested. ‘The location of the toilet may also influence the design of a house. It should not be located in a site that will affect the prosperity of the family. Logical design dictates that the toilet must be in an incon- spicuous location. However, in instances where the toilet and the stairs meet, because of space limitation, the best solution would be to avoid the downward direction of the stairs meeting the toilet door. Wealth and prosperity being flushed down the toilet is the worst situation that can happen to a family. Furthermore, the position of the bed- room doors and the main door, including the windows, are also im- portant elements to consider to avoid illness and death in the family.268 The Journal of History» Volume L Numbers 1 — 4+ January — December 2004 On the other hand, the high cost of real estate and construction has shaped modern designs. Vertical and horizontal utilization of spaces are necessary to avoid dead areas. It would take great creativ- ity on the part of the architect to avoid defiance of prevailing building beliefs. The ingenuity of the Filipino architect has enabled him to combine these traditions without sacrificing the efficiency of the plan. Architecture and building construction technology have taken giant steps on the road to globalization. Towards the end of the 20" century, a new custom {as far as the Philippines is concerned) has entered the architectural realm in the country — feng shui. Filipino architects easily assimilated and adapted this Chinese practice, even- tually producing a hybrid Filipino architecture. Geomancers, not the traditional babaylan, are consulted. Considered a science, the in- genious Filipino architect applies feng shui to enhance what has al- ready been traditionally acceptable. Today’s Filipino architecture, therefore, is a fusion of the modern and the traditional, a beautiful blending of high technology and in- digenous custom. It is a mechanism that can protect our nation’s rich heritage and cultural identity against the homogenizing effect of glo- balization. In the ultimate desire to achieve protection, peace and prosperity, we have combined mysticism and customary beliefs blended with creativeness and functional design. This has resulted in the production of an enriched work of art — Filipino architecture. References Andrés, Tomas D. and Pilar B. Ilada-Andrés. 1987. Understanding the Filipino. Quezon City: New Day Publishers. Dacanay, Julian E. Jr. 1988. Ethnic Houses and Philippine Artistic Ex- pression, Manila: One Man Show Studio. Lardizabal, Amparo. 1970. Readings on Philippine Cultural and Social Life. Manila: Rex Book Store.Alarcon | Filipino Building Beliefs and Architecture 269 Manahan, Geronimo and Erlinda Tan, 1982. “Building Beliefs.” Paper presented during the Building and Housing Conference in 'To- kyo, May 1982. Salvan, George $. 1986. Architectural Theories of Design. Quezon City: JMC Press Inc. ‘Too, Lillian. 1996. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui. Hong Kong: Barnes & Nobles, Inc. Zarate, Ernesto R. 2000. Oro, Plata, Mata! Filipino Building Beliefs. Manila: National Commission for Culture and the Arts.