Got a little nostalgic while weeding so early this morning. I have to harvest the young sweet potato vines for our sinigang. It’s just a small patch, a square meter space adjacent to my growing guava tree.
I remember those days when my oldest brother and I were in grade school in the province and my two younger brothers were here in Manila with Dad and Mom. We grew up in the province with my maternal grandmother until we transferred here in Manila when we were in high school. I loved our previous house, it was built on stilts with weaved buho bamboo for sidings and capiz windows. It has a thatched roof which my dad changes every four or five years I think with the help of some of our neighbors. It is usually done during the summer months and when the water reed is dry enough for arranging into mini batches then attached to long bamboo poles. Back then, bayanihan was the trend in our province. You invite neighbors to help for the day’s job but they don’t accept payment except for free lunch and snacks.
Our dining chairs were made of two long wood benches on each side of the table and two chairs at each end. It sits ten people. What I remember clearly was this very low table in our kitchen which we called dulang. It’s an Indian style seating but I loved it. I used to see furnitures like those in some Korean telenovelas.
Given the style and designs of houses nowadays, it is quite impractical to have a dulang in your kitchen because it eats a lot of space. During those days though, they were used in so many homes in the province. I remember only using the dining table when we had guests.
We also had what we called banggera, an open shelf used for those plates and drinking glasses with a large drinking pot with a faucet. The large pot was was made of clay. It lets the water cool throughout the day.
I’m dreaming of having a small nipa hut besides our house in the province and with vegetables and ornamentals growing there. My brother who is an architect said it could be done but wood building materials are more expensive. I said only the comfort room and the kitchen will be made in concrete while the rest would be made of bamboo. Actually, there are now so many small/miniature huts which one could place in a garden but they don’t have the amenities of a bedroom, restroom and kitchen.
My mind wanders.
It was fun wandering with you.
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Hi Anne, thanks🥰
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Evocative memories
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Yes…thanks Derrick!
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Enjoying those random memories, Arlene. I can visualise the house. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks Pete✌☺
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I like to a dulang in my house where I can play cards in a lazy afternoon.
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Thank you.
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I grew up having our meals at a picnic table, two long benches with chairs at either end for my parents. Very similar idea as the one you used. I loved learning more about your childhood home.
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Thank you so much Elizabeth. Those were the days.
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