Kalag-Kalag 2020

  What is kalag-kalag ?  Kalag-kalag is the collective Bisaya term for the October 31st, November 1st and November 2nd dates for the follow...

 

What is kalag-kalag?  Kalag-kalag is the collective Bisaya term for the October 31st, November 1st and November 2nd dates for the following reasons:

October 31st -  Halloween Night

November 1st - All Saint's Day

November 2nd - All Soul's Day

During these days, people are given a special holiday by their employers in order for them to be able to visit their dear departed at the cemeteries.  There are two types of cemeteries in the Philippines:  a) public, for the not so financially well-off;  most public cemeteries are crowded,  coming here is like being in a maze.  It is quite difficult to locate some graves especially if you seldom visit.  

from the holyshepherd

And just quite the opposite to it, the private cemeteries, where the well-off/elite are buried.  The dead are housed in like another house.  Sometimes they contain also the stuff of the person that passed away.  And during occasions that the family can come together, they  hold like a mini-party here.  This is called a mausoleum or in Bisaya, musoliyo. 

  

from abs-cbn

Musoliyo kini sa mga adunahan.  

It is really a festive occasion.  Before the Covid-19 struck the world, people look forward to this holiday.  This is one of the most awaited holidays,  just like Christmas, New Year's and the Holy Week.   If this falls on a Friday, it will be a long weekend.  Therefore good for tourism and local economy.  

This year, many things needed to be adjusted.  Families will have to skip the mini-reunions and get-togethers that usually happen at the grave as relatives arrive one by one to bring flowers and light candles on the grave.  

Lately, cremation became a trend instead of burying the dead.  People find it more convenient to visit columbaries.  It is more expensive than the traditional burial method.   So naturally, many columbaries have been established and most churches have opened a columbary at their premises.  

Some vocabularies you may hear/use:

kalag - soul

kandila - candle

mga buwak - flowers

mintiryo - cemetery

lungon - coffin

lubnganan - grave

patay - dead

Hopefully, Kalag-Kalag 2021 will be an improvement.