Mano Po

Santacruzan
Bayanihan
Mano Po

When children or young people greet or say goodbye to their elders they typically do so by
taking the right hand of the elder with their right hand and touch the back the elder's hand
lightly on their forehead. This act is called Mano Po. It is a way to give respect to elders and I've
also understood it to be a way of accepting a blessing from the elder. Mano is spanish for 'hand'
while the word Po is often used at the end of a sentence when addressing elders or superiors.

My parents did not teach me to do mano po. Instead, I was instructed to always greet and say
goodbye to my elders with a kiss on the cheek. In fact, I still do this today and I am 36 years old!
At every family gathering I greet ALL my elders with a kiss and give them a kiss goodbye as well.
I think mano po and greeting elders with a kiss are two of the most popular filipino traditions.
Learn how to mano po.

Caroling

Caroling is a part of the Filipino Christmas tradition. Once the Dawn Mass known as "Misa de
Gallo" or "Simbang Gabi " starts, carolers will be on their feet singing Christmas carols from
house to house spreading the spirit of the season through songs.

Children like to form groups and enjoy hopping from one house to another every night singing
Jingle Bells, Silent Night and traditional Filipino Christmas songs like Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit,
Pasko Na Naman, at Namamasko.

They usually have handmade musical instruments like tambourine, made from bottle tops, cans
or biscuit tins used as drums. They will be happy if you give them a coin or if your feeling
generous a peso or more will make them sing another song for you.

And this is what they sing to thank you for your generosity... "Thank you, thank you, ang babait
ninyo ...thank you...."

Bayanihan

Bayanihan (pronounced as bah - yah - nee - han) is a Filipino term taken from the word bayan,
referring to a nation, town or community.

The whole term bayanihan refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular
objective.

The origin of the term bayanihan can be traced from a common tradition in Philippine towns
where community members volunteer to help a family move to a new place.

The process involves literally carrying the house to its new location.

This is done by putting bamboo poles forming a strong frame to lift the stilts from the ground
and carrying the whole house with the men positioned at the ends of each pole.

A mural by Filipino National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco and painting by Joselito E.
Barcelona illustrates the whole process.

The tradition also features a small fiesta hosted by the family to express gratitude to the
volunteers.
†One of the first groups to use the term is a world acclaimed dance group (Bayanihan Dance
Company) which travels different countries to perform the various traditional folk dances of the
country with the objective of promoting Philippine culture.

Today, the term bayanihan has evolved into many different meanings and incorporated as
codenames to projects which depict the spirit of cooperative effort involving a community of
members.

Examples of these projects are:

Bayanihan has also been adopted as a term to refer to a local civil effort to resolve national
issues.