Bulakenyo's Mannerisms

By: Ryza Mae P. Angeles

Are you amazed by those stunning cultural traditions, crafts, and traditions here in Bulacan? Well, you will experience it again here in this section where we will talk about common manners in Bulacan that are also known in other places, and that will leave you with deep knowledge about our province.

These well-known actions and gestures will show our province’s mannerisms, and I am sure that you can relate to them!

USING LIPS TO POINT OUT

The first thing on our list is the action we do with our lips to show direction or to point to an object. It is convenient to use because sometimes, when we can’t use our hands to point at something, we can just use our lips to point at an object hassle-free.

‘PAGMAMANO’ TO OLDER PEOPLE

The pagmamano is a hand gesture to honor and show respect to older people. It is like hand-kissing, but instead of kissing the hand, we nod our heads gently and put the elder's hand on our forehead.

‘PO’ AND ‘OPO’ TO OLDER PEOPLE

The words' po 'and' opo 'are also a way of honoring and respecting an elder or someone that they respect. For example, when talking to an elderly person’s questions, always include ‘po’ and ‘opo’ so that he/she can know that you respect him/her.

CALLING YOUR OLDER SIBLING "KUYA" or "ATE"

If you have siblings, you might hear these words from your younger sibling or you might call your older sibling "ate" if it is a girl or "kuya" if it is a boy. But, take note that you can also use this to show respect to anyone older than you but not an adult.

USING ‘TITA’ AND ‘TITO’

These words are used to address someone who is older than you but is an adult, and those words are also used to refer to your friends’ parents. Just like the purpose of the three above, it is used to show respect.

BEFORE ENTERING THE HOUSE, REMOVE SLIPPERS AND SHOES

This mannerism is generally a tradition in Asia to keep our home’s floor clean, keep the germs away, and some also believe that removing shoes before entering the house will also prevent ‘bad-luck’ from coming.

USING ‘KWAN’

The word "kwan" is used to refer to an object or thing that is forgotten in a moment, and it doesn’t have a direct English translation. It is a word that is common in dialects like Bisaya and Cebuano, but it is also used here in the province of Bulacan.

These listed traditions in our province are surely relatable and are often seen. Bulacan is not only rich in arts and crafts but also in showing proper manners, respect, and pleasing attitudes to honor. We, Bulakenyos, are not only creative but also kind. Visit our province to see what other things we've got!