Sammy's Comments...
What a vivid recollection of your grandma's last days on this earth. It perfectly describes our old traditions and customs on how we treat our dead during their wake. As time passed by, some changes came but some old ways were retained. Portable coin-operated karaoke machines are now being used by local enterpreneurs to boost their income. If you feel like singing, you have to insert 5 pesos worth of coins in order for you to show your talent in singing. Some just do it for fun. That's how our local folks now, compared before when they were still timid and shy. I am not so sure, but my understanding is that, they ( the machine owner and the dead's family) split whatever the gross income is.
During the last night (big night), aside from many card tables playing tong-its, pusoy, lucky nine etc. , local band or singers from neighboring towns are hired for a "mini concert". Intermission numbers are reindered by local folks. As usual there is always the "pakape" or free coffee. only this time it is served with " sopas" (macaroni soup). One thing remained constant and unchanged is our strong and family solidarity during this times of sorrow.
---Sammy
My, my..times are a changin'..My buddy Ben Soloria also mentioned to me in an old e-mail ( which I was not able to retrieve from the AOL archives ) that some funeral coaches now are Mercedes, BMWs etc..Well, some Filipinos are affluent and if they can afford it, why not? I think not every one can afford this kind of funeral though...
--vic
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