Bansag

Giving an alias/title (bansag in bikol) to a person is an old practice in Albay. In Bacacay alone, there are many clans that are famous because of their bansag. Among them is the Bermundo clan whose bansag is 'Lago'. My mother belongs to this clan. 'Lago' is a term referring to a soon-to-rot coconut. They say that 'pakulaw' (malunggay with coconut milk) would taste bitter if the coconut used is “lago”. Bermundo also bears other bansag(s) such as “hugot” (monitor lizard) and agama (small crab). Fortunately, my mother eventually lost her bansag when she acquired my father's family name Baliza. They say that Baliza never had any bansag.

It’s funny how Bacacayanos address their fellows by their bansag. A mother asking her son to buy 'asin' (salt) for example would say, “Nonoy, bakal daw ki asin duman ka Mantika. Mantika (cooking oil) is the common bansag for Bellen clan. Also, a father asking his son to barrow their neighbor’s 'asadol' (hoe) would say, “Nonoy, sublia daw muna ka odo so asadol. Odo (stool) is another Bacacaynon bansag, although i dont exactly know from which clan it actually originated. Other famous bansag(s) in Bacacay include pusiw (a bird), aswang (monster), kuyog, lapit (penis), biriran (star fruit), bagol (coconut shell), tarok (farm), kobra (snake), ubod and a lot more.

Today, Bacacayanos have however come to realize that such aliases are embarrassing and even offensive. I remember my cousin, who belongs to lago clan complainingly asked “nata man daw panu ta nagtugot so mga ninuno tang bansagan ki lago!!!” (why did our ancestors let others call them lago) True, he really felt humiliated being called 'lago'.
How about you? What is your bansag?

Bacacay, The Land of Bs

Let me tell you this. My father’s name is Levi Baliza, his middle name is Basquiñas. My mother’s name (before marriage) is Rose Bermundo, her middle name is Bertumen. This is how I acquired my name – Ryan Bermundo Baliza.

I don’t know what to feel about this but let me tell you that in Bacacay alone there are three Ryan Baliza(s) presently in existence. I haven’t met the two but I learned about them when I went over a municipal record. I can forgive the thought that there are many Ryan(s) in this cookie cutter world, but the thing that I am also sharing ‘Baliza’ with other 2 Ryan(s) is no longer fun.

Forgive me for being mean about this matter, but I’m pretty sure you too wouldn’t love the idea to have duplicates by name. Every person strives to be in any way unique and that’s my whole point. (peace to all Ryan Baliza(s) everywhere)

Anyways, that’s not the thing I want to stress out in my post. If you’ve noticed, the family names that both my parents acquired start with letter ‘B’. And if you are a Bacacayano or at least a friend or relative of one, you have probably noticed that most Bacacayano family names start with letter ‘B’. Consider my friends’ family names - Belen, Bellen, Bibal, Barrameda, Base, Bustamante, Barnedo, Barcebal, Biescas, Baldon, Bermas, Bernarte, Balaguer, Ballatan, Bermillo, Belleza, Bercasio, Balmedina, Baraquiel, Bonto, Baron, Bibon, Banzagales, Balute, Binamira, Bas, Basmayor, and a lot more. Bacacay is indeed a land of Bs.

I recall my former college professors, during a roll call, they would ask me, “Are you from Bacacay? Then I would answer “Yes”. I knew it… It’s because my family name starts with letter ‘B’. It’s a puzzle to me why the letter B is too common to most Bacacayano family names as the first letter. It makes me wonder - how were these names formulated in the first place? And if these names were formulated by choice, what made our ancestors choose the letter B as the first letter?

You may find my questions funny and even think of me as stupid. It’s ok though. I just want to learn. So I if you have opinions, feel free to share them. Tnx!!!

A glance at the past

They say writers are more often than not motivated to write when they are sad. Perhaps this is true. I was able to come up with this blog out of sadness. I am keenly aware that it's a negative emotion but who cares - it gives me the drive to write. So here I go.

You are probably wondering why I am blogging about Bacacay. You might say there are so many stuff to write about, but why Bacacay? Here’s the full story .


I was born and raised in Bacacay. As a child, I had a joyous life in this humble place. It is where I experienced the many “FIRSTs” in life. I have spent almost 25 years in Bacacay with my big and happy family from whom I learned positive values that (I swear) one should acquire. My first playmates were my elder siblings. We used to play ‘tagu-taguan (hide and seek), darakupan, salgo, tumbang lata, ralabtikan, magdakop ki diwit (dragonfly catching) and things that the children of today no longer do because of the advent of computer games. I am into computer games now, but I must admit the games I used to play then were more liberating and enjoying.

I also acquired many first lessons in life in Bacacay with my parents as my teachers. I learned my first speech lesson when my mouth was able to speak “Mama’ for the first time. I learned my first Math lesson when my mom taught me how to count the fingers on my hand. I learned my first economic lesson when my father told me not to leave my food unfinished because he said many do not have anything on their table. I learned my first swimming lesson when my cousin taught me to hold my breath under the water. I learned how to fly kites when my elder brother made me one out of an old newspaper.

These many firsts in life have greatly shaped me into what I am now. My family and the place where I have spent most of my lifetime are of great influence in my being that they have left a deep mark in my heart.

It is just so sad however that I had to leave Bacacay and be away from my loved ones because of my work. Now, I am in the busy city of Manila working as a web content writer. Being detached from home is never easy. Now I understand the sacrifices and miseries of those working outside the country. Like me, they must be missing their home, too.

I know there are many Bacacayanos around the world and I sincerely dedicate this blog to them. With this blog, I hope to be able to make them feel they are home again. I want to make them smile and experience Bacacay once more because after all, THERE’s NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

Hence, to all my readers, join me as I embrace my home again. Feel free to visit my blog and help me share it to others who are missing their humble home, too – Bacacay.