The term “pagpag” is so far the most known Filipino superstition during wakes. Meaning to “shake off”. The local term resembles the belief that the deceased may follow the visitors of its wake at their respective houses.
We also have a superstition known as Pagpag, the shaking off the dust and dirt from the burial. This is done by going to eat with other mourners at a restaurant instead of going directly home. This keeps us from bringing the dust of death back home as well as the spirit of the dead.
Don't bring any food home from the funeral
It's believed that leaving food behind will keep the dead satisfied and full with the food at the funeral home. If you take food home with you, it either means that you'll be bringing bad luck into your household or that the dead will follow you home.
Pagpag is the practice of taking the time to go somewhere else after visiting a wake instead of directly going home. It is done as a way to confuse the spirits and to avoid having them follow you home.
A flower blooms not just to signify life but also to give reverence to the person who die. Giving flowers to the dead is a norm in any country. People send flowers either for the dead or to the family and friends of the departed to give their sympathy and grief.
Death is a significant event in Filipino culture, and everyone the person has known throughout their life is likely to show up to pay their respects. Filipinos who practice Catholicism will say a rosary for nine days after the death of a loved one.
Wreaths, sprays, and bouquets of roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, and lilies are some of the most commonly requested funeral flower arrangements in the Philippines.
Pagpag is an essential survival food in the poorest slums of Metro Manila. No matter if it is already spoiled, the empty stomach will still appreciate it. In fact, many scavengers consider pagpag as comfort food, much better than the gulay at asin they are accustomed to eat everyday.
Pagpag is the local term for these leftovers found in the mounds of garbage and disposal sites in the Philippines. It is a quintessential staple for the poorest of the poor and is not only a means to nourish and sustain but has become trade and livelihood for those who dare capitalize on it.
Despite a rigorous self-disciplined process of repeated cleansing and deep-frying, consuming Pagpag remains a critically dangerous and nutritionally insufficient practice. Consequentially, it is widely banned in the Philippines, in what can only be construed as simply missing the point.
The worst things to say at a funeral
Don't tell friends or family members who are grieving that their loved one has gone to a better place. Never call the death a blessing or speculate that it was that person's time. Avoid saying anything that suggests that the loss of the loved one is a positive thing.
A funeral reception luncheon, or funeral repast, is a gathering for a meal after the funeral service. The person who hosts the luncheon will decide with the family to hold the event at a restaurant, banquet hall, or someone's home.
Listen. Share. It is traditional to knock upon the coffin of the deceased, symbolizing, I've come to visit for one last time. Thank you, Manasi Diwakar.
After the funeral the people are invited to the deceased's home for the funeral meal. Many people follow a cleansing ritual at the gate of the house, where everyone must wash off the dust of the graveyard before entering the house.
At Chinese funerals, the food offering symbolically provides food to the new spirit for a well-nourished journey. Often, the food includes a pig head, chickens, bowls of rice, and fruit. The food offering is set up in front of the casket.
After a death, the family will hold a wake for up to seven days in honor of their loved one. The person who died will be placed in a coffin and either kept at home or transported to a funeral home. The coffin is elaborately adorned with flowers and lights, and family and friends are encouraged to sign a guest book.
It has been a socially acceptable as a survival food for the poor in Metro Manila, to cope to their harsh living conditions, they buy “Pagpag” and which are washed, cooked and sold to others to earn some living because it is their source of income so that they can cover their daily expenses.
A priest blesses the deceased to ensure safe passage to heaven. The lamay, or wake, lasts three to seven days. The funeral procession takes place on foot in smaller towns and a hearse takes the deceased to the church. The mass takes place at the church and the body is buried at a gravesite.
The film's subtitle, Siyam Na Buhay, represents the nine Filipino beliefs that are associated with deaths and funerals. They are observed to this very day by most Filipinos because it is believed that sinister deaths await anyone who violates and disrespects these ancient practices.
Celebrations. Christmas is one of the most loved celebration by Filipinos. Families and relatives gather on the 24th of December, to celebrate food prepared for “Noche Buena,” a Spanish term which means “midnight meal” to greet Christmas Day. New Year is another celebration that gathers the Filipino families.
One of the best Filipino dishes for the cold weather is Arroz Caldo, a comforting rice soup with chicken, ginger, and garlic. The ginger and garlic help to fight off sicknesses like the cold and flu, while the rice provides much-needed carbs and energy to keep you going during stormy days.
Mourning. While it is customary to wear dark clothes to the funeral, many Filipino families will choose to continue to wear black to demonstrate their grief. They may wear all black, tie a black ribbon around their arm, or wear a black pin to symbolize their mourning.
Flowers are the best messengers of all time. You can choose from the flowers like white lilies, roses, carnations, tuberoses etc to show your grief for the family. A wreath will be the best gift that you can give to the parted soul for the burial ceremony.
First, think of the funeral flowers – which is mostly white. White is the most common color to wear for a funeral in the Philippines, other than black.