ALORAN, a perspective FUNERAL

Many Aloranons of today don't have memory of what a funeral was like in the old days. What we see these days is St Peter or Gamalinda or some smaller funeral homes 'purlon' carry the dead, home or the funeral home where the dead is in state, to church then church to cemetery. From the church to cemetery or for the well-off ones, to a memorial park, is a long line of SUVs, compact cars of varying make and model, tricycles and motor bikes. Very few walk. There may be more vehicles in the procession than there were who walk back then. When the dead is finally laid to rest, snacks and fruit juice or soda or water, or packed lunch are distributed. I was visiting the cemetery one afternoon after a long while, I witnessed commotion right at the gate when I was about to exit. I was handed a packed lunch and a bottle of water. That is how I was introduced to the trend. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, before the dead is taken to church, lunch is served at the residence. This is where the Minagsoon, if the person is a member of one, comes to the scene. They prepare the food and manage its orderly distribution. When done, the dead is placed in a decorated 'caro', pushed by neighbours to church, followed by the musikeros, family, friends and neighbours. How frequent the musikeros blow their pipes and beat the drums on the way to church and cemetery, depends on how they were fed and how much they are paid. It's just sheer economics. It should be noted that the use of 'caro' entails cost, though minimal, it's out-of-reach to some, not to mention musikeros' fee. So, it was a common sight, the dead in a coffin carried on the shoulder by friends and neighbours, usually from villages kilometres away to their church and finally to the cemetery. Without musikeros, they passed by sadly unnoticed.