When Seasians hear the name Philippines, Seasians might immediately think of the beautiful beaches of Boracay or the Chocolate Hills in Bohol that are popular on Instagram. However, did Seasians know that the Philippines also has unique traditions that cannot be found in other countries?
The tradition of moving the house intact when moving is not only found in the Bugis community in South Sulawesi, Indonesia (Mappalette Bola). The Philippines also has a similar custom.
In the Philippines, the tradition of moving a house in its entirety during a move is known as bayanihan. The term comes from the word "bayan" which means city, country, or community. Bayanihan reflects the spirit of mutual cooperation and teamwork in a community to achieve a common goal.
The bayanihan tradition is generally carried out by villagers when they are about to move their house to a new location. The reason for this move is usually to avoid the risk of disasters such as floods or landslides. However, there are quite a few people who do it for simple reasons, such as the desire to move house to a better environment.
Process and Togetherness in the Bayanihan Tradition
Although it looks labor-intensive, the traditional Filipino house called bahay-kubo can be moved by lifting it using wooden poles. This house is not too heavy because it is generally made of light materials such as bamboo and nipah leaves.
Usually, the process of lifting the house is done by the men in the village. After the house is successfully moved, the residents hold a small gathering as a form of celebration and a place to socialize.
The bayanihan spirit reflects the Filipino concept of helping others without expecting anything in return. Filipinos believe that they should help their fellow citizens (kababayan) according to their abilities.
The Evolution of the Bayanihan Tradition
Bayanihan | Wikimedia Commons/Bonvallite
The bayanihan tradition is now increasingly rare. One of the reasons is because modern houses are made of concrete so they cannot be moved easily. Despite this, some residents in rural areas are still moving their houses with the help of local people.
The bayanihan tradition is now not only limited to moving houses when moving. Its meaning has developed, becoming a symbol of togetherness in activities such as fundraising.
In the bayanihan festival, residents build houses from natural materials such as coconut leaves and wood. The house is then moved 1 to 5 kilometers as part of the event. This activity is a special attraction for tourists, because the funds collected from the festival are used to help victims of natural disasters.
The bayanihan spirit is also reflected in the strikes of overseas Filipino migrant workers in the U.S. states of Hawaii and California in 1920s and in the People Power Revolution of 1986 against the authoritarian government of Ferdinand Marcos. This value shows how Filipinos share their strength, skills, and knowledge to achieve common progress, especially in difficult times.
Bayanihan shows the spirit of togetherness that is deeply embedded in the lives of Filipino people. This value remains sustainable and is the basis of social unity even though times continue to change.
Sources:
Detikproperti. (2023). Tak Hanya di Bugis, Negara Ini Ada Tradisi Angkat Rumah hingga 5 Kilometer. https://www.detik.com/properti/berita/d-6877993/tak-hanya-di-bugis-negara-ini-ada-tradisi-angkat-rumah-hingga-5-kilometer
Kumparan. (2020). Bayanihan, Tradisi Unik Memindahkan Rumah Ala Penduduk Filipina. https://kumparan.com/kumparantravel/bayanihan-tradisi-unik-memindahkan-rumah-ala-penduduk-filipina-1tZabrnGKTV/full
PubMed Central. (2022). Advocacy and Community Building to Address Filipino Behavioral Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9727704/
