The Pamanhikan

The Medinas and Yerros + The Balisnomos and Batoons

June 17, 2012 - Pamanhikan! For the benefit of my non-Filipino friends, the pamanhikan is a Filipino tradition. When couples get engaged here, the groom-to-be has to go to the bride-to-be's house with his family and ask her and her family for her hand in marriage. Aleq and I wanted to do it before we started really getting into the wedding plans, so we did it that weekend. It was so tough finding a date when both families were all free, and that day was the only day when our schedules were all in sync. So that Sunday, Aleq and his family went over to my house in Cavite and met me and my family. In keeping with tradition, they brought food, but we also prepared some dishes for them.

It turned out to be a pretty rowdy pamanhikan. It started off as kind of serious, with Aleq's dad doing the whole speech about asking for my hand in marriage, and my brother Manny asking the requisite questions about how Aleq really loves me, but then all the formalities ended pretty fast and everyone just started talking. My dad and Aleq's grandma even joked that pamanhikans weren't "uso" (in fashion) anymore. Aleq and I were pleasantly surprised that everyone was quite animated. We worried that it would be awkward. There was actually a moment when my aunt Eve got emotional (she's my mom's youngest sibling), which triggered my dad to become emotional, and then I couldn't help but become emotional. I really wished my mom was there, but I'm consoled by the fact that she had met most of Aleq's family before she passed away. So that was awkward - but the moment passed quickly. Aside from that, it was a lot of fun. Aleq and I are happy that our families finally met, and we're so relieved that the pamanhikan's over and done with. Whew!

p.s. Who was there? From my family: my dad, brother Manny, sis-in-law Weng, nephew Rejn, aunt Eve, cousin Lek, cousin Nenen. We missed my brother Father Walde and my cousin Sheila. From Aleq's side of the family: his mom, dad, grandma, aunt Wynny, uncle Chitoy, uncle Ponch, cousin Bien and cousin-in-law Erin, and cousin Aielle. We tried to keep the numbers pretty even. That's a lot of people haha.

 Blurry pic of the table. I had to take it quickly because everyone was hungry. Dad made his Ilocano specialties - dinaldalen and pinapaitan - which were hits, as expected.

 

My sis-in-law Ate Weng brought baked macaroni. Aleq's family brought Amber's pancit malabon, barbecue, and pichi-pichi plus chopsuey from Jade Palace.

 

The start of the picture-taking.

 

Everyone joined in on this one, save for my cousin Lek, who took the photo.

 

Eating time.

 

Rejn beside Aleq's mom.

 

Lek, getting food.

 

It was weird seeing everyone in our house.

 

Our dads were pretty talkative.

 

Aunt Eve, kuya Manny, Ate Weng, with Aleq's grandma and mom

 

Ladies. My Aunt Eve came all the way from Bicol! That's her with my sis-in-law and cousin, plus Aleq's mom and aunt.

 

The kids played outside. Cousin Lek was only supposed to watch them, but she ended up playing too.

 

Lek sucked at it haha.

 

They were playing Crazy Go-gos.

 

They got pretty competitive.

 

The kid-at-heart, tossing a Crazy Go-Go.

 

I thought Ate Nenen was going to join in.

 

But no, she just watched, heh.

 

Then they got tired and played another version of the game. I think they just made up the rules as they went along. The kids bonded fast! Aw.

 

It looked like fun, but I was too preoccupied to play.

 

More talking.

 

And more talking.

 

A relieved Aleq and Julls

 

When the day ended, my family and I dropped by my mom, uncle and brother's resting place to tell them all about it.