T H E O F F ICIAL ZINE OF WIKIPILIPINAS.ORG
in this issue
FEB 2008
Science of Love • Lovapalooza • Gayuma • Love in Time of War • Unforgettable Loveteams • Philippines’ Best Dating Spots • Dangwa • Crimes of Passion • Chinese New Year • Art for Everyone • PLUS! 100 Nobelang Tagalog • ‘I Love You’ in Different Philippine Languages •
2 PEOPLE&SOCIETY
THE SCIENCE OF Have you ever been curious about what’s going on inside your body when you fall in love?
rom a biological perspective, love is a feeling of elation produced by a combination of hormones released by specific parts of the brain. Scientists in recent years have studied the human brain and its role in producing the feeling of “falling in love,” evidenced by physiological responses such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, increased heart rate, and even sexual arousal. The hormones released The hormones which participate in the feeling of elation include pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, the combination of which gives the person a feeling similar to that produced by amphetamines. They stimulate the brain’s pleasure center, which includes the caudate area and the ventral tegmental. The caudate is involved in cravings, and it signals the ventral tegmental to produce the dopamine. Dopamine is a powerful neurotransmitter that affects pleasure and motivation. Serotonin gives the person in love a sense of obsessivecompulsiveness, which may explain why he cannot think of anyone or anything else. The other hormones produce side-effects such as an increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and intense feeling of excitement, all identified signs of “falling in love” or attraction. Studies have shown that this stage generally lasts for one and a half to three years. When dopamine floods the brain, the production of
SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY 3
testosterone is triggered. Testosterone is known to be responsible for the sex drive in both men and women. This stage is identified as “lust” and is defined as the initial passionate sexual desire that induces mating. Sections of the brain identified to be active during this stage include the hypothalamus, which controls drives such as hunger and thirst, and the amygdala, which handles arousal. The lust stage spans a few weeks to several months. While these two stages are considered temporary, there should be a level that would enable long-term relationships. This stage is known as attachment, which is generally based on commitments such as marriage and children, or mutual interests. Hormones identified to be related to attachment include oxytocin, which triggers a sense of bonding in the female brain, and vasopressin, which incites aggression towards others in males. Oxytocin is also shown to increase trust and reduce fear. The evolutionary need to love Researchers had wondered why out of all mammals only humans exhibit this characteristic need to fall in love, alongside other basic human functions such as thirst and hunger. It has been suggested that this need evolved as a kind of test for potential mates, that is if the person in question is capable of falling in love, he or she is fit enough to be a good parent and pass the genes to the next generation. A study was conducted using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to analyze the brain activity of people in love. Results showed that there is a difference between males and females with regard to the sections of the brain responsive when the subjects were shown photos of their current partners. The males had more activity in the region that integrates visual stimuli, while the females have more activity in the regions operating memories. One anthropological explanation is that the male has an evolutionary mission to plant his seed, and it would not be possible if he cannot justify the fertility of his potential mate. With regard to the female, scientists theorize that studying a man’s behavior will help a female decide if the man is a reliable mate and a good father, which is why she needs to rely on her memories to derive such judgments ...
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Love_%28scientifi c_view%29
ANG MAGMAMANI by Teofilo Sauco 1924 An immensely popular novel, Ang Magmamani is a story that shows a mother and her daughter falling in love with the same man. Luis, a rich and handsome man from Manila, falls in love with Ninay, a peanut vendor he meets while he is travelling. His mistress, Tentay, accidentally, sees the picture of Ninay and realizes that Ninay is her own daughter whom she abandoned years ago. Tentay decides to leave Luis and enters a convent. Meanwhile, Luis desirous of having a well-educated wife, asks Ninay to study in a convent school. Tentay and Ninay become friends inside the convent. Then Tentay falls ill and when the priest arrives to administer the last rites to the dying, a final revelation is made by the dying Tentay. The priest is Ninay’s father. With the shocking truths revealed, Ninay finally meets her parents separated by fate and reconciled in death.
4 PEOPLE&SOCIETY
Lovapalooza HULING PAGLUHA by Inigo Ed. Regalado 1911 This is a love story at its romantic best where the socio-political context is deliberately blurred and the attention is exclusively focused on the ebb and flow of a love affair. It is the proverbial love at first sight that Berto and Florandi feel when they first meet each other. After the usual profession of endless love, they become sweethearts. But love’s course is never smooth and part of the difficulty is what other people have to say about the lovers. The worst rumor that Berto hears alleges that Florandi is no longer a virgin, a fact that no man can accept. This becomes a sore spot in the relationship causing much bitterness and anguish. Florandi dies of a broken heart and Berto attends her funeral wracked by intense grief.
Lovapalooza is a traditional Filipino Valentine’s Day celebration that first made a bid to claim the Guiness World Record for the Most Number of Simultaneously Kissing Couples for 10 seconds in 2004. Couples from all over the country gathered together for the biggest and most romantic kissfest in the Philippines. The event was also a promotional venue for Unilever Philippines’ new CloseUp Toothpaste products. History In 2004, the Philippines attempted to break the previous mass-kissing record of 4,445 couples in Chile. A total of 5,347 pairs crowded Baywalk, Roxas Boulevard in Manila on the eve of Valentine’s Day. A year after the world record-breaking event, the second Lovapalooza was held. The event encouraged wider participation from four major cities including Manila, Angeles, Cebu, and Davao. However, it was also during this year when Hungary took the record of 5,875 couples kissing at the Elisabeth Bridge in Budapest on June 25, 2005. The 11th of February 2006 marked another simultaneous kissfest, dubbed “Lovapalooza 3”. Aside from the traditional midnight kisses, the event was also highlighted by performances of popular Philippine bands and celebrities, along with 16 real couples who professed their love to their respective partners on national television. Parties held at Roxas Boulevard Baywalk in Manila, Bayanihan Park Mac Arthur Highway in Angeles, FGU Business Park Ayala in Cebu, and Matina Town Square in Davao were covered simultaneously by ABS-CBN. Unfortunately, the number of attendees still fell short of breaking the previous record of Budapest, Hungary...
(Ivatan) For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Lovapalooza
RELIGION&BELIEFS 5
Gayuma
IPAGHIGANTI MO AKO! by Precioso Palma 1914
According to Filipino folk belief, gayuma is a love potion used to attract a mate. The potion’s magical property is said to work best when taken—often mixed in a drink—by a potential partner. As with any other mystical folk item, the effectiveness of a gayuma only works if the caster believes in its power. Alternative Medicine Shops Most conservative wings of the Philippine Church have long been discrediting the mysterious powers of folk beliefs such as the gayuma, anting-anting, and the agimat. Ironically, it is beside popular Catholic churches like the ones in Quiapo and Baclaran that makeshift stalls, guised as alternative medicine shops, sell the mystic items. Gayuma Experts Though generally perceived as shamans, vendors of gayuma actually mix oral rural beliefs with traditional Catholic teachings in their craft. The result is a spiritual orientation regarded by some Filipino anthropologists as Folk Catholicism. Consequently, the dealers of gayuma are the most knowledgeable and skilled when in comes to potionmaking. They determine the exact ingredients needed for the gayuma’s desired purpose; they also set the potion’s dosage and frequency of use. After purchasing a gayuma, vendors are also known to issue alternative prescriptions, most of the time on scratch paper, scribbled with bizarre characters. These prescriptions supposedly grant the potion its efficacy.
On the surface, Ipaghiganti Mo Ako! is a highly romantic love story with a tragic ending. It details the experiences of young lovers Pedring and Geli months before the outbreak of the Fil-American War. When the war begins, the lovers are separated, as Geli and her mother join hundreds of thousands of displaced victims of the ongoing battle, fleeing for their lives, scavenging for food, witnessing the devastation brought about by the conflict in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and other provinces in Luzon. Five years later, Geli and Pedring meet again in the town of Antipolo. The dying Geli tells Pedring that she had been raped by a Katipunero who is the father of child with her. Before she dies, she asks Pedring to avenge her fate.
Use The use of gayuma today—contextualized as a last resort-effort to win someone’s heart—is usually associated with failed courtship, unrequited love, or secret admiration. During the course of preparation, special incantations, often in Latin, are whispered by the caster upon instructions from the vendor. Some instructions even require the caster to recite. Believers of the craft equate the amount of time spent on casting to the effectiveness of the gayuma ... (Cebuano) For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Gayuma
6 PHILIPPINEHISTORY
BAKIT SIYA LUMULUHA? by Maximino Garcia 1907 Unlike countless novels which invariably include a love story, Bakit Siya Lumuluha? focuses its attention on the relationship between a mother and her four children. Of the four sons of Felipa, Ligurio is the only one who joins the Katipunan. He thus turns his back not only on a noble profession, but on his family as well. While the three other sons continue with their debaucheries, Ligurio fights alongside his fellow katipuneros and becomes a source of pride for his mother and wife. However, Ligurio is killed during an encounter. Anselmo, the most wicked of the three sons, lusts for his sister-in-law. Anselmo also brings death to four men, accusing them of being subversives.
Love in Time of War Heroes and other characters in Philippine history, just like ordinary people, have their own love stories. In this season of love, let us look back on the bitter-sweet relationships they’ve gone through—their unique beginnings and tragic endings. The proof that love does not end with simple goodbyes. The Supremo and the Lakambini When Gregoria de Jesus turned eighteen years old, men began courting her, among whom was Andres Bonifacio, the thirty-year-old Supremo of the Katipunan. Without Oriang’s prior knowledge, Andres had already informed her parents of his romantic intentions and had been trying to win their approval for a year. It was about three months later that Oriang finally fell in love with the brave revolutionary. However, it was also the time when she learned that her father had turned against Andres because the Katipunan leader was a freemason... Silang: Side by Side Maria Josefa Gabriela Cariño, at the age of 20, was adopted by and eventually married a wealthy businessman by the name of Tomas Millan. Even after three years of marriage, they were not blessed with a child, and the old Millan soon died. Diego Silang was orphaned at an early age and had worked as a messenger for a local Castilian priest in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Diego and Gabriela were in their mid-20s when they finally met. Gabriela was 26 while Diego was 27. They fell in love and got married. Together, they fought against Spanish supremacy and dictatorship... Luna’s Antipodal-Love turned Tragedy Nobody could resist the charm and natural elegance of the darling daughter of the Pardo de Taveras of Paris – Maria Paz, or “Chiching” to those dear to her. Many young men would be smitten with her. And among the brave indios who fell for the lovely young woman was renowned artist Juan Luna ...
(Ilokano) For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Historical_Couples
MEDIA&ENTERTAINMENT 7
Unforgettable Loveteams They made you swoon everytime you saw them in your TV and movie screens. You never failed to watch a single movie they were in together. You hoped and prayed that their reel team up would eventually be real. Read on about the past and present loveteams in the Philippines. Guy and Pip Their tandem first emerged in 1969 with the box-office hit The Musical Teenage Idol. Their unusual pairing—a morena (Nora) and a mestizo (Tirso)—became phenomenal in local showbiz, which has always been fascinated by exotic contrasts. Piolo and Juday Their love team started in the now-defunct TV series Esperanza (1997-1999). Their chemistry was such a success that Star Cinema and ABS-CBN continued to pair them up in numerous other TV series and movies.
MGA ANAK-BUKID by Rosauro Almario 1911 The story revolves around Juli and Tonyo, an ordinary farmer. The couple are engaged to be married. However, before their wedding day, Juli is raped by George, a Filipino sent by the American government to study in the United States. The latter has gained notoriety for his scathing attacks on traditional mores and values in his newspaper articles. Moreover, he has made fun of popular rituals and practises as terribly old-fashioned and quaint. When Tonyo learns of Juli’s bitter experience, he still insists on marrying his unfortunate sweetheart. Juli rejects Tonyo’s offer arguing that her honor now lies in tatters. Tonyo seeks revenge against George by killing him at a rendezvous the latter though was initiated by Juli. Knowing that there is no justice in the land, Tonyo and Juli flee to the mountains.
Nestor and Nida They danced their way to fame. Their team-up started and blossomed in the movie Amor-mio in 1952. They both showed off their talent in dancing in the film Squatters (1953).
Marvin and Jolina Their love team has been very famous because of their partnership in numerous TV sitcoms, TV dramas and romantic-comedy movies. Their tandem started in the teen-oriented TV series, Gimik, in 1996. ... (Ilonggo) For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Top_15_Philippine_Love_Teams_You_Won%27t_Forget
8 GEOGRAPHY&TRAVEL
BUSABOS NG PALAD by Faustino Aguilar 1909 Largely influenced by the celebrated French novel Camille by Alexander Dumas in its use of the motif of “the prostitute with the golden heart”, Busabos ng Palad is only one of the numerous Tagalog novels that took up the cudgels for the “fallen woman.” Yet, it is probably the most powerful indictment of institutions that demonize this type of woman. The novel revolves around Celso, a writer, who saves a woman working in one of Manila’s brothels by paying off her debt. Rita, the prostitute, turns out to be his sweetheart who mysteriously disappeared two years ago. Hers was a tale of betrayal, systematic sexual exploitation, and abject humiliation by hypocritical society. Spurned by his parents and friends, Celso chooses to live with Rita. But this togetherness is shortlived. Rita gets sick and while a priest tries to minister to the dying woman, she releases her anger and accuses society of cruelty and injustice. After Rita dies, Celso loses his mind and is confined to an asylum.
Philippines’ Best Dating Spots When February arrives, there is only one particular date in the calendar that comes to mind: the Fourteenth. Valentine’s—the day we all save for the one we desire to spend the rest of our lives with. WikiPilipinas want that date to be memorable for you so we’ve lined up a couple of dating spots that are both fantastic and romantic. Intramuros Many people consider Intramuros to be the most romantic place in the Philippines, with its picturesque ruins and walls that provide the best setting for a love affair. Walking along cobbled streets hand-in-hand whilst checking out places rich in history will surely rank as one of the most memorable moments in your life. You may explore the place by yourself, though we recommend joining a tour of the place. Serendra An Ayala creation, Serendra, makes our list of the best dating spots, all for its sheer elegance. The place, which is lined up with restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops beside an upscale residential area, is one of the newest stopovers for socialites and A-listers looking for a place to dine and people-spot. If you and your date are looking for that kind of evening, go visit the place, just make sure to load up your wallet. Vigan City Who wouldn’t want a date at a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Vigan screams history, culture, class, and sophistication, a fact which will make your romantic dinner the most memorable you will ever have. You can either take a calesa ride which will traverse the city’s entirety, or you can start right ahead at the world-famous Mestizo district ...
(Waray) For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Philippines%27_Best_Dating_Spots