The travel was long and what i remember distinctly was all that traffic we went thru and the route included passing by the controversial "Smokey Mountain" area. When we got to the Cemetery it was always filled with people and street food! The driver would park the van somewhere and we'd walk a short distance (well it seemed short that time) to our mausoleum where my grandfather, his two wives and an uncle were buried. It was by standards from that area, one of the "upscale" memorial plots. Surrounding our mausoleum our "neighbors" were either buried on the ground or "condo" style (one on top of the other). What's strange about the area is that it is located in the boundary of Malabon and Caloocan. Once you cross a little bridge, the area where our burial ground was located was no longer Malabon but Caloocan. Strange isnt' it?
Anyways, I enjoyed trips to this memorial plot because my mom will always bring lots of food and drinks. I had several brothers and sisters who always came along so she really has to come prepared. I remember one time though, we ordered a big bucket of Kentucky fried chicken...all drumsticks! Yess! There was this intelligent fishball vendor who will hang around the gate of our mausoleum and I'd buy several sticks from him I think every 15 minutes. Then an ice cream vendor would pass by too...He won't leave until I bought Magnolia drumstick from him. So you see, all my fond memories of a cemetery visit is based on food haha!
When we get there, we'd pray the rosary together and sometimes a priest will come and give a "mini mass". We had an old lady caretaker who...get a load of this...sleeps inside our mausoleum. She has passed away several years ago. The lot had a small garden which had some flowers and a small patch of grass where as a child, i would chase dragonflies and put them in a jar. These poor creatures died on the way back to Manila, oh well.
This cemetery had one distinct feature that I always came back too whenever I was there. There was this distinct grave that had a statue of the devil defeating St. Michael. It's creepy but it made national news several times in the past years. Then there was another grave site I would visit. It had two coffins side by side with what appears to be a wedding aisle decoration leading to it. Urban legend goes, the dead were supposed to get married when tragedy happened. I don't really know these people but they were part of what I looked forward to whenever we visit this cemetery.
We'd bring the radio, listen to music, or play cards and mahjong...but we'd stay until it was around 4 or 5 in the afternoon or until Mama will declare that it's time to go home. Every November 1 it never fails to rain in the afternoon. And since this was still Malabon area, the rains can suddenly turn into an instant flood. I remember being carried on the shoulders by one of our workers just to get me back to the van. It was knee deep in water and some of the graves were already submerged.
It was different back then how we commemorate Halloween and Nov 1.
Now that I'm older, I look forward to the yearly Halloween tradition of a gimik night with my friends and braving the next day even with lack of sleep just to be with my side of the family. The only thing that hasn't changed is how my Ate Ces has taken over the role of Mama and gathering us together to visit our new cemetery. She's not as strict though, whoever can go can come along.
Years ago, we gave up our Malabon plot and moved our dead to Manila Memorial Park (which is better known as MMP. When both our parents died, this where we had buried them. My sister had the ashes of our grandparents cremated and transferred them here. Our uncle's ashes were given to his family.
We'd go around 10am, a more reasonable time and at an earlier date. We don't go along with the tradition of going on the Nov 1 date itself to avoid chaotic traffic. We'd say the rosary taking turns at each mystery and a special novena for the dearly departed. Around 12 we'd look for some place to eat. Despite the many food stalls that dotted the park, we felt it safer to eat in a restaurant near the city and outside the cemetery grounds. If there's still time we walk around the park and visit the mausoleums of our other relatives.
Looking back now, so many things have changed except for one thing...that we never forgot to remember our dearly departed come "UNDAS" or All Saint's day. Regardless of how or when you want to commemorate this day, all that matters is that you remembered them on their special day and prayed for their souls.
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