for educational purposes. (reporting in bicol history, etc.)

1. CHARACTERISTICS
OF AN AUTHENTIC
BIKOLANO
Prepared by:
• Brian Steven Lim
• Jay Kenneth Rances
• Nelmer Borbe

2. Bicolanos
 Bicolanos are people who live in the
southeastern peninsula of Luzon,
containing the six provinces of Bicol.
 Their language is referred to as Bikol
or Bicolano. The Bicolano language is
very fragmented, and its dialects are
mutually incomprehensible to speakers
of other Bicolano dialects.
 They made up the fifth largest
ethnolinguistic group in the country.

3. Geography
 The Bicol region, or Bicolandia as it is sometimes called, is
southeast of Manila, surrounded by the Pacific to the east,
the Samar Sea to the southeast, the Sibuyan Sea to the
southwest, and Quezon Province to the north.
 The area's six provinces, including the two separate island
provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate, contain several
volcanic mountains, including Mount Bulusan, Mount Isarog,
and the iconic Mount Mayon, but most Bicolanos live in the
lowland valleys around these mountains, leaving the
hillsides and summits to other ethnic groups.
 The western and southern provinces of Bicol, Camarines Sur,
Camarines Norte, and Albay differ from much of the rest of
the country in not having distinct wet and dry seasons, while
the eastern and northern regions of Sorsogon. Catanduanes,
and Masbate arc more typical in receiving extremely heavy
rains between November and January; the remainder of the
year is also fairly wet in these regions.

4. History
 When they arrived in the Philippines about 3000
B.C.E. the Austronesian speakers would probably
have met small bands of people who had already
been residing on the islands for approximately
20,000 years. The hunting and gathering AETA
peoples, as they are now called, probably lived in
the most productive areas of the country, the
coastlines, valleys, and lower hills, in very small,
impermanent settlements. With the ability to
grow their own crops the incoming Austronesians
could maintain significantly higher population
densities than the Aeta and thus pushed the
hunter-gatherers into the more marginal highland
forests and mountaintops, where they still live
today.

5. B.C.E.
 3000 The initial migration of the Austronesian speakers,
including the ancestors of the bicolanos, to the
Philippines.
C.E.
 1569 Luis Enriques de Guzman names the Bicol region
Ibalon.
Father Alonzo Jimenez learns Bicol, writes a
catechism. In this language, and begins the process of
converting the locals to Catholicism.
 1649 Samar's Sumuroy Revolt sees the participation of
Bicolanos from Sorsogon; at the same time the
residents of the Camarines also rise up against the
Spanish.
 1669 Spanish missionary Father Pedro Espellargas of Bacon
invents a knife that allows abaca or Manila hemp to
be harvested and stripped much more easily. leading
to a new product for the colonial economy.

6.  1754 Bacon and Bulan are destroyed by the Moros
and the townspeople are captured. Moro raids
in Bicol continue for more than 100 years.
 1762-64 The British occupy Manila and the people of
the Camarines rise up against them several
times.
 1898 Governor Zaidin surrenders In Naga City and
Bicol attains independence from Spain.
 1900-01 Many Blcolanos participate In the war against
the United States.
 1901-13 The Moro Wars against the United States move
more Moros north into Bicol
 1941 The Japanese occupy the Philippines during
World War II.
 1944 The United States retakes the Philippines.
 1945 The Philippines attain Independence from the
United States.

7. Culture
 The Austronesian migrants to the Philippines
arrived bearing several domesticated plants,
including rice, the contemporary staple crop in
the Bicol region; domesticated pigs, dogs, and
chickens; and a lifestyle built around the
agricultural calendar.
 Contemporary Bicolanos continue to be largely
agricultural people, with that sector of the
economy providing about 60 percent of the
regional gross domestic product (GDP). In addition
to rice, corn, sweet potatoes, cassava, and
coconuts are grown both for subsistence and for
sale. Other cash crops include abaca or Manila
hemp, coffee, cocoa, and calamansi.

8.  With its extensive coastlines, Bicol also provides
fish for both domestic consumption and sale on
the local and national markets. Thirty percent of
the regional GDP is derived from the service
industry, mostly catering to the many tourists who
travel to Bicol for the coastlines and mountains.
 A small industrial sector contributes about 10
percent. Several abaca industries dominate this
sector of the economy.
 One of the most important legacies of the Spanish
colonial period in Bicol is Roman Catholicism; the
Christian Trinity has replaced the local creator god
Gugurang and church attendance remains very
high to this day. However, this is not to say that
some indigenous beliefs and practices have not
survived into the 21st century.

9.  In addition, many evil spirits, witches, and
supernatural monsters continue to haunt the
imagination of many Bicolanos, even the well-
educated, and ancestor worship retains its place
in most families through the offering of food and
other gifts at important times of the year.
 The Bicolano culture is primarily noted for the
prominent use of chili peppers and gata (coconut
milk) in its food. A classic example is the Bicol
Express, a well-loved dish using siling labuyo
(native small chillies) and the aforementioned
gata.

10. Traits
 The traits of the Bicolano are a by-product of various
foreign and domestic regional influences that have been
assimilated into its indigenous culture in the course of
its history.
1. Bikolano is deeply religious - The most distinctive
and visible evidence of their faith is exemplified in
their devotion to the Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness
of Bicolandia whom every Bicolano affectionately
regards as his celestial mother and intimately
addresses as "Ina". Such religiosity, perhaps, explains
the Bikolanos attitude towards natural calamities.
Bikolanos have patiently suffered the ravages of
natural calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes,
and volcanic eruptions. These three are regular
destructive visitors of the region. Their faith is one
of their strength to overcome such problems.

11. 2. Bicolanos are friendly and sweet - Bikolanos are rated
best in friendliness. This sociability is manifested during
social celebrations and local fiestas. Its typical way of
socialization is thru drinking. It is because in drinking
that discussions and camaraderie are established with
lesser inhibitions and formality. This earned them the
repute of being hospitable. Men are very sweet when it
comes to courtship and are often into serious
relationship, we even have this dance called
"pantomina" which depicts Bicolanos sweetness and
sincerity in wooing his love one.
3. Bicolanos are close family ties - Bicolanos are well-
known for the close family ties. Many Bicolano live near
their family for most of their lives, even as independent
adults. In this setup, the children are living with their
parent even after their marriage. This may continue
until they have their own children. You can see three
families living in the same house together with their
parents.

12. 4. Bicolanos talk a lot - Bicolanos start to talk the time
they woke up and end before they sleep. They chat
24/7 with no endless issues. Some of these issues are
the life, success, problems of others and even politics.
Chatting serves as their “libangan” and “palipas oras”.
This trait has of course disadvantages. Some even say
“kapag tsismosa ka dae kang asensuhan”.

13. References
 https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=pCiNqFj3MQsC&
pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=culture+of+the+bicolanos&sou
rce=bl&ots=Z4sRs_2CH1&sig=CbumwnV8vGO_NPdHcKKot
MQz2ng&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1ueSc2d_QAhXCQp
QKHSbaA544FBDoAQhGMAc#v=onepage&q=culture%20of
%20the%20bicolanos&f=false
 http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Bicolano_people
 http://goturismoateneo.blogspot.com/2012/10/bicolan
o-traits.html