1 May 2010, Sulbod, Anilao, Bongabong Or. Mindoro - Close to 300 members of the Pedro Santiago clan flocked to this remote but scenic beach of Or. Mindoro, to celebrate the first ever joint reunion of the families of the 10 children of Pedro Santiago, a great grandfather on my mother's side of the family tree. The grand reunion was hosted by no less than Brgy. chairman of Anilao, Armando Santiago.
From a family historian, who narrated then, Pedro has ten children, 3 boys and 7 girls. As girls dominated the family, and we being in a patrilineal society, many members of the new generations are no longer named Santiago. From our old folks too, it was learned that there was really deliberate effort to preserve the name (Santiago), as it was accepted then to take the family name of the Santiago mother instead, if all the children were girls, that is if only to keep the tribe alive. It was even "tolerated" then to marry a cousin, if only to perpetuate the name Santiago, something which is seemingly a taboo in our current society. One confusing tradition then in the family was the automatic naming of one's son after the grandfather. For instance, if my grandfather was named Juan, then I am compelled to name my first son as Juan. Thus, it can be observed that there were so many Juan Santiago, and putting a suffix Jr. or I, II, III, etc. was not properly observed then. Thus, a real confusion.
I, having migrated from Mindoro since college graduation (1976), am not very familiar with my uncles, cousins, nephews and their children. But I can very well relate to the Santiagos as I got my physical features more from my mom, a Santiago.
Posted here are some photos taken during such grand get-together of the extended family of a great grandfather Pedro Santiago. (JSF Blogs)
Ang ganda ng lugar ang sinilangan kong baryo?..
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