By: Debbie Ann Tan
Two best friends, one yellow and one brown. The one with eyes like a slit just enough to fit a small coin is named Lia. The brown-skinned girl with eyes, as round as coins is Fely.
Today, they argue. "Let's ride the swings this time," Fely says. She has just slid off the seesaw.
"I can't. I have to be home now. Tonight is New Year's eve. My Mama wants me home," Lia answers.
Fely makes a deep frown. Her lips pouting. "Lia, you are a liar. We had New Year already."
"Don't call me a liar. My Mama said so." Lia intently walks to the direction of her house.
"She must be wrong. It's not New Year," Fely insists.
"If you don't believe me, come home with me," calls out Lia. She is walking a few steps ahead of Fely.
"Okay. Okay. Slow down," Fely pleads, her sandals gathering dirt as they walk through their village park.
In a few minutes, they arrive at the Lim house. Lia's mother is outside the house. There's a rectangular marble on the ground with three Chinese characters painted on it. The characters are written from top to bottom. Spread on the floor are small plates of food-pieces of crab, chicken, different kinds of fruits. Mrs. Lim has three incense sticks in her hands. She is facing the marble.
"What is your mother doing?" Fely asks as she looks longingly at the chicken thigh. Lia ignores her and stands behind her mother, "Mama, I'm here." Mrs. Lim shakes the incense sticks and bows at the marble. She places the sticks on the incense stand in front of the marble. She looks at her daughter, "Lia, good you are here. Get three incense sticks and give praise," she adds, "Hello Fely, come eat with us later."
"What are you doing?" the curious Fely asks.
"Oh, this is to give thanks to the spirit of the earth. We ask that he protect our house," Mrs. Lim smiles.
"Where is the spirit of the earth? What does he look like?"
"The red letters on the marble are the name of the spirit. We offer him food," she explains.
Lia has obeyed her mother and finished her praise for the earth spirit. "How come we don't do that?" Fely continues to look puzzled. "Fely, we do this only on special occasions, such as today," Mrs. Lim says.
Fely curiously crouches by the small marble slab. She looks at an apple and her hand automatically reaches out to get one.
"Fely! Stop. Don't touch the food," Lia says, her voice excitable. The startled Fely withdraws her hand. Mrs. Lim laughs, "I will give you an apple later, Fely dear. This food is for the spirit to eat. After he eats, we can get them. For now, we let him enjoy."
"If he eats it, then, there will be no more," Fely says with a worried look on her face.
"This is a custom, Fely. We offer food as respect for this guardian of our house. He does not really need our food. He looks, and knows we respect him," Mrs. Lim explains.
"Yes, we also respect him when we light incense," Lia adds.
"Mrs. Lim, we never do these stuff. We just go to church and light candles to the saints," Fely says, still crouching by the food. "We go to church, too, Fely. We do the same as you because we are Catholics. But we have traditions and beliefs to follow. My mother and father then, my grandparents, they taught us this," explains Mrs. Lim with a smile on her thin face.
"Fely doesn't believe it's New Year, Mama, she says I'm a liar," Lia pouts. Fely bows her head in embarrassment.
Mrs. Lim laughs softly, she says, "Look up at the sky, Fely, do you see the full moon?"
Fely looks up at the sky. It is dark except for a bright round moon. "I see it!" Fely cries. She is on her feet now and gazing intently at the moon.
"The Chinese follow a different calendar. But, we Chinese Filipino follow the western calendar. Tonight is the New Year in the Chinese calendar, " Lia's mother says. She finds it hard to explain the diversity of cultures in Philippine society to this grade four student. But she hopes she has given her daughter's best friend a little education.
"Every time, there's full moon, it's New Year?" Fely innocently asks. Mrs. Lim gives a hearty laugh, "No, no. This is the first full moon in the Chinese calendar. Don't ask me anymore, Fely, I don't know all the answers.
Like Lia, I also just follow our tradition. We do these things to preserve our Chinese tradition, but we were born here. We are Filipinos, too, Fely."
"Mama, I'm hungry," Lia says as she holds the hand of her mother.
"Okay, Lia. Fely, you ask the spirit if you can have an apple," says the kind mother.
"How do I ask the spirit?" the child wants to know.
"Just ask in your head, you don't have to speak. Ask if it's okay to get an apple," Mrs. Lim answers.
Fely closes her eyes for a minute then opens them to announce that she has asked. Mrs. Lim gives her the go signal. And as quick as lightning, Fely snatches an apple.
The kids run inside the house. Smiling, Mrs. Lim makes three final bows before the marble. Then, she picks the plates of food up.
"Okay, let's prepare for dinner. Now, wash up, children," the mother calls out.
The brilliant moon shines overhead, calm and peaceful over the yellow and the brown races.
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