A Name Game

Here's a challenge to everyone: name each person who appears in this photo. The first one who gets to correctly name them, in their order of appearance, will get a prize.

The prize? Well, the "Historia Nin Banuaan," co-authored by someone who incidentally appears in this photo and, ahem... edited, annotated and with foreword and English translation by yours truly, is now finally in the press for printing. The winner gets the first printed copy.

Email me your best bet at balangaw98@yahoo.com.

Inviting all members of the clan to post here

First, so sorry for the long absence. I was caught under tons of work the past weeks. Which unfortunately affected this blog and made it completely boring. Sigh.

To make up then, and to start the ball rolling, may I now invite all members of the clan to post here. That would for sure open a lot of avenues for all of us. Let us now turn a lonely one-lane-street into a twelve-or-more-lane expressway. Everyone would be in for surprises, most certainly. And it would be great fun.

What would you post? Well, write about yourself, your parents, your recollections of your grandparents, or stories about your ancestors. Post about your genealogical researches, share photos or videos of yourself and your family, the older photos or videos the better. Write about your life, your achievements, your whereabouts. Post anything about the blood that runs in your veins.

How are you going to post here? We recognize that there are a lot of hackers out there who could easily turn our blog into Dante's inferno. We couldn't allow that. So, to be sure, drop me a line at my email address, convince me that you're authentic, and only then will I give you the password to this blog so you can post your stuffs here. Fair enough, isn't it?

So, whatchawaitinfor? Push that 'start' button pronto! My email add: balangaw98@yahoo.com.

Merry Christmas!

To all members of the clan:

Merry Christmas! The Lord is born, gloria in excelsis Deo! May we always allow Him to live in our hearts.

Melania Galindes-Gacias

This photo was taken in 1918. The dedication at the back reads:

Mr. Sabiniano Gacias
Manila
____ 119 Victoria

Manoy Sabin:

Ymoda gnani an tayo co cay dolodianis, nian dili na aco nag para lacao sin mayad cay daco na aco, imoda gnani cay dianis man an Saya co, condi cay filme an pag cadto co sa ilaya asin man sa pasacay, cay an ato balay y___ ____ sa botgna cay an sa lobi na balay na olag san baguio. comosta co camo si A si M. Ines puro manay manoy mayad co.

M. Gacias

Here's an Old Photo of the Family

This is the oldest photo I've got of our forebears. This was handed to me by my Papa (Ernesto Guban-Gacias) while we were preparing for Lolo Serio's centennial birthday last year. This photo was taken either in 1909 or 1910.

With this, allow me to challenge everyone to produce an earlier photo. Let's open and check our parents' and grandparents' bauls for a very exciting treasure hunt. Who knows, we may not just make the most interesting find about our roots; we may also give the rarest treasure to our own branches.

From left to right: Eustaquio Pura, a teacher; Maria Galindes-Gacias; Lola Emeteria Encinares-Pura-Galindes; Sabiniano Galindes-Gacias; Glicerio Galindes-Gacias; Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias; Asuncion Galindes-Gacias; Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias.

• Eustaquio Pura: Salient features about him are currently unknown. We would genuinely be grateful if anyone can volunteer information about him.
• Maria Galindes-Gacias, known as Lola Biyay, was the third child of Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias and Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. She married Norberto Tagum -- known as Lolo Berto -- and bore six children. She was famous to the clan for having a green thumb for gardening. She died on January 19, 1970 and was buried in Irosin, Sorsogon.
  
• Emeteria Encinares-Pura-Galindes, a.k.a. Lola Teria, was from Gubat, Sorsogon. She was married to Ramon Galindes, a former Capitan del Pueblo of Irosin, Sorsogon, and was the mother of Lola Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias.
• Sabiniano Galindes-Gacias, a.k.a. Lolo Sabin, was born on December 31, 1896. He must have been thirteen years old in this photo. He was the eldest child of Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias and Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. He was an educator and was a retired district supervisor of the education department. He taught in Batangas as well as in the municipalities of Castilla, Bulusan, Sorsogon and Irosin of the Sorsogon province. A prolific writer and poet in his own right, he composed poems in Bicol and Spanish including the historical account of the town of Irosin, Sorsogon which has now been published in book form by Erlano Francisco "Kiko" Reynante-Gacias. (For an on-line edition of said book, click here.) Endowed with a sweet baritone voice, he was a good haranista during his younger years. He was married to Margarita Leander of Sorsogon with whom he had ten children. He died on March 5, 1983 and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery of Irosin, Sorsogon.
  
• Glicerio Galindes-Gacias, a.k.a. Lolo Serio, was born on August 27, 1907. Now 101 years old, he is considered as the oldest living member of the clan. He is perhaps best known in Irosin, Sorsogon for his religiousity. A lay minister in Irosin, he used to go to Mass every day, at 4 AM, seven days a week -- until a few days before his 100th birthday when he was diagnosed with ulcer. Donning the politician's shoes during his younger years, he was elected as municipal councilor in 1940. He married Eulogia Duque with whom he sired a daughter -- Emma. When Eulogia died, he later married Salud Guban of Bulan with whom he had three children. He lives in San Juan, Irosin, Sorsogon. For more infomation about Lolo Serio, here's a write-up on him.
• Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias, known as Lola Totay or Dona Rosa, was born on March 19, 1875. She was an only surviving child among thirteen births. The somehow miraculous story is already posted in this site under the title A Tale of an Image. Lola Rosa studied in La Concordia College in Manila. Good in horseback riding, she would go to every town fiesta around the province just to play intre-cuatro, a card game. Being an only child, she was rich, landed and bejewelled. She literally slept over money -- the pesetas and the onsetas having been kept in large bauls under her bed. She died on September 1, 1963. Her remains lie in the Gacias Mauseleum in the Catholic Cemetery of Irosin, Sorsogon. Some bits of stories about Lola Rosa:

1. Lola Rosa's real estate properties were so vast that she could easily give away tens of hectares of land to whoever she would favor. In fact, according to historical accounts, she gave several hectares of land that include the now famous Masacrot Springs in San Roque, Bulusan to her favorite nursemaid.
2. She lost most of her collection of jewelry to a thief who robbed her house.
3. Her bauls in which she kept her jewelry were unfortunately destroyed by termites. A few pieces of wood nevertheless survived. They were converted by my father Erning into a desk which he now considers very lucky.
   

• Asuncion Galindes-Gacias, a.k.a. Susing, was born in 1901 and was the second child of Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias and Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. She was married to Raphael Borromeo but died childless in 1926.
• Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias was born on June 29, 1871. A seminarista turned politico, he was a Cabeza del Pueblo in Irosin, Sorsogon. He was the founder of Partido Democrata in Irosin, a political party which became famous and powerful in local politics for a couple of decades in the history of the town. He was said to have fallen victim, however, for three times, to Eleccion Feliciano, a term used to describe massive election fraud and cheating especially orchestrated by Partido Nacionalista during his time. He decided to quit politics for good and became popular for his Adios Pueblo march around the poblacion. He had six children with Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. He died on July 27, 1959. His remains lie beside his wife Rosa at the Gacias mauseleum in the Catholic Cemetery of Irosin, Sorsogon.
  

A Tale of an Image

In about 1840 or so, Ramon Galindes who hailed from Tabaco, Albay and who was later elected Capitan del Pueblo of Irosin, married Emeteria Ramos-Pura of Gubat, Sorsogon. This union resulted in the somewhat miraculous birth of Rosa -- an only living child. Rosa was the thirteenth child and all the twelve who preceded her died at childbirth.

The story goes this way: When Lola Teria conceived Rosa, the priest-brother of Capitan Ramon, upon contemplating that the twelve births died at childbirth, advised the couple to adopt and profess a religious devotion to Dolorosa, the image of the grieving mother of Christ. The couple did as told and even adorned the image of the Blessed Mother with fresh flowers to join the Holy Week's procession. In answer to the devotion of the couple, the thirteenth child was born and survived. They named her Rosa, in honor of the image of the Mater Dolorosa.

Thus, the end of the couple's sorrow and being childless was Rosa, the thirteenth and last birth. And she was also the beginning. She became the saving grace of the family. Were it not for her, Sabiniano, Maria, Glicerio and their siblings could not have possibly seen and enjoyed life. And they could have not possibly offered this world many sons and daughters and grandchildren.

To honor the Dolorosa and somehow imprint its role in the history of the clan among the hearts of every member, the image is traditionally honored in the processions during Lent where all members of the clan are invited to join the procession.

Faith in God and in Mater Dolorosa won and saved the clan.


Nota bene: The image of the Mater Dolorosa is currently under the care of Papa Tentoy (Judge Jacinto Tagum) who has dutifully allocated a parcel of riceland for the expenses usually incurred for its maintenance and especially for the processions held during the Lenten season.

Gacias: A Historical Background (Second Part)

Bulusan

Glicerio Gacias attests that the first unknown ancestor came from a place which is now the urban center of the town of Bulusan. Glicerio Gacias, now 101 years old and still as strong as people half his age, is the oldest surviving member of the clan. Bulusan, a one hour drive from Sorsogon proper, is one of the four oldest regions in the Tierra de Camarines -- now also known as the Bicol Region -- established by the missionaries. The three other oldest regions were Labo, Isarog and Mayon.

The town of Bulusan is located at the eastern part of the province of Sorsogon facing the vast Pacific Ocean. At a time, it became a part of the province of Albay. The province of Sorsogon, which currently includes the municipality of Bulusan, was separated from the province of Albay only on October 17, 1894.

Irosin

Perhaps, driven by a spirit of adventurism, three of the sons -- Octato, Cenon and Nicolas -- settled in a new village called Hin-ay, now the municipality of Irosin. Irosin, formerly Hin-ay, was then a mere sitio of the town of Bulusan. Now a second class municipality, it is the only inland town in the province of Sorsogon and nestles right at the foot of Mount Bulusan.

Octato

Octato, the eldest son, settled in a place which is now Barangay San Agustin -- the original settlement of Hin-ay. He sired one son, Pastor, who in turn sired one son, Faviano. Faviano bore two children -- Gloria and Felix. Gloria lived in Manila and unfortunately, nothing more was heard about her since. Felix, on the other hand, sired several children. More unfortunately, however, and indeed very sadly, it is now probably impossible to determine their exact number and much less, to be able to know them. Felix sold all his children to Chinese merchants perhaps for adoption or worse, for slavery. His children and their descendants now constitute the missing Gaciases.

Octato Gacias
|
Pastor
(Severa Santiago)
|
Faviano
(Dorotea Gallanera)
|
Gloria --------------------------Felix

Cenon

Cenon, the second son, settled in Macawayan, now a barrio of Irosin, just a kilometer away from the town center. He sired three children -- Jacoba, Severo and Urbano. Severo and Urbano later settled in the barrio of Casini, a place located in the southern past of the municipality and just about three to four kilometers away from the town center. Today, the numerous Gaciases in the barrio of Casini in Irosin are all indebted to Severo and Urbano.

Nicolas

Nicolas, the youngest son, like Octato, settled in a place which is now Barangay San Agustin. According to accounts given by Glicerio, he was a poblador. He was accordingly kind and hardworking. He sired two sons -- Pedro and Pantaleon. Pedro had six children -- Sabiniano, Asuncion, Maria, Monico, Glicerio and Melania. While Pantaleon sired three children -- Gerarda, Roman and Ines. Today, the Gaciases living in the poblacion of Irosin and its neighboring barangays and barrios are practically descendants of Pedro and Pantaleon.

Bernardino

Bernardino, the third son, however, separated from his three brothers and settled in San Roque, a barrio of Bulusan. San Roque is about twenty minutes away from the poblacion of Irosin and around the same time away from the poblacion of Bulusan. Hence, it is practically midway the town proper of Irosin and the town proper of Bulusan.

Bernardino sired two sons -- Felipe and Maximo. Felipe sired three children -- Daniel, Benito and Celestina. While Maximo sired eight children -- Alejandro, Isidoro, Eulalia, Irene, Eduardo, Eulogia, Juliana, and Gloria. Their descendants are scattered in the different barrios of Bulusan, from San Roque to Dancalan and Buhang.

Other Gacias Lineage

There are other Gaciases in the town of Irosin, both in the poblacion and in the neighboring barrios. This is mostly attributed to another lineage of Gacias: that of Catalino and Hilario.

Catalino and Hilario were brothers. Their father is unknown to us today. Nevertheless, it is established that they had a sister named Sixta.

Catalino lived in and became a municipal councilor of Bulusan. He sired five children -- Rosario, Librada, Ropo, Arsenio and Domingo. Sixta's whereabouts were unknown. Nevertheless, it was established that she was the second child and did marry. Hilario settled in Irosin and sired five children -- Bonifacio, Amicia, Quirico, Marciano and Ruperto. Most of their descendants live in Irosin today.

As of date, the link between the lineage of Catalino, Sixta and Hilario and the lineage of Octato, Cenon, Bernardino and Nicolas, has not yet been clearly established. It will be included in a later and updated edition when that missing link shall have been established with certainty or with convincing documentation.

But while this particular link has not yet been established, it is worth mentioning here that descendants of both lineages observe close kinship among themselves. Indeed, it is also worth mentioning that several relatives, descendants of female Gaciases who already lost their family name by marriage and now with various family names still claim close kinship with the Gaciases.

The Northern Gaciases

In the northern part of the country, particularly in Cagayan and in the Batanes islands, live several families with the family name of Gacias. There is for instance Dr. Felix Gacias of the Batanes cousins and Lt. Col. Renato Gacias of the Cagayan cousins. Lt. Col. Renato Gacias was awarded with the medal of valor by then Chief of Staff Gen. Fabian Ver during the Marcos regime. Unfortunately, he was killed in 1989 in a military field operation.

It is worth mentioning that one objective of this blog is to establish links with our northern cousins.