Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific
Monograph 1: The Philippines at the Turn of the Sixteenth Century


Malcolm W. Mintz



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Chapter 19

FISHING


OVERVIEW

Section 1 is a brief statement of the importance of fish in the diet of sixteenth century Filipinos, so important that it gave its name to the other sources of protein which were consumed. Section 2 touches on finding of the fish, how areas where fish existed in large numbers could be identified and where these areas tended to be. Spears are introduced in Section 3, their names and how the terminology may have differed across the central Philippine languages. Discussed also is their construction and how they were used both during the day and at night when burning torches provided light to attract fish through the gloom. In Section 4 is an examination of hook and line fishing, how hooks were made, how lines were protected from deterioration in sea water, and which materials served as fishing poles when they were needed. Discussed as well are the types of sinkers used to keep the hook beneath the water, and the floats which identified where the line had been placed.

In confined areas, individuals could use their hands to catch fish, and this is the topic of Section 5. These areas were rice fields where one bay flowed into another, pools of water left behind when the rainy season came to an end, or water-fillled depressions left along the beach by the outgoing tide. Mentioned here as well are the types of fish which tended to be caught in this way and what happened to them during the dry season when the rice fields were left without water.

Poisons are discussed in Section 6, what they were, where they could be obtained and how they affected the fish. While each of the poisons acted somewhat differently, and the overall effect depended on their concentration in the water and the age of the fish, they tended to act on the respiratory system, more stunning fish than killing them. Included in this section is a brief discussion of an algal bloom and what happens to fish in these areas and to those eating them. Section 7 is an examination of baskets and traps and how they were used in the catching of fish. These were woven from rattan or a variety of vines and reeds that could serve the purpose. Mentioned as well are the techniques used to attract fish toward the traps.

Of all of the ways for catching fish in the Philippines, the use of corrals was clearly of main importance. Section 8 looks in detail at some of these corrals, their construction and component parts, as well as their locations. The largest were set up along the shore line where the difference between the high and low tide was the greatest, and they extended from the high water mark to the lowest point at the water's edge. These elaborate constructions were built just once a year in places where fish were known to spawn or to congregate to escape rough seas or large predators.

Nets are presented and discussed in Section 9. There was a great variety of nets, most of which are still used. Casting and seine nets were the most common types in use with some of them involving superstitions about when a new net could be talked about and what should happen to the first catch. This section also touches on the weaving of nets and the instruments used in this process.

Section 10 is the cleaning of fish in preparation for eating or for preserving, removing the scales, fins and entrails. The discussion mentions the fish with poisonous spines that had to be removed carefully and gently or risk a scratch and excruciating pain. Ending the chapter is Section 11 which touches on consumption, the eating of fish fresh from the nets or corrals of fishermen who sold on their excess catch. Mentioned are some of the dishes which existed then and are are still commonly eaten now. When fish could not be eaten fresh they were preserved by salting, drying or smoking, or a combination of these methods. This is the discussion which ends the section and the chapter.


1. PRIMARY FOOD SOURCE

Fish (sirá') were one of the main sources of protein in the Philippines, both those of the open seas and the inland lakes and rivers. So important were they in the Bikol region that they gave their name to the main food eaten with rice along with young shoots and leaves (úlam) and supplementary vegetables (bángot). Tagalog and the Visayan languages share the term isda for 'fish', cognate with the Bikol, while in Kapampangan it is asan. A verbal form of this root has a wider meaning, referring, as in Bikol to the eating of meat as well as fish. The meaning of úlam is also shared with Tagalog and Kapampangan, while in Cebuano and Hiligaynon it carries a substantially different meaning.[1]
    sirá' fish; MAG- to go fishing; PARA- fisherman; -AN fish market [+MDL: Anó sirá' a? What kind of fish is it?]

    sirá' referring to anything eaten with rice; main course, viand; MAG-, I- to eat s/t with rice; to use a particular food for the main course; MAG-, -AN to eat rice with the main course; I- or PANG-: isisirá' or panirá' anything eaten with rice; the main dishes; viands [+MDL: referring to anything eaten with rice or bread; Íyaw an sirá' sa dágat; íyaw an sirá' sa gugón This is the fish of the sea and this is the fish of the cogon grass (Said to distinguish between fish and other types of meat eaten with rice); MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to eat fish or meat with rice; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to accompany rice with a main course of fish, meat]

    úlam young shoots or leaves of particular plants eaten with rice together with other courses of a meal; MAG- to eat such shoots or leaves; MAG-, I- to serve s/t as the úlam; MAG-, -AN to eat s/t with the úlam [MDL: shoots and young leaves of the pútat tree, Barringtonia racemosa, which are eaten with fish; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to eat these leaves with fish; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to eat fish with these leaves; (fig-) Minaúlam si kuyán That person is looking like young leaves (Said when older people dress or adorn themselves like s/o younger)

    bángot fish or meat added to vegetables to provide additional flavoring; MAG-, I- to add meat or fish; MAG-, -AN to add meat or fish to vegetables [MDL: green vegetables added to meat or fish when cooking; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to mix meat or fish with green vegetables; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to add green vegetables as the last ingredient to cooking food]

2. FINDING THE FISH

Bikol fishermen knew the optimum time for catching fish, for the construction of corrals and the setting of nets (see Sections 8 and 9). They also knew their fish species and when the best time was to catch them. For the grouper (ábo, Epinephelus undulosus) this was at the start of the rainy season (gáwad-gáwad) when the fish began to reappear in the waters to spawn (pigá). They knew, as well, where various fish would feed, along the water's edge and the margins of rocks (abú'ab) and where to find those that burrowed into the banks of rivers and streams (gúngon).
    ábo grouper (typ- fish, Epinephelus undulosus) [+MDL]

    gáwad-gáwad MA- or MAG- to approach (the rainy season, referring to the time the grouper fish appear and begin to spawn); (PAG-)-ON to change (the weather as this season approaches); (PAG-)-AN: (pag)gawád-gawáran to be affected by this change (an area of land) [MDL]

    pigá roe, fish eggs; spawn; -AN a fish with roe [+MDL: MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to lay eggs (fish); Kapanikáng buláwan iní, garó na ing pigá This is very fine gold, just like fish roe (Said when gold is of the highest quality)]

    abú'ab MANG-, PANG--AN to come to the water's edge or to the fringes of rocks to feed or in search of food (fish); MANG-, PANG--ON to come to the water's edge to feed on s/t [MDL]

    gúngon burrow-like holes made by fish in the banks of rivers or canals; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish at those holes [MDL]
Rich fishing areas could be identified by schools of fish which formed (danggít) moving about with their heads poking out above the water (pútok-pútok) or just breaking the surface (gibsáw).
    danggít school of fish; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to swim to a particular area (a school of fish) [MDL]

    pútok-pútok used to describe a school of fish where the heads poke out above the water: Pútok-pútok na iníng sirá' digdí sa lalamón The heads of the school of fish are poking out here among the sea grass [MDL]

    gibsáw ... [MDL: MA- referring to a great many fish that break the surface of the water; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to break the surface of the water (fish); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to come up to the surface of the water to feed on s/t (fish); (fig-) Garó naggibsáw an siminisingíl ki kuyán It's like the debt collectors are all feeding at that person's house]
The presence of fish could also be identified when they swam with their backs fully exposed on the surface (gulód-gulód), creating ripples as they moved (salóng) or by the distinctive sound they made as large numbers jumped, breaking the surface, and then falling back into the water (rusóp-rusóp).
    gulód-gúlod MA- or MAG- to swim in the water with the back fully exposed on the surface (a fish) [MDL]

    salóng the ripples created when a fish swims with part of its body breaking the surface of the water; MA- or MAG- to form (such ripples) [MDL]

    rusóp-rusóp the sound of many fish moving, jumping and diving together in the water; MA- or MAG- to make this sound; Rusóp-rusóp na iníng sirá' These fish are noisily moving about together [MDL]
Most fishing was done in inland lakes and rivers, and in areas closer to shore when moving out into the open sea. Boats would keep to the inlets and coves which lined the shore (Tagalog lu'ok), revisiting areas that had been previously productive (Waray panagatan), establishing new areas where signs showed that fish had gathered in large numbers (Cebuano naknak) and avoiding those areas which had been fished out by large of numbers of fishermen (Cebuano bulbog).[2] The various methods of locating and catching these fish are discussed in the sections which follow.


3. SPEARS

A variety of spears was used in fishing. All of the central Philippine languages, located in areas with populations having access to either the coast, or to lakes and rivers, had terms for this type of implement. Some of the same terms are found in each of these languages, although it is uncertain if they referred to an identical type of implement. Indeed, at times it is clear that differences existed. Other names appeared singly, or in just a few of the languages.

Spears were also used in hunting and combat (see Chapter 1, 'War and Conflict,' Section 1), and Chapter 17, 'Hunting and Trapping,' Section 4), and there were occasions when distinguishing this usage from fishing was not always easy. Complicating matters even further was the Spanish use of 'harpoon' to refer to both land-based and water-based weapons. I have, however, tried to choose those spears which clearly referred only to fishing, although more general terms referring to how the spears were used as well as their component parts have a wider reference.

The páray and búlos were two spears used in Bikol. As part of the entry for páray is the inflected form pinaparáyan referring to the fish caught with such a spear. This practice of associating the fish caught with a particular implement with the name of the implement itself is a pattern found throughout the central Philippine languages, particularly noticeable with reference to specific types of nets, traps and corrals. It is doubtful that the fish referred to come from one particular species, but that the implement used was suitable for catching particular species of fish.

The fishing spear, búlos, also appears in the dictionaries for Tagalog and Waray, with the additional information coming from Waray indicating that it had two barbs, a description possibly applicable to both Tagalog and Bikol.[3]
    páray fish spear; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to spear a fish; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use s/t as a fish spear; -AN: pinaparáyan a fish caught with a spear [MDL]

    búlos harpoon; fish spear; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to spear fish [MDL]
The sarapáng, or its cognate salapang, is referred to in the six central Philippine languages under discussion here. For Tagalog, Waray and Cebuano it is described as a trident having three pointed barbs. For Hiligaynon this is limited to two barbs, and both Bikol and Kapampangan have no reference to the number of points. The most detailed description is from Cebuano where it is described as having a wooden shaft and three steel barbs at the tip. The central barb points outward and is used for the initial spearing of the fish, while the two side barbs point backward, parallel to the shaft, and are used for snaring and securing the fish. An additional meaning supplied by Waray is that the spear was used for catching larger fish, something which may support the detailed Cebuano description.[4]
    sarapáng harpoon, fishing spear; MAG-, -ON to spear fish with a sarapáng; MAG-, -AN to spear fish in a particular area [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to spear fish; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to spear fish in a particular area]
The barbed head of a spear, sala'ít, applying more generally to arrowheads and fishhooks, and more specifically to the cockspur attached to the legs of fighting cocks, is a term Bikol shares with the Visayan languages.[5] Added to the shaft, generally close to the blade, could be a small, wing-like protrusion, singpí', which limited the depth of penetration of the spear.
    sala'ít barb; the head of a harpoon; an arrowhead; MAG-, -AN to spear s/t with the head of a harpoon, arrow [MDL: salá'it the barb-like projection on a cockspur; also applies to weapons with a barb-like tip, such as a spear or arrow; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to strike with a cockspur (one cock attacking another); to wound s/o with a barbed spearhead or arrow] [MDL 1865: salá'it the barbed head of a harpoon; fishhook; MA- or MAG- to become hooked (a fish); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to hook a fish; to spear a fish with a harpoon; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use a hook or harpoon for]

    singpí' wing of a harpoon or spear (generally placed behind the blade and used to limit penetration); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to make such a wing; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to construct such a wing on a harpoon or spear [MDL]
For the capture of smaller fish, it is likely that the spear would be thrust into the flesh without it leaving the hand, duldóg. For larger, more powerful fish the spear was most likely thrown, tugdá', a term shared with Tagalog.[6] For this to happen, there had to be a way of retrieving both the spear and the fish, and this was most likely achieved by attaching one end of a string to the shaft of the spear with the other held or tied to the hand.
    duldóg MAG-, -ON to poke or jab s/t [MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to spear s/o without releasing the spear from the hand; to lunge at s/o with a spear; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use a spear in this way; -AN shaft of a spear, lance]

    tugdá' MAG-, -ON or MAG-, I- to hurl or fling s/t (as a spear) [+MDL: MA-, -I or MAG-, IPAG- to throw a spear, lance, harpoon or similar item with force; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to spear or harpoon s/t; KA--AN the place where a spear, lance or harpoon strikes]
For Bikol, the string, lantíng, and the term describing the possibility of it becoming entangled after it has hit its prey, sagód, is associated with the harpoon or spear, kalawít, an implement which Lisboa indicates was used for hunting or in combat, not fishing. The same implement appearing in Tagalog and Waray, defined as having either one or two barbs, makes no specific mention of fishing, and in Kapampangan the definition is even more general, relating simply to hooking or impaling. The root word for kalawít, shared across all the languages, is káwit 'hook'.[7]
    lantíng string attached to a harpoon (kaláwit) [MDL]

    sagód MA- or MAG- to become enmeshed, entangled (the shaft of a harpoon or spear (kaláwit) with its attached rope after it has hit its prey); MA-, -AN: sagorán or MAG-, PAG- -AN: pagsagorán to become enmeshed, entangled in s/t [MDL]

    kalawít harpoon, spear or lance (typ- possessing two barbs, used in hunting or in combat); MA- or MAG- to use such a weapon; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to injure or spear s/t or s/o with such a weapon [MDL]
There are, however, other references to such a string. In the Visayan languages. Waray and Hiligaynon have palihan and Cebuano the clearly related paliha for the string attached to a spear and used to retrieve it and the prey after it has been thrown. In Kapampangan and Tagalog the pamuga is used in this way, although it is only the Kapampangan reference which indicates it is used for the spearing of fish. For Bikol, palíhan is defined simply as a thick rope used for fishing, leaving open the question of whether it, too, as in the Visayas, may have been used when fishing with a spear. Additionally, both Waray and Cebuano have one further reference each to the string used, respectively bugawin and bahangan.[8]
    palihán rope (typ- thick, used for fishing) [MDL]
Other named spears were used in the central Philippines, although not all the dictionaries specified their purpose, making it impossible to know if fishing was their primary use. The Visayan languages shared the sagangat, used specifically for fishing, with both the Waray and Cebuano dictionaries providing detailed information about its composition. This was a spear comprising a number of shafts cut from what was probably the bahí' palm, Livistonia rotundifolia. The Spanish used the term palma brava which referred to a number of species of hardwood palms of which the bahí' is one. The entry below is Bikol. These shafts were carved, sharpened at the tips and tied together at the end. Adding to this description from Waray is the Cebuano reference to it resembling a broom, referring no doubt to the multiple, sharpened ends of the tied cluster of palm shafts. The spear was used when fishing at night from boats or from particular vantage points along the shore, using a torch to draw the fish to the surface where they could be speared.[9]
    báhi' palm (typ- Livistonia rotundifolia, possessing a hardwood made into pegs used in the construction of boats and other structures, and the shafts of spears and arrows) [MDL]
Fishing at night was carried out with both spears and nets. For Bikol the light source was a torch comprising tied bunches of the reed grass, gahó', Rottboellia cochinchinensis. To prevent the glare from affecting the holder, a square of woven bamboo or reeds, sangkílaw, was placed along one side of the torch. While the light source may not have attracted the immediate attention of the larger more desirable fish, it would have attracted the smaller fish they preyed on, and subsequently their predators.
    gáho' reed grass (typ- Rottboellia cochinchinensis) [+MDL: used for making the large torches which are used when fishing at night; MANG- to collect such grass]

    sangkílaw a square of woven bamboo or reeds placed around one side of a torch so that the person using it is not affected by glare when fishing at night [MDL] [+MDL 1865: an oil lamp]
The light source for the torch varied, with the Cebuano entry indicating the greatest diversity of fuel. This could be resin, the dried leaves of the coco or other palms, or dried bamboo. The term for this torch, sulo, was also shared with Hiligaynon and Waray where it could simply be a piece of burning wood, and with Kapampangan where it referred simply to a length of split bamboo used for providing light when fishing. The square of woven bamboo used to shield a fisherman from glare is also found in Tagalog where it is called pindan. While torches were primarily used for fishing at night, they may have also served at other times to find fish in areas where the water was somewhat deeper, as indicated by the Cebuano entry ngalab. The endnote here lists these terms as well as additional terms referring to night fishing with torches.[10]

A light source was not necessarily required when fishing at night. The Cebuano entry, ganta'aw, described a spear fisherman moving slowly in a boat, balóto, propelled by a single pole, searching out fish which sheltered in the shadows of submerged rocks with no additional light needed.[11] The Tagalog, tinggar, described what undoubtedly referred to the bioluminescence of fish, that is fish affected by the particular types of bacteria which caused them to glow in the dark when moving. What the Spanish entry defined as resplandor del agua salada clearly made these fish a moving target.[12]
    balóto boat (typ- constructed from one piece of wood); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to construct such a boat from a particular tree trunk; var- baróto [MDL]
A spear was also used when securing fish that were swimming freely in an enclosed area where they had been lured, such as a corral (see Section 8). This is expressed in Cebuano as dugkal. Once speared, there was no guarantee that the fish would end up being taken safely on board or securely to shore. It was possible they would manage to wiggle off the spear tip and break free. Again, in Cebuano, the relevant entries are gani and bug'wang. The Tagalog entry, waliswis, is defined as a broomstick that served as a spear. Certainly with a sharpened end, this was indeed a possibility.[13] A variety of other spears and their parts were mentioned in the central Philippine language dictionaries. The endnote here lists these associated with the relevant language.[14]


4. HOOK AND LINE

Of the various methods of fishing, the bamboo fishing pole was in common use for the catching of single fish. For Bikol this was the digawnán and the modern variant ligawnán. These are complex, closely related entries showing the suffix -nan. This suffix, as well as the putative roots, digáw and ligáw, have no independent meanings in Bikol. The suffix also appears in the Tagalog, baliwasnan, along with the alternate, baliwasan, referring as well to a bamboo fishing pole. This alternation appears at least one more time in Tagalog: cama, referring to the tying together of two pieces of string. If -nan is an alternate for -an, then the meaning shared would be to indicate place or the location of particular actions or attributes.
    digawnán bamboo fishing rod; var- ligawnán [+MDL]
The use of bamboo, or wooden poles, for fishing was common throughout the central Philippines. Cebuano and Hiligaynon share the balowgan and tigawan, the second refering to rods of both bamboo or wood. The bamboo type, bagákay, Schizostachyum lumampao, is referred to in Cebuano as one of those suitable for use as a fishing pole. The entry below is Bikol.
    bagákay bamboo (typ- Schizostachyum lumampao; thin with a rough exterior, containing widely spaced nodes, used as a siphon or staff, or in making rope) [+MDL]
Tagalog and Kapampangan share the baway, defined in Kapampangan simply as a long bamboo fishing rod. The Tagalog definition is both more detailed and narrower. It is a long rod cut from a length of sugar cane stalk and used for the catching of dalag, Ophiocephalus striatus, or 'mudfish'.[15] Once a rod was completed with a hook and line, it could be extended out from a boat or from the shore, the Bikol tiwtíw, or flicked up into the air and cast further out to a lake, river or sea, the Tagalog tagtag.[16]
    tiwtíw MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to reach out with a hook attached to the end of a bamboo pole to try to hook a fish; to reach out with a noose attached to the end of a bamboo pole to lasso a chicken or bird; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to catch a fish, chicken or bird in this way [MDL]
There were far narrower implements to which a line and hook could be attached for the catching of fish. One of these was the mid-rib of the sugarcane leaf, tukádag, or the leaf of the tiger grass, gatbó, Thysanolaena latifolia, which possessed similar leaves. The hooks were baited, and the lines were left suspended in a river with no one necessarily present, a technique called kawíl in the upstream towns of Bikol, and tá'an in downstream towns. Káwil is a term found throughout the central Philippines, defined as a generalised term for hook (see below), while the meaning of tá'an is more varied. In Tagalog it refers to the hanging of hooks off a line suspended between two poles in a river or the sea, in Waray the placement of hooks or a net in similar locations, in Cebuano to a fishing line or large net, and for Hiligaynon, reference is to the nets used for fishing in lakes.[17]
    tukádag mid-rib of the leaf of the sugarcane or the tiger grass, gatbó to which a fishing line is attached, used for catching fish in rice fields or ponds by a technique called tá'an or kawíl; MA- or MAG- to stick this mid-rib with its attached line into the mud of a rice field, pond [MDL]

    gatbó tiger grass (typ- Thysanolaena latifolia, a clumping grass with leaves resembling bamboo or sugarcane) [MDL]

    kawíl a type of fishing tackle in which a hook and line is attached to the mid-rib of a sugarcane leaf, tukádag, or the leaf of the tiger grass, gatbó, and used for fishing in streams and rice fields, referred to as tá'an in downstream towns; also refers to such a hook and line left suspended in a river to catch fish when no one is present; MANG-, PANG--ON to move through an area catching fish in such a way [MDL]
In modern Bikol, a fishing line strung between two buoys from which secondary hooks and lines hang, is kitáng, a term not found in Lisboa. It is, however, a term used in Tagalog and may have been borrowed from there. Tagalog also has the term, pataw, which refers to hooked lines which are suspended from bamboo tubes set to float in rivers or the sea.[18]
    kitáng a fishing line strung between two buoys with secondary hooked lines hanging off into the sea
There is further indication from Bikol (haplí') and the other central Philippine languages, that fishing also took place with just a hook and line, without the use of a pole. Alcina, in his History of the Bisayan People in the Philippine Islands, in fact, indicates that in the Eastern Visayas, use of a pole was relatively uncommon. Fishing lines of cotton or abaca could be cast out from the shore, dangled from a point above the water, or trailed from the stern of a boat, eventually to be pulled in, coiled (Cebuano lukon), and stored in a small trunk ready for for reuse (Cebuano bakol). Evidence that a fish was on the line when trailed from a boat would be the sound it would make as it rubbed against the edge (hagusúhos).[19]
    haplí' fishing line (typ- thick, with an attached hook); MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use such a hook and line; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to hook a fish with such a fishing line; PARA- fisherman using such a hook and line; (fig-) Garó na lámang akó naghaplí' pagparahálat I've been waiting so long it's like fishing with a hook and line (Said when one is kept waiting a long time on the banks of a river) [MDL]

    hagusúhos the sound made by a fishing line rubbing against the side of a boat when it is pulled by a fish: Hagusúhos na pakaraháy si hapón The fishing lines are really rubbing against the boat [MDL]
Such fishing lines were strengthened, waterproofed, and in some cases dyed black by the bark of the tree referred to in English as the 'charcoal tree', Trema orientale. This process in Cebuano is referred as bunga and the tree as hanagdong. There is another plant which served the same purpose, referred to as a tree in Cebuano and Hiligaynon (respectively hagod and hagor) and a vine in Waray (hagod). In all likelihood, this is also a plant species within the genis Trema. Additionally, another vine serving the same purpose is called, in Cebuano, lagikaw.[20] The techniques applied to dying fishing lines were also applied to the preservation of nets (see Section 9), with the process in Tagalog referred to as bagnat and the material for dying derived from the bark of the dampol tree, a tree in the genus Pygeum.[21] A full discussion, not only of fishing lines, but of fishing nets and corrals for the province of Samar, is in an article published in the Philippines Journal of Science in 1940. The terms used and techniques described relate well to those used four centuries earlier.[22]

Fishhooks came in various sizes and were referred to by names which varied with their size. For Bikol the small fishhook was banwít, a term now referring to fishhooks in general, a medium size hook was tagá' and a large hook, takdóg. The small barb or point on a fishhook was síma' a term now generalised to include the barb on arrowheads.

A number of these terms also appear in the other central Philippine languages carrying similar meaning. Tagá refers to hooks in general in Tagalog and Cebuano, and possibly Waray and Hiligaynon where the definitions do not make this clear. In Kapampangan it is a large hook. Banwít with its cognates binwit in Tagalog and Waray and bunwit in Hiligaynon, along with the Hiligaynon alternate, bunit, the only form in Cebuano, also refers for the most part, to small hooks. Waray, however, makes no mention of size, and the term does not appear in Kapampangan. As for síma, only Cebuano mentions its relevance to hooks. More generally reference is to the barb on spears, lances and arrowheads.[23]
    banwít fishhook; MAG-, -ON to fish for s/t using a hook and line; MAG-, -AN to fish a particular area; MANG- to go fishing; PANG- fishing tackle, gear [+MDL: fishhook (typ- small); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a hook; MANG- to fish in ponds or rice fields; -AN: binanwítan fish caught with such a hook]

    tagá' fishhook (typ- medium, used at the end of a fishing line) [+MDL]

    takdóg fishhook (typ- large) [MDL]

    síma' barb of a fishhook or arrowhead; MAG-, -AN to form or place a barb on s/t [MDL: the small barb at the end of a fishhook MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to form a point or barb at the end of a fishhook]
There are a variety of other hooks mentioned for the central Philippine languages, some defined simply as small, or for the catching of small fish,[24] others as large or for the catching of large fish[25], and still others as large hooks used not only for fish, but also for crocodiles and eels.[26] Other hooks in Cebuano and Kapampangan remain undefined as to size. Of these the Kapampangan puapo is interesting, not only for its wider reference to fishing gear, but for its metaphorical meaning, used to refer to fishermen who have a reputation for lying about their catch, at least lying more when compared to other fishermen.[27]

The fishhook is prepared by bending wire, steel or another metal into shape, bitók, proceeding carefully enough so it does not break at the point of the bend, bungló'.[28] This is then attached to a wire approximately 85 cm in length, káwad, which is then tied with a special knot, taló', to the fishing line.
    bitók MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to bend a fishhook into shape [MDL]

    bungló' MA- to break (a fishhook at the point where it is bent); MA--AN to have one's fishhook break in this way [MDL]

    káwad wire about 85 cm in length, to which a fishhook is tied; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to thread such a wire through a fishhook; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to lace a fishhook with such a wire [MDL]

    taló' the knot used to tie a fishing hook to a fishing line; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to tie a fishing hook to a line; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to tie a fishing line around a hook [MDL]
While káwad, or its cognate kawar, is the general term for 'wire', only in Bikol, Cebuano and Hiligaynon does it also refer specifically to the attachment of a fishhook.[29] Terms indicating the wire used to secure a hook to a fishing line vary with the language, and in a number of instances there is more than one applicable term differing in ways that are not always clear. Cebuano and Hiligaynon have an intermediary clip which is subsequently tied to the fishing line. This attachment may possibly be done with a small cord, kulambot in Cebuano and the cognate kurambot in Waray, or a wire or wire chain, talikol in Cebuano.[30] Entries in Cebuano indicate why wire was preferred when attaching the hook to the fishing line. It was to prevent the line being bitten and subsequently severed when a fish went after the bait on the hook.[31]

As with Bikol, most of the central Philippine languages have specific terms referring to the bending of fishhooks into shape, and the possibility of their subsequent breaking.[32] Cebuano and Hiligaynon also refer to the unbending of fishhooks to restore their original shape.[33] Where metal hooks were not available, alternatives were sought. The Kapampangan entry pabatkal, refers to coiled rattan which was used as a replacement, the root word here, batkal, referring literally to 'stopping something in its tracks'.[34]

A fishing line with a hook attached would normally be caught in the current when dropped into the water, its position changing in unpredictable ways. To keep this from happening, a sinker would be added to the line, generally near the point where the hook is attached. This, if used in addition to a float, ga'án, attached higher up on the line and remaining on the surface, would keep the line nearly vertical in the water. A sinker, with its additional weight, would also make the line easier to cast further out into the water. No matter how careful a fisherman was, there would be times when the hook, dragged along the bottom of a river, lake or the ocean floor, would snag on something and be caught (sangót), causing difficulties in its retrieval.[35]

The term, ga'án, with reference to a tree and the wood produced, may be a singularly Bikol association. It is probably a term borrowed from Tagalog where the meaning of ga'án is simply 'light in weight', which in Bikol is the cognate, gi'án. The tree identified is possibly Erythrina indica, one of a number of trees producing a light wood used for buoys and floats. Also used for floats were hollowed bamboo tubes, referred to in Tagalog as tumbok.[36]
    ga'án tree (typ- possessing a light wood, used in the making of floats for fishing [MDL]

    sangót MA-, MA--AN to catch on s/t; to get hooked on s/t (as clothes when walking through an area of dense growth; a fishhook dragging along the bottom of a body of water) [MDL]
Bikol has two general terms for weights, although fishing is specifically mentioned for neither. Tagulnód, and its variant tagalnód, are complex entries with the root, lúnod, meaning 'to sink' prefixed by taga- indicating that the noun which is formed possesses the qualities of the root. The changes which have occurred in moving from the full form, tagalúnod, involve stress movement, vowel deletion, and in the case of tagulnód, assimilation or, possibly, vowel harmony. A second term, agdón, is formed from the verbal root agód meaning 'to haul or lift something heavy', and the verbal suffix -on. The noun, agdón, is formed after deletion of the final vowel, o, of the root, from the full form, agodón.
    tagulnód a weight used to keep things from blowing or floating away; MAG-, -AN to weigh s/t down [+MDL a weight added to s/t so that it sinks; MA-, -AN or MAG- PAG--AN to weigh s/t down] var- tagalnód

    lúnod MAG-, -ON to sink s/t; to scuttle, capsize, submerge or overturn s/t; MAKA-, MA- to sink, capsize, overturn; to get sunk, capsized, overturned [+MDL: MA- or MAG- to sink (as metal, a stone); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to flood a boat, causing it to sink; MA- to sink (a boat and those on board); MAPA-, PA--ON to sink s/t; KA--AN: kalundán west (the direction where the sun appears to sink into the sea)]


    agdón a weight (for clocks, added to s/t to make it sink); MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to add a weight; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place a weight on s/t [MDL]

    agód MAG-, -ON to haul or lug s/t; to struggle to lift or carry s/t; usually MAKA-, MA-: Naagód ko an káhoy na iyán I hauled that log or I could lift and carry that log [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to try to see if one can lift s/t; MA-, -AN: agorán or MAG-, PAG--AN: pagagorán to try to lift s/t from a particular place]
Tagalog, Waray, Cebuano and Hiligaynon have a term for the weight used on a fishing line or net (see Section 9) based on the word bato which literally means 'stone', the only meaning attributed to it in Kapampangan. In Tagalog and Waray the term is reduplicated, bato-bato, a diminutive form giving the meaning 'small stone'. Additionally, Cebuano has the term kalugkog, which is a length of hollowed reed or section of bamboo which is filled with small stones and tied near the hook to cause both hook and line to sink.[37]

Before the fishing line is dropped into the water, the hook would be baited (pá'on). The fish, when attracted to the bait, would start to nibble (subád), causing the line to slightly jerk (tu'tó') if the nibbling is gentle, or, if harder, a more substantial pull (súrok).
    pá'on bait; decoy or lure; MAG-, -AN to bait or set a trap; to place bait on a hook; to decoy or lure s/t; magpá'on nin atipíl to set a mousetrap [+MDL: bait which is placed on a fishhook; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place bait on a fishhook; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG-to use s/t as bait]

    subád MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to bite or nibble the bait on a hook (fish); to eat s/t in the water (fish); MA-, -AN: subarán or MAG-, PAG- -AN: pagsubarán to pull at s/o's line (fish nibbling at the bait) [MDL]

    tu'tó' referring to the slight jerk on a fishing line when a fish begins to nibble; MAG-, -ON to nibble at a fishhook; to pull on a fishing line when first starting to bite (fish) [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to nibble at a fishhook]

    súrok MA- or MAG- to pull at the line when nibbling at the bait (a fish); MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to pull the hook (a fish when taking the bait) [MDL]
Terms identical to the Bikol pá'on are found in the Visayan languages, with the cognate pain in Tagalog and the probable cognate apan in Kapampangan. Additionally, each of the central Philippine languages has a substantial number of terms relating to fish nibbling on the bait, tugging at the line, and then wriggling off the hook if not properly caught (lakát). One term shared among the Visayan languages, dawi, refers to the successful hooking of the fish on the line.[38]
    lakát MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to wriggle off the hook (a fish which has not been well caught) [MDL]
Nibbling on the line might lead to enough uncertainty as to whether a fish had been hooked that the fisherman might raise the line gently to check (mandáw),[39] or pull more forcefully in an attempt to hook the fish as it nosed around the bait (bikyáw).[40] Once hooked the fisherman might allow slack in the line to let the fish run with bait, hoping to tire it out, waiting for the right time to pull it in.[41]
    mandáw MANG-, PANG--AN to check a fishing line, snare or trap to see if anything has been caught; MANG-, PANG--ON to check to see if anything has been caught on a line, in a snare [MDL]

    bikyáw MAG-, -ON to pull back on a fishing rod in order to hook a fish; bikyáw na paglakáw describing a way of walking in which the feet are lifted in such a way as to approximate the movement of a fishing rod or pole being pulled back [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to pull back on a bamboo fishing rod when a fish bites]

5. USING THE HANDS

The Spanish commented not only on the abundance of fish in the Philippines,[42] but aslo on the skill of the local inhabitants in catching them, remarking on their ability to do so by just using their hands.[43] The hands were used to feel for fish in the mud of rice fields or in other areas covered by a limited amount of water (gumá', labóg). These could be the remaining pools or puddles when fields had dried out (palpág) or ponds developed specifically for the raising of fish (lúwak). Fish that remained hidden, could inadvertently give their position away by wiggling in the mud (kibót-kibót). In Tagalog and Kapampangan, labóg refers to cloudy or murky water with Tagalog entries also referring to fishing in such waters.[44]
    gumá' MAG-, -ON to feel for fish under the mud, or in places covered by only a small amount of water; to catch fish with the hands in this type of environment; MAG-, -AN to catch fish in this way in a particular area [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish in the mud or an area with little water]

    labóg or MAG-, -ON to catch fish in the mud, fields or streams using only the hands [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with the hands in rivers and flooded fields; (fig-) Pinalabóg na kitá kainíng mga fiscal We have been caught by the law-enforcement officers (Implying: They do not leave us alone)]

    palpág small pools or puddles of water left in otherwise dry fields; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to hide in the mud or pools of water left in drying fields (fish); MANG-, PANG--ON to catch fish in such pools or puddles [MDL]

    lúwak fishpond; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to make such ponds or pools for raising fish; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to make such ponds in a particular area [MDL]

    kibót-kibót ... [MDL: MAG- to move or wiggle about (fish in mud when there is little water, or when they have been speared) [MDL]
Catching fish with the hands was not always easy, with fish often slipping out of one's grasp (abú'ab). Some individuals were better at this type of fishing than others, with the action of those particularly poor at locating the fish or needing many attempts to catch them, referred to as hamág. Modern Bikol also has the term sarúsod, referring to moving slowly forward while sitting in shallow water, attempting to draw fish into the v-shape formed by the open legs.
    abú'ab MA- or MAG- or MAKA- to escape or slip away (fish in the mud of rice fields when one attempts to catch them with the hands or a salakáb); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to escape or slip away from s/o or from capture in a trap (fish) [MDL]

    hamág MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish in small ponds using only the hands (a derogatory term used to describe s/o who does such a job badly, having to make many attempts before succeeding); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to search for fish in this way in a particular area; Harí nindó paghamagá, dakól an malilihísan ta Don't mess around when trying to catch fish with the hands; many will get away from us [MDL]

    sarúsod MAG-, -ON to move forward while sitting in shallow water, drawing fish into the V-shape formed by the outstretched legs; var- surúsod
In Tagalog, bisa'og, refers to the catching of fish with the hands with no further explanation of where this might occur, and in Waray dalisot refers to such fish slipping out of the hands in an attempt to escape. The Visayan languages have the term kinhas with the shared meaning of catching fish or crustaceans during low tide, or in depressions prepared along the coast which remain filled with water and trapped fish when the tide had gone out. Sikup in Hiligaynon, adds a related meaning of picking fish out of puddles left after a heavy rain.[45]

It was, in general, far easier to catch fish in areas with little or shallow water, and if fish didn't swim into such an area on their own (dalnáy) then they could be chased there (sunsón). Fish could also be attracted by sound, making them easier to catch . This was achieved by shaking stones or bits of pottery in the hands underwater, or by shaking a string of coconut shells (gugó'). The Tagalog and Waray entries indicate that the noise made by a string of coconut shells shaken underwater could attract fish to the side of a boat.[46]
    dalnáy MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to swim (fish in a muddy area with little water); to enter such an area (a boat); MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to steer a boat into such an area [MDL]

    sunsón MAG-, -ON to chase fish toward shallow water where they can more easily be caught [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish after chasing them into shallower water]

    gugó' MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to make a sound by shaking s/t such as small stones or bits of china together in the closed hands; to shake a string of coconut shells underwater, making a sound which confuses fish, enabling them to be more easily caught [MDL]
Rice fields were also home to a variety of small fish. These might concentrate in an area of flowing water, such as where one bay (flooded field) flowed over a bund or embankment into another (saráng). These channels could be blocked, forcing the fish to gather in a smaller area, or the channel could be changed, drawing the fish into an increasingly narrow area where they splashed about, heading off in different directions in an attempt to escape (purák). Fish could also be left behind in the ponds and pools remaining as the rainy season came to an end, or hiding in reed-covered inlets and streams. The name for these areas, lalamón, is based on the dominant underwater seagrass, lámon, Enhalus acoroides, popularly known as 'eel grass'.[47]
    saráng MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to collect in a place of flowing water (fish in rice fields); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to collect in such an area for a particular reason (fish) [MDL]

    huthót dried grass or rice straw, used to block the channels used by fish in rice fields so they will congregate and be easier to catch; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use dried grass, rice straw for this purpose; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to catch fish in this way; to block the channels used by fish in rice fields with such straw [MDL]

    purák ... [MDL: MA- or MAG- to spill over or splash out (water when channelled into a narrower area to catch the fish fingerlings called piyák when they head off in different directions trying to escape); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to spill over onto s/t]


    lalamón fishing holes; ponds or pools in rice fields where one usually fishes; reed-covered inlets or streams where fish are usually caught in traps or corrals (tambóng) [MDL]

    lámon seagrass (typ- eel grass, Enhalus acoroides, which grows under the water in inlets and streams); KA--AN an area containing a lot of this type of grass [MDL]
Fish would also hide under the vegetation covering the surface of a rice field, and this would have to be cleared to expose them (lí'on). Modern Bikol also has the terms gúnaw, referring to the driving of fish from their hiding places by agitating the water, and limás, to lowering the level of water in a dammed off area to make fish easier to catch.
    lí'on MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to clear vegetation from an area in rice fields where there are fish in order to make them easier to catch; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to remove vegetation for this purpose [MDL]

    gúnaw MAG-, -AN to agitate shallow water for the purpose of chasing fish from their hiding places

    limás MAG-, -ON to bail out water; to drain water; MAG-, -AN to bail out (as a boat); to drain water from (as a bathtub); to remove the water from a dammed off area for the purpose of catching fish
The climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, created nests from the grasses in the rice fields and used these when spawning (pulpóg). It was referred to by three different names depending on its state of maturity: atás when medium sized, aro'án when large, and turubóg when small. When times were calm with no identifiable sense of danger, they would appear on the surface of the water, giving their presence away to fishermen who might be keeping watch (runtáw).[48]
    pulpóg nest (typ- made from grasses in rice fields by the fish called atás and used when spawning); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to make this type of nest; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to make the type of nest in a particular area; (fig-) Nagpulpóg na sa umá si kuyán That person works hard in the fields [MDL]

    atás fish (typ-, climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, living in rice fields, referred to in this way when medium sized; when small they are called turubóg and when large aro'án) [MDL]

    runtáw MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to appear on the surface of the water (fish such as atás); (fig-) Nagruntáw ka na lámang You're just standing there [MDL]
Atás appears to be a uniquely Bikol name for the climbing perch, While other of the Philippine languages have more than one name for this type of fish, the most common name which recurs from the Visayas to northern Mindanao and Jolo in the south, is puyó, a term which is also found in Bikol. The Fisheries and Wildlife Service of the United States (see the following paragraph) also lists this term as used in Tagalog, although I have not found any supporting evidence for this in the Tagalog dictionaries, past or present. Lisboa treats the atás and puyó as different fish, and provides different detailed information about each. Most probably each term had a different geographical area within the region where it was used.

The term salakát describes the season when the puyó come out of the soil in the rice fields where they have remained during the dry season to move to the higher ground of the embankments and bunds to spawn when the rains return. At this time they are vulnerable and easy to catch. While the villages believed that the fish remained in the soil of the rice fields through the dry season, this is questionable (also see Section 7). The climbing perch is popularly known as the 'walking fish' due to its ability to wiggle or crawl along wet ground and remain out of water for six to ten hours. It is likely that these fish move to a nearby river or stream when the rainy season ends, and then return to the rice fields when it again starts to rain.[49]
    puyó fish (typ- small mudfish or climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, found in fields and rivers referred to as gurók when small) [+MDL]

    salakát MA- or MAG- to come out of the soil of rice fields, moving to the higher and drier ground of the embankments to spawn (the fish, puyó, following the first heavy rains at the end of the dry season); MANG-, PANG--ON to catch fish which have come out to spawn following the first rains; -AN: sinalakátan fish caught in this way [MDL]

6. POISONS

Early civilisations on all the inhabited continents discovered and used strikingly similar plants to stun or kill fish as an aid in their capture. The stems, seeds, leaves, roots and bark of the plants could all be used to obtain the requisite poison. These, when crushed or pounded, would release a toxin when added to the water which acted on the respiratory system of the fish. The more confined the area of water, the greater the effect, leading first to the stupefying of the fish and then, possibly, to their death.[50]

The Malay fishermen of what is now Malaysia, would pound the root of the Derris elliptica vine mixing this with water in a large, receptacle, sometimes a half-filled canoe, then tipping this out into the upper part of a river or stream where the flow had been restricted by a barrier. The fish, sensing the presence of the poison (in Bikol pásaw), would swim downstream away from the poison to a second barrier where fishermen would be waiting to spear or club them. This second barrier sometimes contained small openings through which the young fish could escape, enabling them to grow to maturity.[51]
    pásaw MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to swim from contaminated water where they will eventually die, to clean water where they can recover (fish); ... MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to revive with fresh, clean water (fish) [MDL]
Also common among the Malay fishermen was the mixing of the poisons with a stiff clay and various remnant bits of shrimp and fish to form balls of bait. These were then dried and, when ready, thrown into the sea to be consumed by fish which would float to the surface when stunned or dying.[52]

Each of these poisons acted differently with some having an almost immediate effect, and others needing some hours or days before any effect was observable. It was uncommon for the poisons to cause death. They generally only stunned or stupefied the fish. Fish affected in this way would have to be collected quickly before they recovered, particularly if they drifted into water with a lesser concentration of toxins.[53] It was clear that younger fish succumb to these poisons far faster than those that were older and more mature, but there is no evidence that any one particular species was more susceptible.[54]

Consumption of fish killed by most of these poisons did not seem to have a deleterious effect on those eating them.[55] There was a reason for this. The two primary chemicals found in plants which have the ability to stun or kill fish are saponins and rotenones. Saponins enter the bloodstream of fish directly when they are taken in through the gills. They breakdown the red blood cells and spread quickly, affecting only the respiratory organs of the fish. Rotenones affect the gill filaments of fish, reducing their ability to take in oxygen. Tublag in Cebuano refers to this inability of fish to breathe properly when affected by these toxins.[56]

There were, however, exceptions. Fish killed with the berries of the vine Anamirta cocculus, (in the Visayan languages, lagtang),[57]] were known to transfer this poison to those eating the fish. In general, however, great care was taken in cleaning fish killed by poison, removing and discarding all the entrails, ensuring the fish was safe to eat.[58]

Far more dangerous were those fish which were contaminated with a ciguatera toxin caused by the eating of toxic algae. Smaller herbivorous fish which fed on such algae were later consumed by larger carnivorous fish. The toxin became more concentrated as it moved up the food chain until it was eaten by those catching the fish. It was a toxin that was not eliminated by cooking, and while rarely causing death, led to unpleasant initial symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, possibly followed by more neurological symptoms such as headaches, numbness of the mouth and lips, and vertigo. The Waray entry, antong, specifically mentions this poisoning. As for Bikol, the area of an algal bloom is rungarí, and exposure can cause the death of fish, and irritations on the skin of those moving through the water. The 1865 edition of the Lisboa dictionary specifically mentions sickness caused by the eating of fish which had consumed the algae. Far less specific is the Bikol bálos referring to marks which appear on the body after the eating of unusual fish which are not commonly seen or caught. An identical entry refers to illness cause by an evil spell or charm.[59]
    rungarí a skin disease caused by contact with water at times of an algal bloom; an algal bloom; -AN to suffer from such a skin disease [MDL: rungári referring to the water of lakes which turn green at particular times of the year leading to the death of fish; MA- or MAG- to turn greenish (water)] [+ MDL 1865: the greenish color of lakes and rivers at particular times of the year, resulting in the death of fish and sickness to those eating such fish].


    bálos marks which are said to appear on the body after eating a particular species of rare ocean fish; MA- to appear (such marks) [MDL]

    bálos MAKA- to cause s/o to fall ill (a witch or sorcerer); MA- to fall ill due to the influence of a witch or sorcerer; -AN a witch, sorcerer [MDL]
Tuba was the general term used by researchers to refer to the variety of plants and the poisons they produced in stupefying or killing fish among the Malay fishermen. It was also the term commonly used by the Spanish when referring to this practice in the Philippines. This can lead to some confusion as túba' is specifically the shrub Croton tiglium which is noted in all of the central Philippine languages, although it is also used to refer to Derris elliptica which is tublí' in Bikol and the other central Philippine languages with the exception of Kapampangan.[60] Other plants which are included in the central Philippine language dictionaries which are part of the genis Derris are tibalaw in Tagalog and, possibly, nuknokan in Cebuano, and in the genis Croton, makasla in Hiligaynon.[61]

The Report of the Philippine Commission to the President of the United States describes the use of makasla by the Tagbanuas of the Calamianes Islands to the north of Palawan. Here a mixture is created using the fruit of the bush referred to as makasla, pounded together with a tuber called carote, the leaves and fruit of the cayenne pepper and parts of two other vegetables. To this is added ashes and soil. The mixture is then left to ferment overnight in a wooden trough covered with banana leaves. The fermented mixture is then placed into wicker baskets and distributed among the group of people who will be fishing. These people walk out into the sea as the tide begins to ebb, place the baskets in the water and move them about until the toxic mixture is dislodged. The group then walk back toward the shore as the water continues to recede and the fish become affected by the poison. The smaller fish are collected as they float to the surface or sink to the bottom, while the larger fish are disabled when struck by a knife or club. Eventually the poison wears off and the fish that are not caught recover, with only the very smallest of them dying.[62]
    túba' shrub (typ- Croton tiglium, possessing a leaf and its stem which may be used as a laxative, and seeds from which an oil may be extracted effective in killing or stunning fish) [+MDL: a small shrub, the fruit of which serves as a fish poison and laxative; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with the oil from such a plant; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to poison a section of a river with such a plant; -AN fish caught in such a way]

    tublí' a climbing vine (typ- Derris elliptica, possessing roots which produce a substance useful in treating sores or wounds, or in poisoning fish) [+MDL: ) MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to kill fish with the extract from this plant's roots; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use this root for treating sores, poisoning fish; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to poison an area of water with this root]
There were also other plants which were used to stun or kill fish. The various parts of the shrub or small tree, Callicarpa candicans (tígaw in Bikol and the Visayan languages) served such a purpose. For Bikol, it was the pounded leaves which released the poison when added to water. For Waray it was the leaves, branches and roots which were pounded and then mixed with ash or sand, and for Cebuano it was the ashes of the burnt branches and roots. Reference in Hiligaynon is to the fruits and seeds to achieve the same end.[63]
    tígaw shrub or small tree (typ- Callicarpa candicans, 2 to 4 meters high, possessing leaves which, when pounded, produce a poison capable of killing fish); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a poison; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to catch fish in this way; to poison a body of water with the leaves of such a plant [MDL]
The pith of the stems of the Crinum asiaticum, or Spider Lily (bákong in Bikol and the other central Philippine languages), produces a mild sedative effect in fish when prepared and added to the water. It is not very toxic, in fact, references in the other languages are to its medicinal uses, as a general antidote or as a treatment for the bacterial skin infection, impetigo, and not to its use in fishing.[64]
    bákong plant (typ- Crinum asiaticum, with long, wide leaves producing a star-like, fragrant flower; the pith of the stems is used in fishing, and the juice of the fleshy leaves as a hair dressing [MDL]
The various parts of the pútat tree, Barringtonia racemosa, are useful on a number of levels: the young leaves are edible (see Section 1), the fruits form decorative necklaces, and the inner portion of the bark produces a useful fibre. Additionally, the seeds and bark can be used to produce a fish poison. The tree appears as an entry in the Tagalog and Kapampangan dictionaries where the edibility of its leaves is mentioned, and in Cebuano where it is identified simply as a tree. No mention is made of its ability to produce a poison in spite of it being called, in modern reference, the fish-killer tree.[65]
    pútat tree (typ- Barringtonia racemosa, growing in mangrove-like habitats along the seashore and streams, reaching a height of 10 meters; producing decorative necklace-like fruit stems, edible young leaves and a fiber extractable from the inner portion of the bark; seeds and bark may also be used in preparation of a fish poison) [+MDL]

    bugtóng fruit (typ- of the pútat tree) [MDL]
Bikol has one further reference to a plant which probably produces a toxin poisonous to fish, dáwog. I have not been able to find any further information about this. In Waray, buraw, is defined as the Spanish coca. Here coca, most likely shortened from coca de levante, refers to a berry (baya), the berry in the plant referred to as baya de los pescados, a plant poisonous to fish related to the Anamirta cocculus (see above).[66]
    dáwog plant (typ- nettle, reed-like, used for fishing); MANG-, PANG--ON to go in search of or collect this plant [MDL]

7. BASKETS AND TRAPS

Baskets were used both for the storage and holding of fish and for their collection and capture. For this second purpose they served primarily as traps, discussed in more detail below. While the terminology for many of the baskets was the same across most of the central Philippine languages, their function often differed. For some languages reference was to the storage of fish and for others to their capture.[67] For modern Bikol the sildók is described as a basket of rattan or bamboo used for fish, although the Lisboa dictionary makes no mention of this particular usage in old Bikol. The balugbógan, however, was used specifically for holding fish while in the process of fishing.
    sildók basket (typ- rattan or bamboo, used for fish) [+MDL]

    balugbógan basket (typ- small with a tapering neck, used for storing fish while fishing) [MDL]
Both Tagalog and Kapampangan share the buslo, described simply as a loosly-woven basket with a narrow mouth used for holding fish. Tagalog lists what are a number of synonyms, or at least, closely related basket types: the alubohan, the halughogan, a close though not immediately proven cognate to the Bikol balugbogan, and the balanan, said to be the term used outside of Manila and equivalent to the buslo. Bakay is another basket which these two languages share, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, with only Kapampangan indicating it was used for fish. The use of the bukatut in Kapampangan appears to describe a basket more for the catching than the storage of fish. This had a wide mouth and a narrow neck in which the fish could not turn to escape once inside. The noun is based on the root, katut, carrying the verbal meaning of being confined in such a narrow space that one is unable to move.[68]

All of the central Philippine languages have the bangkat. In Cebuano it is described simply as an ordinary basket of rattan or bamboo. For Bikol and Waray it is used for the transporting of unhusked rice. Fishing is first mentioned in Hiligaynon where it is a basket with a net-like weave of rattan or bamboo used for storing fish as they are removed from the fish corral, punot (see Section 8). For Tagalog and Kapampangan it is a fish trap placed in narrow waterways. In both of these languages, the trap is defined in Spanish as a garlito. If we follow this reference further in the Diccionario de la lengua española a second reference is made to the trap, buitrón. From this we come away with two possible descriptions. One is of a cone-shaped basket with a net fastened across the front and tapering loosly inside. Once a fish has swum through the mesh of the net into the interior of the basket it is trapped, unable to swim out again. A second possible description is of two cone-shaped baskets, an exterior larger basket with a smaller one inside, the smaller one open at the back. Again, once a fish has swum trough the opening at the back of the smaller, inner basket into the larger one, it is unable to swim out again.[69]
    bangkát basket (typ- used for storing unhusked rice, charcoal or similar items) [MDL]
The three Visayan languages have the term taklob, but not in all of them is this a basket. The root word here is kulob meaning 'face down' or 'upside down', and it is this position and its associated action which is shared across the languages. The fossilised prefix ta- appears to indicate position or nonlinear direction, a function shared with Bikol.[70]

The meaning of taklob which is found across the three languages is 'to cover something' or 'to place something over'. In Cebuano it can be a basket made from any material capable of being woven, such as bamboo, vines or leaves. It is placed over a fish when it is sighted, trapping it beneath. In Hiligaynon it is the bottom half of a cut basket with a wide bottom which is used to trap fish in lakes and areas where the water-flow is restricted and visibility is obstructed due to silting or surface vegetation. In Waray, reference is to a narrow net in the shape of a sack which is placed over openings or holes in the river or lake bed where one suspects fish are hiding.[71]

Bikol also has the term taklób which similarly carries the meaning of placing something over something else, in this case a net placed over poles driven into the riverbed to catch the fish congregating beneath (see tanóm, Section 8). The only possible root form from within Bikol would have to be kulu'ób which refers to the placing of a cover over something, objects varying from plates to a boats. The relationship between a possible underlying root of the form lu'ób in Bikol and a shared underlying root of the same form in the Visayan languages would be hard to prove given their distinctive meanings.
    taklób MA- or MAG- to cast a net over poles driven into the riverbed (called tanóm in Libmanan), in order to catch fish congregating beneath; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to cover such poles with a net; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to catch fish in this way; -AN: tinaklóban fish caught in this way [MDL]

    kulu'ób covering (as for a plate, a boat); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to cover a plate, boat; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use s/t as a covering; also see lu'ób [MDL]
Both Cebuano and Hiligaynon have the bala'on, described as a basket in which fish are placed, although during which part of the fishing process this happens is not made clear. Waray has bala, the root of the longer forms, described simply as a basket made from bamboo.[72] Kapampangan additionally has the alawa, described at times as a small basket and at others as a net at the end of a pole used to scoop trapped fish out of a corral or the net referred to as salambáw (see Section 9).[73]

We now come to those baskets which served primarily as fish traps. The búbo in Bikol is a long, narrow basket-like fish trap woven from rattan and used for catching fish and prawns. Modern Bikol indicates it is used in rivers. Lisboa does not restrict the entry to only this area, and judging from definitions in the other central Philippine languages, it probably was used in both in rivers and the open sea.

Both Tagalog and Kapampangan simply define búbo as a trap for catching fish. Hiligaynon adds that for the Western Visayas it was in the form of a buitrón, (see above), that is, a nest of two elongated cone-shaped baskets, and in Cebuano the definition covers its use in both the ocean and rivers. A more inclusive definition is given for Waray where it is described as a basket of woven bamboo or rattan, with a narrow-enough mesh so that the fish are unable to escape once they enter. When it is placed in a river or the sea, stones are placed along the edges so that it sinks to the bottom. Attached to it as well is a line with a float at the end so that its location can be found when it is time to return for the catch. In the Tagalog region similar traps are baited with meat and the line which attaches the float to the trap is a long series of split rattan strips. When it comes time to raise the trap, a quick jerk on the line causes the stones to dislodge making the trap easier to raise to the surface.[74]
    búbo fish trap (typ- 1.5 to 2 meters long and 10 to 12 centimeters wide, made of rattan; used in rivers); MAG- to trap fish, shrimp in such a trap; MAG-, -AN to place such traps in a particular location [+MDL: MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place such traps in a particular waterway; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish or shrimp in such a trap; -AN: binubówan fish trapped in this way]
The salákab is another basket-like trap, although restricted to areas on Luzon. It does not appear in the dictionaries for the Visayan languages. It is used for catching fish in rice fields. The Tagalog entry mentions its use, in particular, for catching the mudfish, dalag, Channa striata, and the Kapampangan entry gives some sense of how the fish were caught: a fisherman waded slowly through a rice field thrusting the basket into the water when a fish was spotted in an attempt to scoop it up inside. As this is done during the rainy season when the fish are abundant, the resultant catches were frequently considerable.[75]

As for the dalag, villages tended to believe that the fish, sensing the end of the rainy season and the start of the dry, would bury themselves in the mud of the rice fields, like the atás or 'climbing perch' (see Section 5), to reemerge when the rains again began to fall. Alternately, it is also probable, perhaps more so, that the fish, were able to move across shallow water, and even damp grass, at the approach of the dry season to streams where they spent the months without rain. They were then reintroduced to the rice fields from the irrigation canals drawing on the water in the streams.[76]
    salakáb fish trap (typ- small, used in rice fields) [+MDL: salákab fish trap used when fishing in rice fields; the water around the trap is struck with a split piece of bamboo called takdóng to drive the fish into the trap; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to catch fish with a salakáb; -AN: sinasalakbán fish caught in this way]
The number of entries in the Lisboa dictionary which deal with the salákab may be some indication of its importance to the community. It was woven from a fine reed, bános, which was also used in the construction of the mat-like walls of the corral, tambóng (see Section 8). The opening was formed with a hoop-like ring of rattan, agkáyan, and just inside the opening was a circle of pointed sticks which prevented the fish from swimming out after they had been caught, gáraw. The Tagalog equivalent, bangan, indicates that these were sharpened lengths of bamboo, and that may well have been the case for Bikol. Gáraw, or its cognate galaw, is also found in the Visayan languages; in Waray with a meaning identical to Bikol, and in Cebuano and Hiligaynon with reference to a tapering net placed within a corral. Once fish had passed through the mesh in the net they were unable to swim back out again.[77]
    bános reed (typ- small, used in making the fish traps or corrals called salakáb and tambóng); also used to refer to a stripped or sharpened bamboo pole or wooden stick; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to sharpen or strip a bamboo pole or woden stick of its skin or bark; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to strip off or remove skin or bark in sharpening or cleaning bamboo, wood; (fig-) Garó pinamanósan an mga muró' ni kuyán It is as if that person's fingers have been whittled to a point (Said when one has attractive fingers) [MDL]

    agkáyan a hoop or ring of rattan forming the opening of the fish trap called salakáb; (PAG-)-AN to be constructed with such a ring (the salakáb); I(PAG)- to be used for such a hoop or ring (rattan) [MDL]

    gáraw pointed sticks located inside the entrance to fish traps which keep the fish from swimming out once inside; also: the ward of a lock or keyhole (the projecting ridge which prevents the turning of a key other than the proper one); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place such a guard on traps, locks; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use s/t for such a guard [MDL]
To drive the fish into the salákab, the water was struck with a split piece of bamboo called takdóng, making the sound heard as rupók-rupók. As they moved lower in the water, or were driven into the trap, the fish emitted small bubbles, buró'-buró', which appeared on the surface of the water. The salákab could be used during the day or at night. When at night the activity was referred to as dumágat.
    takdóng a split piece of bamboo used to strike the water in order to drive fish into the trap called salakáb; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to drive fish in the way; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use a split piece of bamboo for this purpose; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to strike an area of water surrounding the trap; (fig-) Si makuríng pagkalúnod mi, garó kamíng itinakdóng From the terrible way we sank, it was as if we were used as a takdóng (Said when one's boat overturns in a river) [MDL]

    rupók-rupók a crunching sound; MAG- to make this sound; to crunch [MDL: the sound made by the split bamboo rod, called takdóng, when striking the water to drive fish into the trap called salakáb; sound of bamboo breaking in a strong wind; MA- or MAG- to make this sound]

    buró'-buró' small bubbles which appear on the surface of the water (such as that caused by fish diving deeper into the water, as when being driven into the trap called salakáb); MA- or MAG- to rise to the surface (bubbles); to blow bubbles beneath the water (as children exhaling or trying to talk when playing in the water); (PAG-)-AN to show signs of such bubbles (the surface of the water) [MDL]

    dumágat MA- or MAG- to fish at night using the fish trap called salakáb; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish using such a trap [MDL]
The salákab was not the only trap used in the streams and rice fields. There was also the habóng, made from bamboo or rattan which was also used in these areas, and the púgad, a small trap assembled from thorny bushes. The association of habóng with a trap in the Visayan languages where it is found, is less common. Reference in these three languages is either to a makeshift shelter, with Waray associating its construction along a riverbank for use when fishing, or an obstruction used to restrain or direct fish so that they can be more easily caught. For Waray this is a barrier of tree branches set across the lower reaches of a river to trap fish as the tide goes out, for Hiligaynon it is a barrier for directing game, and for Cebuano it is the action of directing game or fish into a trap which is also referred to as habóng (see Section 8). The association of the term púgad with a fish trap is somewhat unusual among the central Philippine languages, as it most commonly refers to either a bird's nest or the nest where chickens lay their eggs or gather their young.[78]
    habóng trap (typ- made of rattan or bamboo, used for catching fish in rice fields and streams); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a trap; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to fish particular fields or streams with such a trap; -AN: hinabngán fish caught with a habóng [MDL]
The púgad could be set out individually or in a series (sagád). It was held in place by attachment to a pole or any other suitable anchor (kiríkid).
    pugád fish trap (typ- small, made from thorny bushes, used for catching fish in rice fields); MA-, -ON to set such traps; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to trap fish with such traps; -AN: pinupugáran fish caught in such traps [MDL]

    sagád a series of fish traps (pugád) placed close together in a field; MA-, -AN: sagarán or MAG-, PAG--AN: pagsagarán to set out such fish traps in a field; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish in these traps [MDL]

    kiríkid MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to attach the trap called pugád to a pole or other object serving to anchor it in place; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to attach rattan to a púgad [MDL]
Two further small traps were the bayambán, and the heart-shaped, si'íd, used in modern Bikol for the catching of the catfish, híto', Clarias macrocephalus. While Lisboa makes no mention of híto', he does include the freshwater catfish, pantát, a related species (see Section 10). The cognate si'ir in Tagalog is described as a small corral used for catching fish in rice fields, and the probable cognate, sid, in Kapampangan as a corral for the catching of the climbing perch, Anabas testudineus.[79]
    bayambán fish trap (typ- small); MAG-, -AN to catch fish with such a trap [+MDL: MA- or MAG- to catch fish in such a trap; -AN: binabayambánan fish caught in such a trap]

    si'íd fish trap (typ- small, heart-shaped, made of matted bamboo and used to catch the freshwater catfish called híto'; MAG-, -ON to trap catfish with such a trap
More generally, and applicable to corrals and traps set in the sea and on land, is the balungbóng, This enclosure is placed around a trap or corral to protect the catch by keeping out unwanted predators, large fish that might be after the smaller fish in the trap, or even birds intending to perch on the trap itself looking for a feed. It was also prudent to keep one's distance once a trap had been set, for the obvious reason that such proximity would frighten off a potential catch (áwong).
    balungbóng an enclosure placed around the sides of a snare, trap or fish corral to keep out unwanted birds, game or fish; also used as a temporary shelter for game until they can be properly confined, or as an enclosure to keep a child from falling; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to enclose a trap, animal or child in such a way; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use s/t to form such an enclosure [MDL]

    áwong MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place o/s in front of another, cutting out the light; to place o/s too near a trap, frightening off game, fish: Harí akó pagawóngi Don't cut off my light or Get out from in front of me [MDL]

8. CORRALS

The use or corrals was the most widespread method of catching fish in the Philippines.[80] These could be seen in great numbers along the coast in areas where the shallows would periodically be inundated by the high tide, and then left relatively dry when the the tide went out. For the Tagalog region some of these corrals were made so the their walls would be fully submerged at the high tide with the fish coming in over the top. More commonly the walls of other corrals always remained above water with the fish channelled into the trap by a long barrier or enclosure, as in the detailed description by Alcina for the Visayas below. There was also a corral where the barrier or long enclosure led from the low water mark on the beach to the corral which was set in relatively deep water. This long enclosure ended in a larger, rounded enclosure where the fish were gathered. The opening to this was lined with sharpened bamboo stakes which pointed inward and stopped the fish from escaping once they had entered. From this enclosure the fish were either speared or scooped out with nets.[81]

The corral referred to by Alcina in his description of the Visayas is called paraan, a complex structure which is set up only once a year. It is set out on beaches where the difference between high and low tide is great, exposing the beach almost completely when the tide is low, and covering it fully when the tide is high. It is constructed at a time when fish have shown themselves to be most abundant in that area, coming down from the river systems to the sea, congregating near the beaches to spawn or take shelter from larger predators, or to escape storms which form further out at sea.

A lattice-like mat of thick bamboo is prepared beforehand with a mesh open just wide enough for a finger to pass through. This is divided into sections and baked in the sun to make it more resistant to salt water. These are then folded or rolled up until ready for use.

When the corral is ready to be set up, thick poles about 20-30 centimetres in circumference and 3-4 metres in length are driven into the mud or sand at the low water mark until they are firmly anchored, generally to a depth of one half to one metre. These poles are placed in particular arrangements to suit their location, round or square, large or small. This section is referred to as ligaw.

At one end of the ligaw is constructed another section called karitan, the section in which the fish will ultimately be gathered. To the walls of this enclosure are strapped the lattice like mats of bamboo which were previously prepared. The karitan includes a narrower section so that the fish are unable to move freely and therefore obtain enough momentum to break through the bamboo mesh which encloses them. There is also a flap-like half door through which the fish enter but cannot leave once inside.

Leading from the ligaw and almost reaching the high water mark on the beach is a long, narrow enclosure, almost like a pathway, called habong. This can be of considerable length, with measurements of 175-250 metres recorded. At the top end of the habong it is also possible to place one or two wing-like barricades which guide the fish into the corral, reducing the chances of them being drawn by the outgoing tide into the open sea. Alcina does not give a term for this, although in Samar the two possibilities mentioned in the Sánchez de la Rosa dictionary are bira and punot.[82] The walls of the ligaw, habong and the wing-like barricades are also lined.[83] The Report of the Philippine Commission describing the corrals in the Tagalog region indicates that the lining was lengths of split bamboo, tied together with rattan and made in such a way that they could be detached from the poles that anchor them, rolled up and transported to a new location for use. This would be particularly useful for the second type of corral described by Alcina, the bunoan.[84] Possible English terms which can be applied to the habong, ligaw, and karitan are, respectively 'leader', 'playground' and 'bunt'.[85]

The bunoan is smaller and more portable than the paraan. It is set up for three or four days on the occurrence of the high tide in a place where the fish are known to feed. As the tide goes out, the fish become trapped and are netted or speared before they have chance to escape. Hiligaynon has specific terms for fishing at this time of day; nanalinaga for fishing at the outgoing tide in the morning, and nanaghinapon for fishing at the outgoing tide in the afternoon. The Tagalog sabo also identifies the period of the rising or falling tide as the time fish gather to feed and an optimum time for fishing.[86] The corral is dismantled and moved once the fish become aware of its purpose and quickly find areas elsewhere to feed.[87]

For Bikol, the bunó'an is defined simply as a corral and the section where the fish are collected as karitán, terms which are also found in Alcina's description, although with reference to different types of corrals. The action of baiting and setting the bunó'an in place is referred to as bungsád, a term with cognates in the Visayan languages carrying a similar meaning. In Waray and Hiligaynon reference is made specifically to the anchoring of the corral walls to the prepared poles, while the Cebuano reference is simply to a type of corral.[88]
    bunó'an fish corral (typ-); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to catch fish in such a corral; -AN: an binubuno'ánan fish caught in such a corral [MDL]

    karitán the semi-enclosed side of the fish corral called bunó'an where fish which enter the trap are directed and where they congregate and can be collected [MDL]

    bungsád the fish corral called bunó'an when baited and set in place; MA-, -AN: bungsarán or MAG-, PAG- -AN: pagbungsarán to bait or set out this fish corral [MDL]
The bunó'an is referred to in Tagalog and Kapampangan as a fishing corral with no other detail supplied. Hiligaynon has this as the final in the series of sections which make up the entire corral. It is broken up by the ligaw where the fish enter and preceded by the larger pagsagaran.[89]

Tambóng is the corral most frequently referred to in the the Bikol dictionary, although it is possible that Lisboa has chosen to reference this for components that also apply more generally to other corrals. Its walls are mat-like, woven from reeds, which are then tied to poles driven in the ground in the location where it is to be set up. The lashings are either of rattan, talákid or a vine called hangáya known for its ability to last in water.
    tambóng fish corral; MAG-, -AN to place such corrals in a particular body of water; MAG-, -ON to catch fish in a tambóng [+MDL: fish corral made from reeds, resembling large mats, set out across streams or canals; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to set out such corrals across a canal or stream; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such corrals; -AN: tinatambóngan fish caught in such corrals; (fig-) Timinambóng na an dakól na táwo or Garó na tambóng iyán dakól na táwo Said when many people surround s/t or are lined up beside s/t]

    talákid tie, lashing (typ- generally of rattan, used to tie the bamboo floor slats of a house and the posts of fish corrals); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to secure s/t with such a tie; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use rattan or rope for such a tie; MA-, -AN: talakirán or MAG-, PAG--AN: pagtalakirán to fasten or tie s/t in this way to s/t else [MDL]

    hangáya vine (typ- known for its ability to last in water, used for lashing together fish corrals) [MDL]
The tambóng is set out in a chosen waterway (takták), generally by enclosing a set area (likós), either singly or with a series of corrals (láwas), across rivers, streams or canals where fish are expected to be plentiful. To facilitate the capture of fish when the tide runs out, smaller corrals called tabón are set out in conjunction with the tambóng. Not all of the fish are drawn into the corrals, with some managing to avoid capture by slipping around the perimeter (alipós).
    takták MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to spread out nets for hunting; to set out corrals for catching fish; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to spread such nets or set out corrals over a particular area; to catch s/t with such nets or corrals [MDL]

    likós MAG-, -ON to fence s/t in (commonly with a rope enclosure); to encircle or enclose s/t; to girdle [+MDL: MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to surround or encircle s/t in order to catch it; to set out fish corrals (tambóng) in a particular area; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to set out fish corrals (tambóng), probably in a circle]

    láwas MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to string a set of fish corrals (tambóng) across narrow rivers, streams or canals [MDL]

    tabón a small corral placed in canals near the fish corral called tambóng to facilitate the capture of fish when the tide is low; MAG-, -AN to place a such a corral in a particular area; to catch fish in this way [+MDL]

    alipós MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG-, -AN to escape (fish, around the sides of a tambóng) [MDL]
A successful catch may have left a corral overflowing with fish, sometimes to the point where there was hardly any room to move (pusót-pusót), the splashing about of the fish reminiscent of rustling sounds in the night (gáhod). A such times, when visibility inside the corral was poor, it was prudent to make sure there were no crocodiles lurking within, and this was done by probing the inside with a pole (sansán) before using a scoop net (sílo') to remove the fish.
    pusót-pusót filled with fish to the point where the fish can hardly move (traps, corrals): Pusót-pusót na iníng dakól na sirá' digdí sa búbo The fish are so crowded together in the trap they are unable to move [MDL]

    gáhod sound of things moving that one hears at night; the sound made by a fish trapped in a fish corral (tambóng); MA- or MAG- to make such a sound; (PAG-)-AN: (pag)gahóran the place where such sounds come from; MAKA-, MA- to hear such sounds or movement; Da'í gayód nin gáhod digdí ka kuyán na hárong There doesn't seem to be any movement or sound emanating from those peoples' house (Implying: No one is home) [MDL]

    sansán MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to probe a fish corral with a pole to make sure there are no crocodiles [MDL]

    sílo' scoop net (typ- used for catching fish in rivers and fish ponds, and for removing fish from fish corrals); MAG-, -ON to catch fish with such a net [+MDL: MA- or MAG- to catch fish with such a net; -AN: siniló'an fish caught with such a net]
Not all fishing areas were freely accessible by everyone, and not all corrals were public. With private corrals it was necessary to ask permission of the owner (núgok) before taking any fish. The Cebuano entry, lihian, indicates that the payment for use of a corral owned by others was a portion of the catch.[90]
    núgok MANG-, PANG--AN to ask permission of the owner to collect fish from a tambóng or fish corral; MANG-, PANG--ON to ask permission to collect fish [MDL]
In the Tagalog region, the village heads maintained specific fishing areas for themselves, as well as the rights to market the fish which were caught. To use these areas, one had be resident in the same village as the head, or else pay for the privilege of access.[91] By the end of the nineteenth century, private ownership of nets and corrals was still common, with the owners receiving a regular income from those wishing to use these facilities, and they in turn paying the state taxes for their private access to the waterways.[92]

Fish could also be obtained from a corral that one did not own and would otherwise have no access to by offering to help in the catching and removal of the fish from the corral. These Cebuano entries cover the offering of assistance (dugok), the removal of the fish (sugman) and the division of the fish, stringing each person's share on a line (gutas).[93]

Those who had no access to fishing areas, or had no time to assist those who did, would resort to buying the fish they needed (námal). These could be bought fresh from the fishermen who had just removed then from a corral (Hiligaynon lab'asero) or purchased sometime later from a market in the larger towns where such a facility existed. Diego de Artieda remarks in 1572 that the fishermen of the coast bartered their fish with the inhabitants in the inland areas in return for the fruits and vegetables which were harder to access along the coast.[94] Also see Chapter 16, Towns, Trade and Travel, Section 3, where this is discussed in more detail.
    námal MANG-, PANG--ON to buy fish; MANG-, PANG--AN to buy fish from s/o; MANG-, IPANG- to pay a particular price for fish [MDL]
A number of other fish corrals were also found in Bikol. The tanóm resembled a pyramid of poles driven into the riverbed and tilted so that the tops met at a central point. This formed an area where fish congregated, later to be caught by a net cast over the top (see taklób, Section 7). Another corral also set out in rivers was the anság, made from lengths of bamboo. The sides always remain above water, while the base, made from crosspieces of bamboo, is set just below the surface of the river. It forms a type of sluice with the water flowing over the base, carrying the fish with it. It appears to be a corral made for fishing on the day with no intention of permanency, perhaps leading the figurative meaning of a house in disrepair. The anság is still in use, and there are a number of YouTube videos where it can be seen. The narrative for all of them is in Tagalog, and with the exception of the video set in Sorsogon, the narrators sound like native Tagalog speakers. While there is no dictionary evidence that this was a corral used commonly in the Tagalog provinces, there are Tagalog speaking areas along the coast of Camarines Norte. I have placed a link to one of these videos which shows the corral most clearly, in spite of the heavy rain.[95]
    tanóm fish corral (typ- consisting of poles driven into the riverbed, tilted so that the upper ends meet, serving as a place where fish congregate, eventually to be caught by the net called taklób); MA-, -AN: tanmán or MAG-, PAG- -AN: pagtanmán to build such a corral in a particular area; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to drive such poles into a riverbed; this term is used in Libmanan [MDL]

    anság fish corral (typ- constructed of bamboo in rivers, the upper portion always remaining above the level of the water); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish in such a fish corral; -AN: an inaanságan the fish caught in such a corral; (fig-) Garó na iníng anság iníng satóng hárong Our house is like an anság (Said when one side of a house is falling down) [MDL]
Used for fishing in the open sea is the sagkád. This is a corral with walls lined with mats woven from fine bamboo, banáta, a term also found in Tagalog and the Visayan languages where the emphasis is on the sections which can be assembled when the corral is set up and then disassembled when it is time to move it to a different location.[96]
    sagkád fish corral (typ- lined with sections of matting woven from fine bamboo (banáta) producing a net-like appearance, used for fishing in the open sea) [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to construct such fish corrals; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to set up such fish corrals in a particular area -AN: sinagkádan fish caught in such corrals]

    banáta the mat-like walls of the fishing corral called sagkád, woven from fine bamboo [+MDL: bundles of bamboo used for weaving the walls of fish corrals or constructing the floors of houses; MAG-, PAG- -ON to place two bundles of bamboo side by side; MA-, -ON to place one bundle of bamboo by the side of another in such constructions; saró' kabanáta one bundle of bamboo]
There were numerous other corrals which were used throughout the central Philippines. Tagalog and Kapampangan shared the baklad and Cebuano and Hiligaynon the punot, among the many others listed in the dictionaries. The punot in Waray referred only to the wings which directed fish into a corral.[97] While set far to the south of the central Philippines in the province of Zamboanga, an article in the Philippine Journal of Science, has a detailed description of many of the traps and corrals used in that region with clear similarities to those discussed above. Additionally, there a number of diagrams which illustrate these traps and corrals.[98]

It is not possible to include all of the corral types, their positioning, their component parts, and the actions involved in setting them up, using them and taking them down in a narrative form for each of the central Philippine languages. What I have done is include lists of the relevant terms which have not been referred to in the previous discussion in this endnote for those who would like to pursue this futher.[99]


9. NETS

Fishnets were many and varied, adapted for use in rivers and streams, lakes, rice fields and the open sea. Although nginá'on is defined by Lisboa as a general term for 'fishing', the affix possibilities indicate that the use of nets was a significant part of this activity.
    nginá'on MANG- or MAGPANG- to fish (general term); MANG-, PANG--ON or MAGPANG-, PAGPANG--ON to catch fish; MANG-, IPANG- or MAGPANG-, IPAGPANG- to use nets for fishing; PARAPANG- fisherman; PANG--ON: pinanginá'on fish caught in this way [MDL]
Many of the terms used to refer to these nets recur in the the central Philippine languages, but as with the baskets, traps and corrals, the specific nets referred to by these terms often differed. As nets were time consuming to create or expensive to buy, not every fisherman could afford his own and not every family had the variety of nets needed for all types of fishing. Such occasions led to the sharing of nets and the provisions needed for the outing, as well as the resultant catch (ágom). Sharing was the expected outcome, whether one fished with others due to a lack of materials, or fished using ones own resources. Just as with the hunt (see Chapter 17, Hunting, Section 7) there was an expectation that the catch would be distributed among one's friends and relatives, guaranteeing that one would, at some time in the future, also be a recipient if their catch failed (ganák).
    ágom MA-, -AN to join another who goes out to hunt or catch fish, sharing nets, provisions and the resultant catch; MA-, I- to share nets jointly on such an occasion; MAG- to join together in a hunt or share nets when fishing; MAG-, PAG- -ON to take along shared provisions when hunting or fishing with s/o; MAG-, PAG--AN to hunt or fish together at a particular place; MAKA- to end up joining s/o on a hunt or when fishing; MAGKA- to end up hunting or fishing together [MDL]

    ganák the part of the hunt or catch of fish given to one's friends or relatives; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to distribute a portion of the hunt or catch; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to distribute part of the hunt or fish catch to s/o; MAKI- to ask to be included in the distribution; MAPA- to ask for a portion of the hunt or fish catch [MDL]
Where a boat was needed and was not available, this had to be borrowed or rented. Payment for rented boats could be made in cash, or with a part of the catch, the exact percentage predetermined and certified by a representative of the renter who was on board, not to help in the fishing, but to verify the number of fish caught (the Cebuano gabas).[100]

A number of superstitions were associated with the use of nets and corrals. For example, the fish caught in the first casting of a net or those that first entered a corral had to be released. Keeping them would result in a lack of fish later being caught. Additionally, before nets were used for the first time, they could not be discussed. Any mention of them would result in their efficacy being weakened and any resulting catch diminished.[101] In Cebu, if one were to request a part of the catch before the fishing had taken place, the result would be no fish being caught (gahoy). Additionally, a poor catch could be blamed on someone dying in the family, or the result of some other major event (hagas).[102]

Not all superstitions had negative consequences. In Hiligaynon, the tiutio was a charm that so enchanted fish that they would follow its possessor onto dry land. This is probably cognate with the Kapampangan nio indicating that one always had good fortune when out fishing or hunting. And there were also celebrations. This occurred in the Tagalog region upon completion of a net or its use for the first time and was referred to as pahimis or sinaya, this last term said to be borrowed from Kapampangan where it is an inflected form of the root saya 'an expression of joy'. The simple return from a fishing trip was also a welcome event, with fishermen in Cebu being met with a welcoming drink (bagat).[103]

And now to the nets. In the Tagalog region, with nineteenth century references indicating that this was particularly true in the areas of Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay, the salambaw was a net which was commonly used. Noceda and de Sanlucar describe this as a large net mounted on a raft of bamboo. Further details of how this was mounted and how it worked can be found in more modern descriptions.

A pole 15 to 20 metres in length was anchored securely upright in the centre of a bamboo raft. Attached to the top of the pole were two crossed, curving pieces of wood or spars. To the ends of these spars was fastened a square lift or dip net. The net was lowered into the sea by tilting the centre pole. Initially this was done manually, the weight needed to tilt the pole and lower the net supplied by one of the fishermen climbing the pole. When the weight was removed, the pole moved back to the perpendicular lifting the net and any fish which were caught. In later years the lowering and raising of the pole was done mechanically. The salambaw was usually operated by two people, with the lifting and lowering of the nets occurring frequently, catching small numbers of fish in each set.[104]

The term salambaw appears as a headword entry only in Cebuano, and there it is defined simply as a type of fishnet. There are, however, references to it in Kapampangan and Hiligaynon where it also appears to be a general term for net. In Waray, the headword entry is verbal, indicating the action involved in operating the net, 'to pull or raise something up', but with no indication that its reference is to a net. What appears to have happened is the Tagalog term which referred to a very specific type of net, was used by the Spanish to refer to nets in general, resulting in some misidentification. Alcina, who discusses in detail many of the nets used in the Visayas (see below), makes no mention of the salambáw or any similarly functioning variant.[105]

As for Bikol, the sapyáw is used in the modern language to describe what in Tagalog is the salambaw. It is not an entry in the Lisboa dictionary, and therefore may not have been used at the turn of the sixteenth centruy. The identical term appears in Tagalog and Waray where it refers to a large fishnet, and in Cebuano where it is a net used for catching crabs.[106]
    sapyáw fishnet (typ- fastened to a crane-like frame with bamboo crosspieces and mounted on a boat or raft); MAG-, -ON to catch fish with such a net
The Report of the Philippine Commission as well as Alcina in his History of the Bisayan People go into some detail to describe another of the common nets in use, the casting net. These were used mostly in stretches of shallow water with the fisherman remaining along the edge of the river or the margins of the sea, or wading into the shallows. They could also be cast from boats navigating a similar terrain.

The nets were made in various sizes. Alcina describes some of the larger at nine to ten brazas and the smaller at six to eight. Using a conversion table for old Spanish measurements, these turn out to be very large nets, respectively 15-17 metres and 10-13 metres, rasing the question if the conversion is indeed accurate considering how the nets had to be held and cast. The Report describes considerably smaller nets used in the Tagalog region at the turn of the twentieth century and still in use at the present time, these being three to 3.5 metres. Aside from this difference in circumference, the workings of the nets are identical.

Lead sinkers or stones are tied along the outside of the net. These are the weights which were also used in hook and line fishing (see Section 4). The dictionaries for Tagalog, Waray and Cebuano also have a term for the cord to which these weights were attached, respectively lawayan, bahayan and gahid.[107] A strong rope which is used to retrieve the net is knotted at the centre and special knots referred to as púko' are tied along the borders or edges of the net. To prepare the net for casting, it is gathered in such a way that it can be unfolded without tangling and placed over the left or right arm. Stones or bait are then thrown into the water to attract the fish. Once fish have gathered, the edge of the net is raised above the sections gathered over the arm and cast over the fish, the centrifugal force of the weights causing it to open out. The weights then cause it to quickly sink, trapping the fish within. The net is retrieved by pulling on the cord at the centre which causes the weighted ends to be drawn into the middle, enclosing and trapping the fish.[108]
    púko' knots used to tie the borders or edges of a casting net; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to tie a casting net with such knots [MDL]
Láya is the Bikol term for 'casting net', a term with cognates in all of the central Philippine languages: the identical laya in Cebuano and Hiligaynon, raya in Waray and dala in Tagalog and Kapampangan.[109] As this is a net still in use, there are any number of YouTube videos which show how it is cast and retrieved. This is one presenting a situation where the fish were not first attracted to the area, resulting in none being caught.[110]
    láya casting net; MANG-, PANG--ON to catch fish with this type of net; MANG-, PANG--AN to fish a particular area; -AN: linalayáhan fish caught with such a net; (fig-) Muda pang dignós iní, garó na ipinaglaláya What a large flock of maya birds; it's as if they have been caught with a casting net [MDL]
Seine fishing involves fishing with a net that hangs vertically in the sea or river, the bottom held down by weights and the top kept on the surface of the water by floats. The net which is initially spread out, in some cases for long distances, is slowly and carefully brought in to the shore making sure that the fish that have been captured do not escape (ápis). The nets can be set out initially by individuals walking out into the water, or by boats which drop the nets a short distance from the shore.[111] Many of the nets described below appear to be of this type.
    ápis MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to pull in nets in a particular way so that fish do not escape [MDL]
The Bikol báring is described as a net used in rivers and lakes. The identical form appears in Waray, and the cognate baling in Cebuano and Hiligaynon, while an equivalent net, lambat, is used in the Tagalog areas. The lambat defined for Kapampangan is not a net, but a thick cord associated with nets, most likely the ropes woven into the mesh at the edges and used to set out the net and pull it back in when the fishing is finished . This is bayhán in Bikol and the testing of such ropes to make sure they are secure is talugmatí'. The YouTube example first shows the net before it is taken for use within the confines of a wide river. Others examples show its use in the open sea, a use not mentioned by Lisboa.[112]
    báring fishnet (typ- used for fishing in rivers and lakes); MAG-, -ON to catch fish with such a net [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to fish a particular area with such a net]

    bayhán two ropes which are woven through the mesh at the edges of a net and held to set the net out and pulled to draw it in when the fishing is finished; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place such ropes on a net [MDL]

    talugmatí' MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to test the rope holding an anchor, or the ropes holding a fishnet, to make sure they are firmly attached [MDL]
Saklág is another net used in Bikol, with Lisboa specifying its use in rivers at night. This would undoubtedly involve some type of lighting, most probably torchlight to attract the fish to the net so that they could be caught (see Section 4). Modern Bikol has the bukátot, associated with Daet, a city in Camarines Norte with a substantial fishing community. The accompanying YouTube video shows this net in some detail, as well as its use in a narrow stream where it is set up to catch the fish moving with the flow of the water.[113] Also associated with Daet is the trawling net, básing, and the boat that draws it. This, too, is a modern entry and not found in Lisboa.
    saklág fishnet (typ- used for night fishing in rivers); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a net; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to fish rivers with such a net; -AN: sinaklágan fish caught with such a net; (fig-) Múda pa iyán, garó ka na nakasaklág kaiyán magkasimó' táwo What a thing. It is as if you have caught yourself in a fishnet at night (Said when one moves about or strikes out blindly) [MDL]

    bukatót fishing net (typ-) [D- DAET]

    básing fishnet (typ-) and the boat which draws it in trawling [D- DAET]
Two of the dragnets described by Lisboa, the púkot and the bitaná, are found in each of the central Philippine languages and are both nets used today. These are set out across a narrower area than the báring and act like large scoops to gather up the fish. They can be set out in rivers, lakes or the open sea. The action of dragging such nets in modern Bikol is agáhid, a term not found in Lisboa. The YouTube videos give some idea of their appearance and use.[114]
    púkot deep-sea dragnet; MAG-, -ON to catch fish with such a net; MAG-, -AN to use such a net in a particular area [MDL: long net used in the sea and lakes; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a net]

    bitaná' fishnet (typ- long dragnet, used for fishing in the sea); MA- or MAG- to fish with such a net; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a net; -AN: binibitaná'an fish caught in such a net [MDL]

    agáhid MA- or MAG- to drag a net for the purpose of catching fish; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish in this way
The Report of the Philippine Commission briefly describes what is a type of scoop net. Its name is not given, nor is its area of use. It is described as a net which is slung from two long bamboo poles, the ends of which are covered with pieces of wood which enable it to be slid easily along the sand of the seabed. The fisherman first wades out as far as practicable, allows the net to sink to the bottom, and then pushes it slowly back toward the shore, scooping up the fish as it goes along. The sudsod in Waray may be the same type of net described for Samar. It also may be the net which apears in a 1992 ordinance from one of the fishing municipalities of Bohol where its use is banned due its adverse effect on corral and other creatures of the seabed. A net of the same name which is used in Cebu is somewhat different. Here the ends are held under water by two or more people and slowly moved forward. It is then carefully lifted, gathering up the trapped fish. It is a small net used for night fishing with the fish attracted by the light of a torch.[115]

Further nets used in Bikol in the open sea are the ánod, bahít, and probably the lambá and tíbaw although the area of use of these last two nets is not specifically mentioned. Additionally, the tíbaw is a term in modern Bikol and not found in Lisboa. The patarók was a net which had wide usage from rice fields to the sea. Because the root word here is tarók 'to dance' or 'to transplant rice from the seedbed to the rice field', it may possibly give some clue as to the movements when using the net. Of these five nets, only the ánod is mentioned elsewhere, and that is for Cebuano where it described simply as a fishing net.[116]
    ánod fishnet (typ- used in the open sea) [MDL]

    bahít fishnet (typ- used for fishing in the open sea); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with such a net; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to spread such nets in a particular area; an binahítan fish caught with such a net [MDL]

    lambá fishing net (typ- large, round); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch fish with this type of net; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to fish a particular area; -AN: linambáhan fish caught with such a net [MDL]

    tíbaw fishing net (typ- large); MAG-, -ON to catch fish with such a net

    patarók fishnet (typ- used for catching fish in the sea and in rice fields); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to catch fish with such a net; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to use such nets in a particular area; -AN: pinatarókan a fish caught in this way [MDL]

    tarók MAG- to dance; MA+KA- to dance with s/o; tarók-tarók MAG- to prance about as if dancing [+MDL: MA- or MAG- to dance; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to dance with s/o; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to move the feet when dancing]
The only reference in Bikol to a gill net is the modern pangkí, which is set across rivers and streams to catch the passing fish. The YouTube link shows how this used.[117] Lisboa does include other entries which indicate that the size of the mesh was an important consideration when weaving or choosing a net. A net with a mesh too small (kundól) would catch the small fish which would normally be allowed to swim free, and a net with too wide a mesh (laghós) would catch almost no fish at all.
    pangkí gill net (typ- strung across rivers or streams)

    kudól MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to be wedged in a fishnet (the head of small fish due to the mesh of the net being too small; such fish would normally be allowed to swim free); Kudól an sirá kainíng patarók ta' saradáng an matá The fish have become wedged in the mesh of the patarók net since the mesh is too small [MDL]

    laghós MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to pass through a net due to the mesh being too wide (fish); Laghós an sirá' pagtarók ta' darakól an matá All of the fish have passed through the net because the mesh is too wide [MDL]
The saráp, a small net woven from fine rattan into a shape resembling a basket, has a wide variety of use in modern Bikol, from catching birds and insects, to small fish. For Lisboa it was used strictly for catching fingerlings, piyák, small fish of various species often gathered together in large schools (unók-unók) which tried to escape by diving deeper when the water around them was disturbed (lubóg). The sárap was used primarily in the rice fields, although a net with the same name and a different form was used in the open sea. In this environment a disused boat might be deliberately sunk to serve as an area of protection for the fingerlings which gathered there and were easier to find and catch (limbang). When enough fish had entered the net, it was gathered in carefully by folding it over to make sure none of fish escaped (kámas). The sárap is found in all the central Philippine languages, used for catching prawns in Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Kapampangan. No specified catch is indicated for Tagalog and Waray. The net is mentioned briefly in a technical report of 1980 from Panay. The report is worth perusing due to its illustration of various nets and fish corrals.[118]
    saráp net (typ- made of fine rattan and shaped somewhat like a basket, used for catching birds, insects and small fish such as minnows); MAG-, -ON to catch birds, fish with such a net; PANG- the net [MDL: net (typ- made from fine bamboo, shaped somewhat like a basket, used for catching small fish called piyák; a similar net with a different shape is used for fishing in the open sea); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to fish an area with such nets; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to catch fish with such nets; -AN: sinasarápan fish caught in such nets]

    piyák fingerling, young fish; also piyák-piyák [+MDL: píyak fingerlings, young fish which are just beginning to grow, found in large numbers in rice fields]

    unók-unók describing a large school of small fish or fingerlings called piyák: Kabalakíd na piyák iní; unók-unók na doy What a large number of fingerlings this is, swimming about in a massive school [MDL]

    lubóg MA- or MAG- to dive to the bottom (the fingerlings called piyák when one tries to catch them with the net called saráp, disturbing them by the noise made with the hands); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to dive out of sight of s/o; to dive to the bottom (such fingerlings); (fig-) Naglubóg na lugód si kuyán kon nangána-ána That person might just as well sink to the bottom when deep in thought (Said when one does s/t in a rush, and ends up accomplishing nothing) [MDL]

    limbáng MAG- to sink (a boat); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to sink a boat (for the purpose of attracting small fish or for another end); (fig-) Garó na kitá linimbáng na piyák We are like a sunken boat of fingerlings (Said when all those in a household die) [MDL]

    kámas MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to gather in the net called saráp from the sea, folding it over carefully with the hands so that the fish do not escape [MDL]
For Bikol, the sikwát was the net used for catching prawns, and also the small fish which hid among the grasses and reeds in the shallows of the lakes and the banks of the rivers. For the collecting of mussels and clams along the margins of the sea and rivers it was the sirók which was used, a net attached to a long bamboo pole, tugód, by means of a ring called lawláwan. The sirók was used first to agitate the sand of the sea or riverbed to drive out the hidden mollusks enabling them to then be scooped up (hukhók).
    sikwát fishnet (typ- used for catching shrimp or small fish which hide in the grass or reeds growing in the shallows along the banks of rivers); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch small fish or shrimp with such a net; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to fish a particular area in this way; -AN: sinikwátan small fish or shrimp caught in this way [MDL]

    sirók a small net fastened to the end of a long bamboo pole, used for collecting clams and mussels; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to collect clams and mussels with such a net [MDL]

    tugód handle of a hoe; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to place a handle on a hoe, a spade (landók) or a long-handled net used for collecting clams (sirok); MA-, -AN: tugdán or MAG-, PAG--AN: pagtugdán to finish a hoe or spade by adding a handle; -AN: tutugdán a fitted handle [MDL]

    lawláwan hoop or ring to which the net called sirók is attached, used for catching crabs [MDL]

    hukhók MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to agitate the sea or riverbed with a net attached to a long bamboo pole (sirók) in order to catch clams or mussels driven out from their hiding place by this movement; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to move the net against the sea or riverbed; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to catch clams, mussels in this way in a particular area [MDL]
There were, also, other ways to bring clams and mussels to the surface, by scratching the sand or soil with the hands (gamúgam), or by digging in and turning over the sand with a relevant tool (ikáy). These techniques were not needed when the search took place among the rocky shoals (bakúlod), and when the search moved away from the river banks into the stronger flow of the water, a fisherman would increase his weight by tying a stone to himself to serve as an anchor (buntóg).
    gamúgam ... [MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to search for clams, mussels by scratching the sand along riverbanks with the hands; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to search the sand along riverbanks in this way for clams, mussels]

    ikáy MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to turn up or dig up sand or soil (as when looking for clams); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to dig in this way in a particular area; MA- to be overturned (sand, soil) [MDL]

    bakúlod rocky shoals; MANG-, PANG--ON to search for shellfish in such shoals [MDL]

    buntóg ... [MDL: MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to throw s/t into the water, intending that it sink (as a stone); -ON: buntógon stone which serves as an anchor to keep those who search for clams in rivers from being carried downstream; (fig-) Garó akó ibinuntóg so-ba'góng natutúrog akó It was like I was dead to the world earlier when I was sleeping; nabubuntóg an aldáw exactly midday]
The collection of clams and mussels was a task that could be done alone, and it was not unusual for a fisherman to set out unaccompanied in a boat in this search (adyók), sometimes spending a number of nights away bfore returning home (hiksán)
    adyók MAG-, PAG--ON to go out alone in a boat to collect clams and mussels from a riverbed [MDL]

    hiksán MA- or MAG- to spend a number of nights away from home for the purpose of fishing or collecting crabs (bibí); MAG-, -ON to spend these nights fishing for fish or crabs; Paghiksán kitá sa Punóng Let's spend a few days fishing at Punong [MDL]
Alcina goes into some detail describing three different methods of fishing with boats and nets. In fishing for mackerel (in modern Bikol, tanggígi), three young men go out in one boat carrying three nets, each about 3.5 metres in width and five to seven metres in length. The largest of the group takes a position at the prow of the boat, holding a mallet-like instrument. This is a bamboo pole about 1.5 metres in length with something resembling a large half-ball attached to the end. When a school of mackerel is spotted, the boat approaches while the person at the prow strikes the water repeatedly with the mallet causing the frightened mackerel to draw closer together, forming a tighter group. The person at the back now steers the boat around the school of fish while he and the person in front let out the nets. The ends are held securely by the third person at the middle. As the circle is completed, the nets are slowly drawn in, pulling in what is often a large quantity of fish (gudá' and rangín in Bikol) particularly when fishing takes place on moonless nights. A successful catch, however, is sometimes disrupted by the attacks of dolphins who easily break the fine fibres of the nets and carry off as much as half the catch.[119]
    tanggígi Spanish mackerel (typ- fish, Scomberomorus commerson)

    gudá' ... [MDL: MA, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to catch a lot of fish]

    rangín term used to describe the quantity of fish one has caught; -IMIN- to be in great numbers (fish); Kabalákid na sirá' iyán ni kuyán; riminangín na What a great quantity of fish that person has; they are everywhere [MDL]
The second method, also described more briefly by Sánchez de la Rosa in his Waray dictionary, is called pagbiday named after the net, biday, which is used when fishing for mullet. This is a large expedition, and preparation is made on the afternoon of the day preceding the fishing which is carried out at night. While the phases of the moon are mentioned, it is not clear which phase is preferred, although it is generally moonless nights which are chosen for other types of night fishing.

The leader of the expedition announces the intention to set out by sounding a conch shell or a cut bamboo tube. Those who are interested, have the day to prepare a single net about 3.5 metres high and the length of their boat, and two long poles which they will set up at the prow and stern of their boats to which the net will be attached. In addition they carry another net, pukot (see above). Fishing for mullet using this technique, takes place in shallow water.

On the night they set out to fish, the boats, sometimes as many as 30 or 40, move out together behind the leader who searches for a school of mullet. Once this is found, the boats encircle the school forming an enclosure. Each of the boats now has set up the biday net so that it stands perpendicular to the water. Additionally, two or three men go into the water with the pukot nets which are stretched out around the school of fish. These nets are used not to catch the fish, but to frighten them. The fish sensing the nets below them and moving in on them from the side jump into the air (in Bikol, lukwág) and on doing so strike the nets set up perpendicularly. Once they hit the nets, they fall into the boat, often in great numbers. All the fish that fall into a particular boat belong to the skipper and crew of that boat. At the end of the session, however, a count is taken and the leader of the group is given one of every ten fish (10%) caught. Those who were unfortunate enough to have no fish fall into their boat, are also given a share to take home to their families.[120]
    lukwág MAG- to jump up; MAG-, -AN to jump out of a net, fish coral, container (fish); MAG-, -ON to jump up to get s/t [+MDL: MA- or MAG- to jump or leap upward; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to leap or jump over or out of s/t (as a fish over a corral or out of a trap); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to leap up for s/t]
There are a variety of terms to refer to mullet in Bikol, as well as the other central Philippine languages, depending on their stage of development. When the fish has just left the larval stage and the egg yolk has been absorbed it is called araráng. This is the stage when the fish are called 'fry' and when they are able to feed for themselves. Balának is the next stage when the fish are young. This is followed by agwás when the fish are large, but not yet fully mature. The adult mullet are referred to as saranáw or ugapáng. The distinctive triangular mouth of the mullet showing several rows of small teeth is referred to batikúnol.[121]
    araráng fish (typ- mullet, Mugilidae sp., found in rivers, referred to in this way when just beyond the larval stage when the egg yolk has been absorbed and the fish are able to feed for themselves; called 'fry' at this stage [MDL]

    balának fish (typ- mullet, Mugilidae sp., found in rivers, referred to by this term only when young) [+MDL: Garó nang balának iníng baladáw ko My dagger is like a mullet (Said when one's dagger is clean and shiny)]

    agwás fish (typ- mullet, Mugilidae sp., large found in lakes and rivers) [MDL]

    saranáw fish (typ- (typ- mullet, Mugilidae sp., adult, inhabiting rivers); syn- ugapáng [MDL]

    batikúnol mouth of fish such as the mullet [MDL]
The third method described by Alcina involves at least two, and preferably three, men. These set out in a boat which is run parallel to and close to the edge of a river, no more than 1.5 metres out from the bank. The one at the back uses his oar as a rudder to steer the boat, the one in the front stands and uses his oar to catch the water, throwing it up and sprinkling the banks. This action causes the fish to come out from their hiding places among the reeds and grasses growing along the water's edge, and the seaweed growing below. Once the fish have exposed themselves, the man in the middle of the boat jumps into the water holding a fully opened small net, catching the fish as he enters the water. He then returns to the boat with the catch, the process being repeated until the men are tired or enough fish have been caught.[122]

One further technique used in Samar is explained in Sánchez de la Rosa's Waray dictionary. Prior to setting out, a small corral is set up at the mouth of a river. Subsequently a number of boats enter this area with nets to catch the available fish, Those that they fail to catch with nets, move further down the river and into the waiting corral (sigin). Noceda and de Sanlucar also have an entry for Tagalog that briefly defines a type of fishing where a number of boats surround a school of fish which are trapped between them, although no further detail is given (takip).[123]

Nets were woven from rattan and bamboo and a variety of available fibres, in particular abaca and balanák, a fibre used for the weaving of fine nets and still in use today. Lisboa describes this as derived from a shrub and just as durable as abaca, but I have not been unable to identify it further.
    balanák plant fiber (typ- thin, used in the making of fine fishing nets) [+MDL]
The weaving of the nets was done with a bamboo shuttle, siko'án, not unlike the shuttle used for weaving cloth (see Chapter 11, Fibre, Cloth and Clothing Section 3). It is a borrowing from one of the Chinese contact languages, most likely the Hokkien, so55, and is found in all of the central Philippine languages with little variation in form.[124] A gauge or sizing card is used to measure the the mesh to make sure that each square is the same size.This is generally, a flat, rectangular piece of bamboo, in Bikol, arangtáng. Bikol is somewhat unusual in its choice of this term.The term shared by Tagalog and the Visayan languages is either adpang or agpang. In Kapampangan, where it is either agpang or abpang, it refers to measuring the squares of nipa used for roofing, and in Bikol, reference is to fish getting their heads caught in the mesh of a netting due to the hole being too small. The link in the endnote outlines the steps in weaving a net and illustrates the materials discussed here.[125]
    siko'án shuttle of a loom; also used in weaving nets; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to wrap thread around a shuttle; (fig-) Garó nagsisiko'án si kuyán kon minakakán That person is like a shuttle moving back and forth when eating (Said when one eats quickly) [MDL] [HOK- so55]

    arangtáng a small card with which one measures the string when weaving a net so that the size of the mesh will be equal; a gauge, sizing card [MDL]
The weaving of fishnets is included in the Bikol híkot, a term also referring to nets in general. Cognates are found in all of the central Philippine languages with the exception of Kapampanan, referring not to nets in general, but to their weaving: hikit in Tagalog and hukot in the Visayan languages.[126]
    híkot fishnet (typ-) [MDL: hikót general term for nets, used for hunting or fishing); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to make a net from particular materials; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to set nets out in a particular area; PARA- one who hunts or fishes with nets; hiníkot na buláwan gold which has been spun to resemble a net]
To increase the length or breadth of nets, two can be joined together (rá'ít), and when they wear out, the worn sections can be cut out (rantás) and repaired with the addition of fresh material (hayúma). Hayúma is a term shared with Tagalog and Kapampangan, while for the Visayan languages, their shared term for the repair of nets is puna.[127]
    rá'it MAG-, PAG--ON to join two fishnets together; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to join one fishnet with another; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to join one fishnet to another; to use a particular tie for joining the two nets [MDL]

    rantás MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to cut the bottom of a casting net or other nets when it is worn and needs to be repaired or replaced [MDL]

    hayúma MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to repair broken thread on a loom or ripped cord on a net by tying new thread or cord to the broken ends; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to repair cloth or a net in this way; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to tie thread or cord to the broken ends to effect a repair [MDL]
As with the baskets, traps and corrals, each of the central Philippine languages has an extensive vocabulary dealing with nets, something which would be long and repetitive to work into a narrative. I have included the terms not incorporated into the above discussion in the endnote for those would like to pursue this further.[128]


10. CLEANING

However fish was to be eaten, whether fresh from the river or sea, or preserved by drying, salting or smoking for later consumption, the first stage in its preparation was the cleaning. Lisboa describes a technique in which a small stick is placed through the mouth of the fish and on which the fish is then rested (balihóg). This exposes all sides of the fish at the same time for cleaning, for removal of the scales (kiskís) and the internal organs (dimpót), including the stomach (bubugwangón), resulting in a clean and gutted fish ready for cooking (dapót). Subsequently the head can removed by slicing it off at the neck (gúlok, lipók) as well as the fins running along the back and underside of the fish. For Cebuano, Encarnacion presents a technique whereby the scales of small fish are removed by shaking them in a basket (bundo), and a similar technique, also applicable to meat and vegetables, where they are shaken in a basket, any dirt then falling through the openings in the weave (lusgos).[129]
    balihóg a small stick placed through the mouth of a fish, the fish is then rested on this stick to facilitate cleaning; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to skewer a fish in such a way MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to place a fish on such a skewer; MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to use a stick or a small piece of bamboo for this purpose; (fig-) Harí ka diyán. Bu'ót kang mabalihóg kon mahúlog ka dihán Come away from there. Do you want to be skewered if you fall? [MDL]

    kiskís fish scales; MAG-, -AN to scale a fish; MAG-, -ON to remove the scales of a fish [+MDL: MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to scale a fish; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to remove the scales of a fish]

    dimpót guts, intestines and scales of a fish [MDL]

    bubugwangón the stomach of animals, fish [MDL]

    dapót fish cleaned, gutted and ready for cooking; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to fully clean a fish; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to remove scales and guts when cleaning a fish [MDL]

    gúlok MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to cut off the head of a fish at the neck ... [MDL]

    lipók MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to cut off the head of a fish (such as the climbing perch, aro'án or atás) ... [MDL]
For the cleaning of fish that had no scales, such as the shark or ray fish, these were first singed and then scraped with a suitable instrument (angís). In the case of sharks, this could be with their own fins. Sharks and ray fish are covered with what are called placoid scales which are modified tooth structures whose coarseness make the skin suitable for use in sanding (see Chapter 14, Construction and Infrastructure, Section 2(iv)).
    angís MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to clean sharks or similar fish without coarse scales with their own fins or other suitable instruments after singing or scalding the skin; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to remove the scales or skin in this way; MA-, I- or MAG, IPAG- to use the dorsal or tail fin to clean a shark; (fig-) Pagaangisán taká ngatdihán kon akóng maanggót I'd take the skin off you if I were angry [MDL]
The Visayan languages share the term hingbis / himbis for 'scales'. To the north, Tagalog and Kapampangan have kaliskis which is related to the the Bikol kiskís.[130] Kiskis in Tagalog and Kapampangan mean, respectively, 'to thresh rice with bamboo poles' and 'to thresh rice head by head'. With the addition of an -al- infix, we get kaliskis with the meaning 'fish scales', relating the removal of the grains of rice from the head to the removal of scales from a fish. The infix -al- is fossilised in Bikol. There are some pairs of words in which it changes the meaning in subtle ways, and others where there is hardly any change at all.[131] The pair sakát / salakát is presented as an example.
    sakát MAG- ... to climb; MAG-, -ON to ascend, climb, mount or scale s/t ... [+MDL: ,,, MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to climb up s/t; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to climb up for s/t; ...]

    salakát MA- or MAG- to come out of the soil of rice fields, moving to the higher and drier ground of the embankments to spawn (the fish, puyó, following the first heavy rains at the end of the dry season); MANG-, PANG--ON to catch fish which have come out to spawn following the first rains; -AN: sinalakátan fish caught in this way [MDL]
Tagalog has a fossilised infix of the the form -la-, part of a set also which includes -li- and -lo-.[132] The question remains as to whether these can also be seen as the metathesised infixes -al-, -il-, and -ol- which is the only way the comparison between the Bikol and the Tagalog and Kapampangan kiskís can be sustained.

The fins of a fish are also generally removed in cleaning. Bikol has a number terms relating to fins, depending on the type of fish referred to. The general term is ilalangóy, clearly based on the root langóy 'to swim'. Sharks have two dorsal fins, and the two entries in the Bikol dictionary reflect this. Panúbo-túbo, a term also occurring in Cebuano as tubo-tubo, is the high fin near the centre of the back (udóg), differentiated from the páyik which is closer to the tail.[133] These terms are not unique to sharks, but apply as well to fish with a similar physical characteristics, such as particular species of skate or ray fish.
    ilalangóy fish fins [MDL]

    panúbo-túbo dorsal fins of sharks and similar fish [MDL]

    udóg back (of humans, animals, fish) [MDL: spine of a fish]

    páyik dorsal fin, the fin found along the back, and on the tail of sharks and similar fish [MDL]
Fish which are more rounded in shape have fins referred to as áying-áying. These fish have dorsal (back) and ventral (underside) fins located near the tail. The fish Lisboa gives as an example is the kikiró, the 'butterfish' or 'spotted scat, Scatophagus argus, found in lakes and rivers. Hidden within its fins are spines, kúgo, which are highly venomous, inflicting a wound which causes pain and dizziness, and possible temporary, local paralyses.[134]
    áying-áying fins, located near the tail of fish like the kikiró and used for swimming [MDL]

    kikiró fish (typ- butterfish, spotted scat, Scatophagus argus, found in rivers and lakes); the fins which run along the back (dorsal) and underside (ventral) of the fish have spines containing a venom which produces a painful wound that can cause dizziness and temporary, local paralysis [MDL]

    kúgo spines which run along the backbone of fish, capable of wounding and causing pain [MDL]
The kikiró is not the only fish with dangerous spines. These are also found in the catfish, both freshwater, pantát and híto', and saltwater, tabangúngo'. Encarnacion for Cebuano describes the hitó' as a fish, generally not longer than 20 centimetres, with three sharp spines, one at the top of the head (at the front of the dorsal fin), pointing toward the back, and the others on either side of the pectoral fins (just behind and on either side of the head). Contact with the spines causes agonising pain over several days, with remaining traces of the venom leading to ulceration or the loss of an infected finger.[135]
    pantát catfish (typ- found in rice fields, Clarias sp.) [+MDL: (fig-) Garó ginunot na pantát an háwak ni kuyán That person's body is a like a fibrous covering (such as that found on palm fronds) covering the body of a catfish (Said when one is shivering with cold)]

    híto' catfish (typ- freshwater, Clarias batrachus)

    tabangúngo' catfish (typ- large, saltwater, Arius maculatus) [+MDL]
These fish spines could also be adapted for use in weapons. An account of the early Recollect Missions relating to the Tagbanuas of the Calamianes Islands to the north of Palawan, indicates that they tipped their arrows with fish spines which were then laced with a strong poison causing death with the slightest scratch.[136] As for Bikol, a letter of 1574 to Phillip II, describes the use of helmets set with fishbones (dúgi) and shells that were so strong that they were impermeable to all but a bullet (see Chapter 1, 'War and Conflict, Sections 1 and 2.[137]
    dúgi fishbone, spine of a fish; MA- bony (referring only to fish); MAKA-, MA- to get a fishbone caught (as in the throat) [+MDL]

11. CONSUMPTION

Whenever it was possible, fish would be eaten fresh (la'bás), with villagers buying the fish they needed directly from fishermen after hauling in their nets or emptying their corrals. The Bikol term is shared with the Visayan languages, whereas Tagalog and Kapampangan use the cognates, respectively sariwa and sagiwa.[138]
    la'bás fresh (food); crisp (as a salad) [+MDL: labás fresh meat or fish which is yet to be preserved or salted]
Fish could also be eaten raw, and for this it was marinated briefly in vinegar which partially cooked the flesh with its acidity. This was not a method of preservation, for extended time in the marinade would essentially overcook the fish and affect the texture of the flesh. Modern Bikol has the term kinílaw (see kílaw), although this is not a term Lisboa includes in his dictionary. It is, however, a term found in the other central Philippines languages with a similar meaning, applying to meat as well as fish.[139]
    kílaw MAG-, -ON to prepare fish or meat for eating raw by marinating it in vinegar; -ON: kinílaw fish or meat marinated in vinegar and eaten raw
There were many ways in which fresh fish could be cooked, roasted in the coals of a fire (daráng) or over an open flame (sugbá) were simple methods. When cooking on an open fire smaller fish or eels would be strung together to make turning easier during the grilling process (dupóng ).
    sugbá MAG-, I- to cook or roast s/t over an open fire or coals; to grill or barbeque s/t; -ON: sinugbá anything cooked in this way [+MDL: MA-, I- or MAG-, IPAG- to roast s/t in a fire; to place gold in a forge; -ON: sinugbá roasted yams; anything roasted in a fire]

    daráng MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to roast fish, meat in coals; MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG- -AN to place fish, meat on coals to roast [MDL]

    dupóng MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to st ring together fish or eels (in the way of stringing together sausages), when grilling, turning them for even cooking [MDL]
Dakán refers specifically to the cooking of meat or fish and the pot in which it is cooked. The entry appears to imply a specific type of dish which is cooked in this pot, but it contains no further detail. Pinangát (see pangát) is a dish still cooked in Bikol, with the detail of the modern dish far greater than that supplied by Lisboa. The same dish is referred to by Sánchez de Rosa for Waray with significant detail also giving its ingredients. Paksíw is a modern entry for Bikol, not mentioned by Lisboa, but mentioned for Tagalog where it is described simply as a pickling process for fish and Waray where the description includes vinegar and spices.[140]
    dakán MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to cook fish or meat; -ON: dinákan meat or fish cooked in this way; -AN: dadakánan pot used for cooking fish or meat [MDL]

    pangát MAG- to cook pinangát, a dish of minced meat, shrimp or fish, chopped coconut and spices, wrapped in a taro leaf and cooked in coconut milk [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to cook meat or fish in a small amount of water until dry]

    paksíw a dish (typ- usually of fish or pork cooked in a sauce of vinegar, soy sauce and sugar and seasoned with garlic, bay leaf and marjoram) [HOK- 5 shó1 cooked in light-colored sauce]
There are numerous references to the spices which are added to fish when it is cooked. The cooking process given in Spanish is guisar, a term commonly translated as 'to stew' in English. It is probably best translated as 'to cook in a small amount of water' enabling what is in the pot to cook primarily in its own juices. Of the spices added, the lemon grass, tanglád, Cymbopogon citratus, is repeatedly mentioned. The form identical to Bikol appears in Tagalog, Waray, and Cebuano, with the cognate tanglar in Hiligaynon. The Kapampangan, tanglay, refers to a shrub whose leaves are added when cooking fish. This is different from 'lemon grass'. [141]
    tanglád lemon grass (typ- Cymbopogon citratus, plant possessing a root which is pounded and used as a seasoning) [+MDL]
Each of the central Philippine languages also has a term for the pot in which fish was cooked, differentiating it primarily from those used for the cooking of rice. For Tagalog and Kapampangan this was the balanga, a wide mouth pot from which, according to the Tagalog entry, it was also possible to eat. The Visayan languages have the daba, with Waray providing the least specific information, referring only to its composition of fired clay.[142] Less conventional methods of cooking fish also are recorded. In the Tagalog areas, it could be boiled in a half coconut shell (kulob), and Cebuano and Hiligaynon share cognate entries for fish which is cooked in a bamboo tube (lusod / lusor and pailaw).[143]

Fish that were not eaten fresh were preserved by drying, salting or smoking, or a combination of these methods. Weather permitting, they were commonly spread out on racks or flat surfaces to dry in the sun (ragáy, balád), and when this was not possible, over an open fire (ágil). Bádi' is a fish which is first split open before being dried, and the tuyó' one that is dried whole, this last entry not found in Lisboa. Cognates of balád appear in all of the central Philippines languages, both with the general meaning of exposing items to the sun, and the specific meaning of drying things in such an environment: bilad in Tagalog, Waray and Kapampangan, balod in Cebuano and balor in Hiligaynon. Tuyó' is probably a borrowing from Tagalog where it has the general meaning of 'to dry' as well as the specific referent to dried meat or fish.[144], Búdo, or its cognates. is a term appearing througout the central Philippine languages. In each of these languages it refers to the salting of food, generally fish or beef. Bikol is the exception, where it refers only to the drying of beef to produce jerky. It also does not appear in the Encarnacion Cebuano dictionary, but the modern Wolff dictionary where it is defined as salting for taste, more than preservation.[145]
    ragáy MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to spread things out; to separate things out (as fish placed in the sun to dry); ... MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to spread things out over a particular surface or area; rinagáy na sirá' fish set out to dry [MDL]

    balád MAG- to be exposed to the sun; to sunbathe; to bask in the sun; MAG-, -ON to dry s/t in the sun; to expose s/t to the sun; MAG-, -AN to dry s/t on a surface (as a mat) in the sun [+MDL: MA- or MAG- to expose o/s to the sun in order to dry off; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG- -ON to place s/t in the sun to dry (as rice); MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to spread s/t out on a surface (as a mat) to dry; (fig-) MAG- to be right in front of one's eyes: Da'í nakakakíta', nagbalád na You couldn't see it, and it was right in front of your eyes]

    ágil dried up, shriveled (meat, fish); MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to dry meat, fish in the sun or over a fire; MAKA- to cause meat, fish to dry up and shrivel (the sun, a hot fire); MA- to become dry and shriveled; MAGKA- to end up dry (meat, fish): Nagkaágil na It's become very dry [MDL]

    bádi' dried fish (typ- split in half before being dried); MAG-, -ON to prepare fish in this way [+MDL: MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to split a fish open along its back for salting or drying]

    tuyó' dried fish (whole)
Fish could be salted by immersion in a brine solution (asgád, tásik) or by rubbing salt into the flesh until it is softened (sa'sá'). Fish that was improperly salted would spoil (gútas).
    asgád MA- salty, saline; MAG- to become salty; MAGPA-, PA--ON to salt s/t; to make s/t salty; -AN to find s/t salty; KA--AN saltiness; may asgád na túbig brine [+MDL: saltwater; MA- or MAG- to become salty; to become pickled or preserved (due to the penetration of salt); (PAG-)-AN to find s/t salty; Abóng asgád kainí How salty this is]

    tásik brine, concentrated saltwater solution; a salt pond; MAG-, -ON to preserve s/t by salting [+MDL: salt, used when annoyed or angry; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to salt meat or fish; to preserve meat or fish by salting]

    sa'sá' MAG-, -ON to prepare fish by rubbing salt into the flesh until the flesh becomes soft

    gútas fish or meat which spoils due to improper salting; MA- or MAG- to spoil due to improper salting [MDL]
Smoking also preserved meat and fish (agón). This could be done over a fire set up for this particular purpose, or a bamboo platform set up over the cooking fire to catch the rising smoke (pága). Tápa referred in Bikol to either smoked beef or fish which was split and opened out before smoking. It is a term found in each of the central Philippine languages and in each case, whether the initial preparation involved salting or not, the end product was always dried or smoked over a fire. Daing is another preserved fish found in the central Philippine languages with the exception of Bikol. The Noceda and de Sanlucar dictionary also does not have it as an entry, although it does exist in modern Tagalog. This is a fish which is split, in some areas salted, and then smoked or dried in the sun or over an open fire. The Tagalog panggang refers to a process of preservation where meat or fish is roasted slowly over coals. It is not a term found in the other central Philippine languages and very probably is a borrowing from Malay where the word has the same form and meaning.[146]
    agón MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to smoke fish, meat [MDL]

    pága storing loft made from bamboo, attached to the ceiling just above the stove, usually used for storing firewood [MDL: a bamboo platform located above the stove upon which food is smoked for the purpose of preservation; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON to make such an area for smoking food]

    tápa smoked beef; MAG-, -ON to cut beef or fish thin for the purpose of smoking; to smoke beef, fish; tinapá smoked fish; -AN smokehouse [+MDL: tapá smoked beef or smoked fish which has been split and opened out; MA-, -ON or MAG-, PAG--ON / MA-, -AN or MAG-, PAG--AN to smoke beef or fish; -AN: tinatapáhan smoked beef or fish]
As with the preceding sections, there are a great many terms in each of the languages under discussion here which have not been included in the narrative. These are terms dealing with the preparation, cooking and preservation of fish. They are listed in the endnote for those who would like pursue this aspect further for a particular central Philippine language.[147]


12. CONCLUSION

Fish was the most import source of protein in the central Philippines. It was varied and plentiful, and caught by a variety of methods by fishermen who were expert at the task. It gave its name to the other sources of protein and was mixed with other foods to add extra flavouring. When fresh it was cooked in a variety of dishes, many of which are still used today, and when this was not possible, it was preserved by salting, drying or smoking.

Fish gathered in large schools, identified by their heads or backs showing above the water, or by their jumping noisily out of the water and then back again. Most fishing took place in rivers and lakes, or areas of the open sea closer to the shore. In these areas the fish were caught singly with spears or hook and line, and in large number by traps, corrals or nets.

There were a large number of spears in use, each somewhat different in design. The names were often identical across the central Philippine languages but reference was frequently to different types of weapons, with variations in the head and shaft design, and the materials used. Night fishing was not uncommon, and spears were used along with torches which attracted fish to the side of the boat or the bank of a river where they could easily be speared.

A variety of poles were used when fishing with hook and line. These could be of bamboo, or wood or less common materials such as the stalk of the sugarcane used when fishing for mudfish. The pole was not always wanted or needed, and hooks could be set in a river or rice field with an individual returning only later to see if anything had been caught. Such hooks could be suspended from the midrid of the sugarcane leaf for the catching of smaller fish, or from a line suspended from two poles set in a river or the open sea for a larger catch.

Fishing lines, as well as the fibre used for nets, were strengthened, waterproofed and dyed by the bark of specific trees to delay the effects caused by immersion in water. Hooks were generally constructed from wire and attached to the line by a corded tie or metal clip, and when wire was not available, a makeshift hook could be constructed from coiled rattan. Sinkers and floats were used both for nets and lines, to sink them in specific areas and to mark the area for a future time of return.

Catching fish with the hands was also not uncommon, with this taking place in rice fields and other areas where the water was restricted. This was a slippery task and one in which not everyone was successful. Fish could be chased into more confined spaces, and in dammed areas the water level could be lowered to make the catching easier. The rice fields were home to fish that flourished in the wet season and then seemed to disappear during the dry. While villages felt they had simply buried themselves in the drying mud, it was more likely that they slithered their way across wet grass to a nearby stream to wait out the dry, and were brought back again by the water in irrigation canals when the rains began to fall.

The poisoning of fish was universal, and the types of poisons used were remarkably similar across all the inhabited continents. These were poisons which, for the most part, affected the respiratory system of the fish causing them to struggle for air. This had the effect of stunning them and making them easy to collect from the water before they fully regained consciousness.

Baskets of various materials and sizes were used for the holding of fish and for their collection during the process of fishing. Others served as traps with the mesh size set to the type of fish a fisherman wanted to keep and those they wanted to slip away. Some were set in rivers and streams, and others were handheld, with the individual moving slowly through the water, dropping the basket over a fish that might be seen.

Corrals were the greatest source of fish capture, with both both large and small constructions set out along the sea shore and rivers to catch the fish swimming by. The most elaborate structures were built on the coast where the difference between high and low tides was the greatest. As the high tide gradually ebbed, fish would be drawn into these corrals by a series of outer constructions which led them toward the centre where they would eventually be caught and collected.

Nets were of various forms and sizes, from seine nets spread out long and parallel to the coast, drag nets pulled by boats, to casting nets thrown from the arm, and scoop nets used for lifting fish from overcrowded corrals and gathering up mussels and crabs from the sand. While the materials have changed dramatically, from abaca, split rattan and bamboo to a variety of synthetic fibres, the nets described in the 400 year old central Philippine language dictionaries are very much still in evidence today.

The cleaning of fish had to be done with care, for the catfish and butterfish both had spines hidden within their dorsal and pectoral fins which caused excruciating pain when piercing the skin Scales were removed from fish that had them, and for fish like sharks, these were first singed and then scraped with their own fins to remove the tooth-like structures which coverd their skin. Fish were eaten fresh whenever possible, with purchases made directly from a fisherman emptying out his nets or reducing the numbers in a fish corral. Fish that were not immediately eaten were preserved by salting, drying or smoking, or a combination of these methods.


ENDNOTES

[1] Juan José Noceda and Pedro de Sanlucar, Vocabulario de la lengua Tagala, 1754, Manila: Imprenta de Ramirez y Giraudier, reimpreso 1860, see isda, olam; Antonio Sánchez de la Rosa, Diccionario español - bisaya para las provincias de Sámar y Leyte, 3rd edition, aumentado por Antonio Valeriano, Manila: Santos y Bermal, 1914, see isda; Feliz de la Encarnacion, Diccionario español - bisaya, Manila: Imprenta de los amigos del pais, á cargo de M. Sanchez, 1852, see ysda; Alonso de Mentrida, Diccionario de la lengua Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya de la Isla de Panay, Manila: La Imprenta de D. Manuel y de Felix Dayot, 1841, see isda; Diego Bergaño, Vocabulario de la lengua Pampanga, en romance, 1732, Manila: Imprenta de Ramirez y Giraudier, Reimpreso 1860, see asan, ulam.

[2] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see looc; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see dagat, panagatan; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bolbog, nacnac.

[3] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala see bolos; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bolos.

[4] Noceda and de Sanlucar,Tagala, see salapang; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see sarapang; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see salapang; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see salapang; Diego Bergaño, Pampanga see salapang.

[5] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see salait; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see salait; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see salait.

[6] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tugda.

[7] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see calauit; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see calauit; Bergaño, Pampanga, see calauit.

[8] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see palihan, bugauin; De Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see palihan; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see paliha, bahangan; Bergaño, Pampanga, see pamuga; Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pamoga.

[9] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see sagangat; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see sagangat; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see sagangat.

[10] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pindan, ilao; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see solo; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see solo, ngalab, lanao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see sulu, suga, ilao, iuag, lanao ; Bergaño, Pampanga, see sulo.

[11] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see gantaao.

[12] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tinggar; Charles Wilkes, U.S.N., 'Jolo and the Sulus,' from his Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, Philadelphia, 1844, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 43, pp. 128-192, p. 146; also see Annie Molina, Rhea Abisado and Ronie J. Calugay, 'Bioluminescent Vibrio spp. with antibacterial activity against the nosocomial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae,' April 2016, AACL Bioflux, vol. 9 (issue 2), pp. 185-194; 'Bioluminescent Bacteria,' Wikipedia, English, n.d. (accessed 12 October 2022).

[13] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see dogcal, gani, bog-uang; Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see ualisuis.

[14] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bacsay, bagsay, bagsaya, pamaca, tansag; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see buntal, isi, singcap / sicap, dugoc, labgao; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bontal, dogocan, togdan; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bacal, isi.

[15] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see baliuasnan, cama, bauay; further fishing rods are banyogan, bauig, biguasan, pangalay; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see balaogan, tigaoan, bagacay; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see balaogan, tigaoan; Bergaño, Pampanga, see baynauan, bauai.

[16] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tagtag; also relevant are lambang, sagat, siit, tonda.

[17] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see cauil, taan; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see cauil, taan; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see taan, cao-il; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see caoir, taan; Bergaño, Pampanga, see cauil; 'Tambu,' Philippine Medicinal Plants (accessed 22 October 2022).

[18] Noceda and de Sanlucar,Tagala, see quitang, patao.

[19] Ignacio Francisco Alcina, History of the Bisayan People in the Philippine Islands, 1668, vol. 1 and vol. 2, translated, edited and annotated by Cantius J. Kobak and Lucio Gutiérrez, Manila: UST Publishing House, 2002, vol. 2, Chapter 14, p. 287; Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see cait, tilay, tapon, taclir; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see hangtad, talonton; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see pasol, oay oay, bandas, hapon, locon, bacol; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see tonda, tao tao; Bergaño, Pampanga, see cauil, totao.

[20] 'Anabiong,' Philippine Medicinal Plants (accessed 26 October 2022); 'Trema Orientale,' Wikipedia, English, n.d. (accessed 12 October 2022); de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bonga, hagod, lagicao; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see hagud; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see hagor.

[21] E. E. Schneider,Commercial Woods of the Philippines: Their Preparation and Uses, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Forestry, Bulletin No. 14, Manila: Bureau of Printing, 1916, p. 115; Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bagnat, dampol.

[22] Santos B. Rasalan, Preservation of Fishing Gear in Samar Province, Philippines,, Philippine Journal of Science, 73, No. 3, pp. 321-335.

[23] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see taga, binuit, sima; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see taga, binuit; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see taga, bonit, sima; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see taga, bonuit / bonit; sima, bocong; Bergaño, Pampanga, see taga, also see sagauit.

[24] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pamitin, bivas; Bergaño, Pampanga, see paduas.

[25] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala see baguan; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see quiual, rambo; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see lambo; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see lambo; Bergaño, Pampanga, see quioua.

[26] [Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see qiua, tiua; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see balicogcog; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see balicogcog, gogo, quioal; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see go-go, kiual.

[27] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bingsit; Bergaño, Pampanga, see puapo.

[28] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see biloc.

[29] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see cauar; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see cauad; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see cauad; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see cauar; Bergaño, Pampanga, see cauad.

[30] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see dauay; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see curambut; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bogaot, colambot, talicol; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bugaot.

[31] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see langgos, halab, pangot.

[32] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see aloc, balicoco; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bocong, bonggo; Bergaño, Pampanga, see aloc, balicungcung.

[33] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bonganga; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bingat.

[34] Bergaño, Pampanga, see pabatcal, batcal.

[35] also see: de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see sacat; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see sangat, sangit.

[36] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see gaan, tumboc; E. E. Schneider, Commercial Woods of the Philippines, p. 63.

[37] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see batobato; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bato bato; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bato, calogcog; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bato; Bergaño, Pampanga, see bato.

[38] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see biguas, dag-is, dagos, quibit / quitid / quibquib; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bolos, daui, sibo, subad, tocmol; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bonlat, docmol, daoi, halic, labni, gani; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see cobit, dapo, daui, hulic, subar; Bergaño, Pampanga, see balic-cuas, damit, sacdo, quitil.

[39] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see buluuas.

[40] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see rabia; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, boyla; Bergaño, Pampanga, see sacdo.

[41] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see tagostos, lolos; also see tangtang.

[42] Miguel de Loarca, 'Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas,' Arevalo, June, 1582, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 5, pp. 34-87, p. 45.

[43] 'Expedition of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi,' 1564-68', Resume of contemporaneous documents: 1559-1568, in Blair and Robertson, vol 2, pp. 77-100, p. 113.

[44] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see labog, talabog; Bergaño, Pampanga, see labog.

[45] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bisaog; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see quinhas, dalisot; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see quinhas; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see kinhas, sicup, alangan.

[46] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see gogo; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see gogo.

[47] 'Lamon,' Philippine Medicinal Plants, (accessed 29 November 2022).

[48] Albert W. Herre and Agustin F. Umali, English and Local Common Names of Philippine Fishes, Circular 14, United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington: United States Govenment Printing Office, 1948, p. 19.

[49] Herre and Umali, English and Local Common Names of Philippine Fishes, pp. 4, 19, 33, 48; 'Anabas Testudineus,' Wikipedia, English, n.d. (accessed 5 October 2022); Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see puyo; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see poyo; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see puyo.

[50] F. N. Howes, 'Fish-Poison Plants', Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), vol. 4, 1930, no. 4, 1930, pp. 129-153, JSTOR, (accessed 15 November. 2022).

[51] Howes, 'Fish-Poison Plants,' p. 139.

[52] Howes, 'Fish-Poison Plants,' p. 139.

[53] 'Fish Poison,' Primitive Ways, (accessed 15 November 2022).

[54] Howes, 'Fish-Poison Plants', p. 131.

[55] Howes, 'Fish-Poison Plants', p. 132.

[56] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see toblag; Primitive Ways, (accessed 15 November 2022); P.E. Lindahl and K.E. Öberg, 'The effect of rotenone on respiration and its point of attack,' Experimental Cell Research, vol. 23, issue 2, March 1961, pp. 228-237, p. 1.

[57] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see lagtang; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see lagtang; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see lagtang.

[58] Howes, 'Fish-Poison Plants,' pp. 138, 141.

[59] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see antong; 'Ciguatera Fish Poisoning,' Wikipedia, English, n.d. (accessed 5 October 2022).

[60] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tuba, tubli; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see tuba, tubli, lasagas; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see toba, tobli, yangyang; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see tuba, toble, sab-og sab-og; Bergaño, Pampanga, see tuba; 'Extract from a letter from Father Pablo Pastells,' Manila, April 20, 1887, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 43, pp. 268-288, p. 273; 'Tuba,' Philippine Medicinal Plants, (accessed 29 November 2022); 'Tubli,' Philippine Medicinal Plants, (accessed 29 November 2022).

[61] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tibalao; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see nocnocan; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see macasla; E. L. Ponce de Leon, 'Botanical pesticides for rice blackbug (Scotinophara coarctata) control,' 1990, Palawan National Agricultural College, Aborlan, Palawan, Philippines, Agricultural Association of the United Nations, Conference paper, pp. 15.

[62] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President vol. III, Washington: Government Printing Office, 1901, pp. 319-324, pp. 321-322.

[63] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see tigao, yac yac; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see tigao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see tigao; 'Tigau,' Philippine Medicinal Plants, (accessed 14 November, 2022).

[64] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bacong; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bacong; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bacong; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bacung; Bergaño, Pampanga, see bacung; 'Crinum Asiaticum,' Wikipedia, English, n.d. (accessed 5 October 2022); 'Bakong,' Philippine Medicinal Plants, (accessed 11 October 2022).

[65] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see putat; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see potat; Bergaño, Pampanga, see putat; 'Putat,' Philippine Medicinal Plants, (accessed 11 October 2022).

[66] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see burao; 'Coca Levante,' Ethnoplants (accessed 6 January 2023); Antonio Mozo, O.S.A., Madrid, 1763, 'Later Augustinian and Dominican missions,' in Blair and Robertson, vol. 48, pp. 59-123, p. 122.

[67] Antonio de Morga, 'Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas,' (concluded), Mexico, 1609, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 16, pp 25-210, p. 96.

[68] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see boslo, alobohan, balanan, bacay; Bergaño, Pampanga, see buslu, bacay, catut.

[69] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bangcat, bangcatan; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bangcat; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bangcat; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bangcat; Bergaño, Pampanga, see bangcat; Diccionario de la lengua española, Edición del trecentinario, Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española: Actualización 2021.

[70] Malcolm W. Mintz, 'The Fossilized Affixes of Bikol,' Currents in Pacific Linguistics: Papers on Austronesian Languages and Ethnolinguistics in Honor of George W. Grace, ed. Robert Blust, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics C-117, 1991, p. 265-291, p. 287.

[71] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see taclub, colub; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see taclob, colob; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see taclub, colub.

[72] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bala; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see balaon, yosyos; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see balaun.

[73] Bergaño, Pampanga, see alaua.

[74] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bobo; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bobo; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bobo; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bobo; Bergaño, Pampanga, see bubu; Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 320.

[75] 'Channa Striata,' Wikipedia, English, n.d. (accessed 15 January 2023).

[76] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see salacab; Bergaño, Pampanga, see salacab, lambang; Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 321.

[77] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bangan; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see garao; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see galao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see galao.

[78] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pugar; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see pugad, puragan, habong; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see pogad, habong; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see pogar; Bergaño, Pampanga, see pugad in the index only, habung.

[79] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see siir; Bergaño, Pampanga, see sid.

[80] Antonio de Morga, Mexico, 1609, 'Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas,' (concluded), in Blair and Robertson, vol. 16, pp. 25-210, p. 96.

[81] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 319.

[82] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bira, punut.

[83] Alcina, History of the Bisayan People,' vol. 2, Chapter 14, pp. 283-287.

[84] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 319.

[85] Livelihood Options for Coastal Communities

[86] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see sabo; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see taguinhapon, talinaga.

[87] Alcina, History of the Bisayan People,' vol. 2, Chapter 14, pp. 283-287.

[88] [Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bungsad; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bongsod; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bungsar.

[89] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bonohan; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bono-an, logao, sagar; Bergaño, Pampanga, see bunuan, in the index only.

[90] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see lihian.

[91] Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F., 'Customs of the Tagalogs,' (two relations), Manila, October 21, 1589, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 7, pp. 73-198, p. 175.

[92] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 321.

[93] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see dogoc, sogman, gotas.

[94] de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see lab-acero; Diego de Artieda, 'Relation of the Western Islands called Filipinas,' Documents of 1573, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 2, pp. 190-208, p. 202.

[95] Huli sa Ansag, (accessed 15 January 2023).

[96] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see banata, banatan, kabanata, pocot; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see banata; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see banata; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see banata, sagpur.

[97] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see baclar (baclad in the index); Bergaño, Pampanga, see baclad; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see punut; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see ponot; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see ponot, paunay.

[98] Jose S. Domantay, 'The Fishing Industries of Zamboanga,' Philippine Journal of Science, 71, no. 1, pp. 81-112.

[99] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see adto, banlat, liring. loblob, pamaspas, pandau, panlob, pangalaua, payimpin, pinir, tambac, tiric; Bergaño, Pampanga, see abang, baquicong, balisasa, bulusuc, cubcub, cubut, culung, pindao, silao, tiric, umang; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see atabay, barug, dangan, gasa, hagnus, hilcas, lagahit, lotud, pahat, pondol sin isda, salanao, sohot, tabulilid, tibao, toladoc; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bacod, balot, bocatot, bolho, bongtol, cogang, docmon, domo, gapi, hamlas, hibon, hiclas, higad, holip, labat, langlang, lapay, lihang, odoc, pipi, polot, sangol, sapgod, siquib, soblang, tamba, tapan, tocao, togmad, toloy; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see alar, bacor, bolho, domoc, ducmon, layao, nga nga, sohot, sugman, sugmar, tabtab, tagduc, tigbauan, tugmar.

[100] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see gabas.

[101] Francisco Colin, S.J., 'Native races and their customs,' Madrid, 1663 (from his Labor Evangelica), in Blair and Robertson, vol.140, pp. 37-98, pp. 77-78.

[102] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see gahoy, hagas.

[103] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pahimis, sinaya; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bagat; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see tio tio; Bergaño, Pampanga, see nio, saya.

[104] Antonio de Morga, 'Report of conditions in the Philippines,' Manila, June 8, 1598, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 10, pp.75-102, pp. 85-86 and note 7; Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga, Estadismo de las Islas Filipinas, ó 'Mis Viajes por este País,' extensamente anotada por W. E. Retana, Madrid, 1893, vol. 1, pp. 199-200; Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 320; 'Salambao,' Wikipedia, English, n.d., (accessed 15 January 2023); Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see salambao, bintag.

[105] Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see salambao; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see salambao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see sihur; Bergaño, Pampanga, see alaua.

[106] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see sapyao; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see sapiao; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see sapyao.

[107] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see lauayan, pabato; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bahayan; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see gahid.

[108] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, pp. 320-321; Alcina, History of the Bisayan People,' vol. 2, Chapter 14, pp. 277.

[109] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see dala; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see raya; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see laya; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see laya; Bergaño, Pampanga, see dala.

[110] Laya.

[111] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 320; 'Seine Fishing,' Wikipedia, English, n.d., (accessed 15 January 2023),

[112] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see lambat; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see baring; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see baling; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see baling; Bergaño Pampanga, see lambat; Baling.

[113] Bukatot.

[114] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pocot, bitana; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see pocot, bitana; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see pocot, bitana; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see pocot, bitana; Bergaño, Pampanga, see pucat, bitana; Pukot; Bitana.

[115] Report of the Philippine Commission to the President, p. 321; Republic of the Philippines, Municipality of Maribojoc, Municipal Ordinance No. 546 Series of 1992, An ordinance banning the use of illegal fishing gears in the municipal seawaters of Maribojoc, Bohol, see point g, (accessed, 25 January 2023); Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see sod sod; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see sodsod.

[116] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see anod.

[117] Pangki.

[118] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see salap; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see sarap; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see salap, camas camas; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see salap, camas; Bergaño, Pampanga, see salap; Hiroshi Motoh, Fishing gear for prawn and shrimp used in the Philippines today, Technical Report No. 5, Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Developments Center, Tigbauan, Iloilo, August 1980, p. 6.

[119] Alcina, History of the Bisayan People,' vol. 2, Chapter 14, p. 279.

[120] Alcina, History of the Bisayan People,' vol. 2, Chapter 14, pp. 279-283; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see biday.

[121] Herre and Umali, English and Local Common Names of Philippine Fishes, pp. 23-24.

[122] Alcina, History of the Bisayan People, vol. 2, Chapter 22, pp. 456-457.

[123] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see taquip; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see siguin.

[124] English - Hokkien Dictionary; Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see sicuan; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see sicohan; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see sicohan; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see sicoan; Bergaño, Pampanga, see sic-cuan.

[125] Make a Handmade Fishing Net; Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see agpang; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see adpang; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see adpang; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see agpang; Bergaño, Pampanga, see agpang / abpang.

[126] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see hicquit; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see hocot; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see hocot; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see hucut.

[127] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see hayoma; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see puna; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see pona; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see pona; Bergaño, Pampanga, see ayuma.

[128] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bangcat, bicatot, catcat, colongcolong, comos, gahir, himocas, himonga, himoco, homoto, lacaya, latag, laylay, lubayan, pamanac, pangol, pangolang, pangti, patay, qitig, sacag, soong, sosog, sugapa, tapon, tibyong, timo, togda, tolong, yamba, yangio; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see apiat, bantas, bintol, bongabong, bulhad, copot copot, cuyog, dacot, duyan, licom, lituc, mata sin hinoc-tan, panhot, sabud, saquiao, sibot, siogao, sirap, ticum, tolbong, tolbong, tongquil, tulib, turay; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see abong, alom, apyat, balahan, bangquiao, bolho, bololang, calong, cayaoan, copot, dingco, gabo, goyod, hacdol, homom, lahas, lahay lahay, lamba, lohaloha, ligao, mata, onol, pactad, panilot, panggal, payag, podlos, sadsadan, saoa, saoayan, sagad, sahid, sangol, sibot, sihod, soab, socap, sogbo, sogman, sohot, solsog, sompay, taan, tactac, talocso, tamba, ticsio, tingcay, tolbong; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see abong, batasan, botas, boluang, cahit, cayauan, copot, dagat, dagpas, gabo, hurhur, lahang, lahas, lihang, losot, ompoc, sagabay, sauayang, sibot, soab, tabing, tamba, taon, toloy, vilsic; Bergaño, Pampanga, see batal, bintol, catcat, gutus, lipasay, pangti, quitig, sacag, salac, salbag, sugbu, tacsay.

[129] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see bondo, losgos.

[130] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see calisquis, qisqis; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see hingbis; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see hingbis; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see himbis; Bergaño, Pampanga, see calisquis, quisquis.

[131] Mintz, 'The Fossilized Affixes of Bikol,' pp. 276-278.

[132] Louis B. Wolfenson, 'The Infixes La, Li, Lo in Tagalog,' Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 27, 1906, pp. 142-146, JSTOR, (accessed 11 Feb. 2023.

[133] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see tubotubo.

[134] 'Scatophagus argus,' Wikipedia, English, n.d., (accessed 12 February 2023).

[135] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see iito; 'Walking Catfish,' Wikipedia, English, n.d., (accessed 12 February 2023); Herre and Umali, English and Local Common Names of Philippine Fishes, p. 21.

[136] 'Early Recollect Missions in the Philippines,' Andres de San Nicolas, Luis de Jesus, and Juan de la Concepción, Extracts from their respective works, covering the history of the missions to the year 1624, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 21, pp. 111-318, p. 229.

[137] 'Letter to Felipe II, from the royal officials,' Andres Cauchela and Salvador de Aldave, Manila, July 17, 1574, in Blair and Robertson, vol. 34, pp. 295-303, p. 297.

[138] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see sariua; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see lab-as; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see lab-as; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see lab-as; Bergaño, Pampanga, see saguiua.

[139] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see quilao, paralangag; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see quilao; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see quilao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see lagpang which includes a reference to quilao; Bergaño, Pampanga, see quilao; 'Kiniilaw,' Wikipedia, English, n.d., (accessed 12 February 2023).

[140] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see pacsiu; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see pinangat, pacsio.

[141] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tanglad, tanglar; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see tanglad; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see tanglad; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see tanglar; Bergaño, Pampanga, see tanglay.

[142] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see balanga; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see daba; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see daba; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see daba; Bergaño, Pampanga, see balanga.

[143] de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see losod, pailao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see losor, paylao.

[144] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see bilad, tuyo; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see bilad; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see balod; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see balor; Bergaño, Pampanga, see bilad].

[145] [Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see boro; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see budo; John U. Wolff, A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan, Manila: Linguistic Society of the Philippines, 1971, see buru; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see buro; Bergaño, Pampanga, see boro.

[146] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see tapa; Leo James English, Tagalog - English Dictionary, Manila: Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, 1986, see daing; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see tapa, daing; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see tapa, daing; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see tapa, daing; Bergaño, Pampanga, see tapa, daing; Kamus Dewan, see panggang; 'Daing,' Wikipedia, English , n.d., (accessed 12 February 2023).

[147] Noceda and de Sanlucar, Tagala, see asalan, bagoong, catay, gapac, hinain, lagat, ligboc, lampahan, paco, saglao, sig-ang, tambong, tayobay, tindag; Sánchez de la Rosa, Sámar y Leyte, see alum, barol, bilahi, bocug, botud, calingcaling, canas, dayoc, gauay, gilit, gomo, gotgot, hiclab, hilab, himay, hinain, hiua, payad, momho, panhimocug, salicot, sangig, subac, sumsuman, tarap-an, tartar, tomo; de la Encarnacion, Bisaya, see balod, bahioay, caging, dat-ol, dayoc, doboc, gab-ol, gamos, gancay, gihay, hilab, hoghog, lana, lantop, lomay, oyab, palang, pamasao, pas-ay, ponpon, quigang, sagol, somsom, tigdas, yhao; de Mentrida, Bisaya, Hiliguena, y Haraya, see bahiuay, balor, daog, dayoc, gibay, gihay, giuay, gulut, guput, hilao, hinay, hulum, honhon, ihao, lalan, lagpang, lapa, lapoa, manasao , pacao, pihig, quilis, sa-ao, sabluc, sal-ut, tagesda, tohog, uga, vas; Bergaño, Pampanga, see anglab, balul, barali, balaing, belita, bilasa, darang, lampan, lantong, ligao, palam, nasa, quiliquili, taguilao, tungi, yanyan.


BIBLIOGRAPHY


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Published with the support of Gender and Cultural Studies, School of Culture, History and Language, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University.
URL: http://intersections.anu.edu.au/monograph1/mintz_fishing.html
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Last modified: 30 March 2023 1302