KALAG-KALAG IN BOHOL: Remembering Our Ancestors Through Candles, Food, and Rituals

 Some traditions are not written in books. They are inherited through the hands of our grandparents, the stories of our elders, and the rituals we grow up witnessing.

Growing up in Bohol, particularly in our family, Kalag-Kalag was more than just visiting the cemetery during All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. It was a time to remember the people who came before us, honor our departed loved ones, and maintain a connection with our roots.

Like many Catholic families in the Philippines, we would visit the cemetery, light candles, and offer prayers for the souls of the departed. We also observed the traditional novena, usually led by the women of the family at the altar. It was a familiar Catholic practice that brought the family together in prayer.

But there was another practice happening simultaneously in our home, one that I remember from my grandparents, especially my Lolo.

Apart from the Catholic novena at the altar, our elders had their own way of paying tribute to the dead. At the dining table, they would prepare simple offerings such as cigars, wine, tobacco, eggs, and suman. These were not extravagant feasts or elaborate displays of food. They were simple, intentional offerings prepared with respect and remembrance.

In our family, there was an interesting distinction between these two practices. The women would usually lead the Catholic prayers and novena at the altar, while the men would take part in the ancestral ritual at the dining table.

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Two different expressions of remembrance happening at the same time.

One rooted in Catholic devotion, the other reflecting the ancestral customs passed down through our Bol-anon family.

I grew up seeing these things without fully understanding their deeper meaning. As a child, I simply knew that these were things our grandparents did every Kalag-Kalag. I didn't question them much. I just witnessed, observed, and remembered.

But growing older has changed the way I look at these traditions.

From childhood memories to ancestral remembrance

As I continue my personal healing and spiritual journey, I have become more interested in understanding where I came from. My relationship with spirituality has expanded beyond what I was taught growing up. I have learned to appreciate the importance of ancestry, cultural identity, and the wisdom carried by previous generations.

I now realize that remembering our ancestors does not necessarily require grand ceremonies or expensive offerings. Sometimes, the simplest gestures carry the deepest meaning.

A candle. A plate of food. A moment of silence. A sincere intention to remember.

This year, even though I am now living in a condominium in the city, far from the home where I grew up in Bohol, I decided to continue this family tradition in my own little way.

I prepared a small offering by my doorway. I placed candles, an egg, biscuits, suman, and other simple offerings, together with the items that remind me of the practices I witnessed growing up.

I don't have the traditional novena at home this time, but I still wanted to create a space for remembrance.

I understand that I am no longer in the same environment where my grandparents practiced these rituals. But I believe that traditions do not have to remain confined to a particular house, province, or generation. They can travel with us.

And perhaps that is one way we keep our ancestors close: by carrying their traditions wherever life takes us.

Honoring both faith and ancestral roots

I respect my Catholic upbringing, and I also recognize the ancestral customs that existed within our family. I don't see the need to erase one to appreciate the other.

For me, these practices represent different expressions of remembering and honoring those who came before us.

I also recognize that not every Bol-anon family observes Kalag-Kalag in the same way. Traditions vary from household to household, and every family has its own stories and practices.

I am simply sharing what I witnessed and inherited from mine.

I don't claim to know everything about the origins or meanings of these rituals. I am still learning, researching, and reconnecting with the cultural wisdom that may have existed long before I was born.

But one thing I know is that I don't want these memories to disappear.

Our grandparents may no longer be physically present, but the things they taught us, the traditions they practiced, and the values they passed down can continue through us.

Because sometimes, spiritual awakening is not about discovering something new. It is also about remembering something old that we were never meant to forget.

This Kalag-Kalag, I am not just lighting candles. I am remembering my grandparents, honoring my roots, and giving space to the generations that came before me.

From Bohol to my little condominium in the city, the tradition continues.

May all souls be remembered. May our ancestors be honored. And may we never forget the roots that made us who we are.