Long before candles illuminated cemetery pathways, before flowers were laid on tombstones and before Halloween became a familiar celebration, people in the Philippine archipelago already had ways of remembering those who had died. Across generations, Filipinos have held on to a belief that death does not necessarily end the bond between those who leave and those who remain.
Every November, families return to cemeteries to visit the graves of parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, children and friends. Some bring flowers and light candles. Others offer prayers, clean tombstones or simply sit quietly beside a grave. For many, Undas is not just an annual religious observance. It is a deeply personal journey back to memories, conversations and moments that time cannot erase.
Yet the tradition of remembering the dead in the Philippines is much older than the cemeteries and Catholic rituals familiar today.
Archaeological discoveries reveal that ancient Filipino communities had elaborate burial practices and beliefs concerning the soul and the afterlife thousands of years before Spanish colonization. One of the most remarkable examples is the Manunggul Jar, discovered in Manunggul Cave at Lipuun Point in Palawan.
Dating from approximately 890 to 710 BC, the burial vessel features two human figures aboard a boat on its cover. The image is widely interpreted as representing the journey of the soul toward the afterlife. Now part of the National Museum of the Philippines’ collection, the jar offers a remarkable glimpse into how ancient communities understood death and what might lie beyond it.
Other archaeological discoveries, including burial jars, boat-shaped coffins and objects placed alongside the dead, reveal the diversity of precolonial funerary traditions. These practices differed among communities, but they demonstrate that honoring the departed was already deeply embedded in local cultures.
When Spanish missionaries arrived in the 16th century, they encountered indigenous beliefs involving spirits, ancestors and life after death. Fray Juan de Plasencia’s 1589 account, Customs of the Tagalogs, documented some of these beliefs and burial practices, providing an important historical record of early Tagalog society.
Christianity gradually introduced new religious observances, including All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2. The latter became a dedicated occasion for praying for the departed, while All Saints’ Day honors those recognized by the Catholic Church as saints.
Over centuries, indigenous customs and Catholic practices became intertwined, creating traditions that Filipinos continue to observe. Among them are atang, the offering of food for departed relatives, and pangangaluluwa, a traditional form of seasonal singing associated with the belief that departed souls visit the world of the living.
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The meaning of these practices extends beyond religion. They reflect a culture in which family relationships remain important even after death.
For some, visiting a cemetery means returning to the grave of a mother whose advice is still remembered in difficult moments. For others, it is an opportunity to remember a father who worked tirelessly for his family, a grandparent whose stories shaped childhood, a sibling whose laughter is still missed, or a spouse and friend whose absence has changed the shape of everyday life.
There are also those who can no longer visit a grave because their loved ones are buried far away or because their final resting places are unknown. They remember in other ways, through photographs, familiar songs, treasured belongings, family stories and quiet prayers.
As Halloween becomes increasingly popular through costumes, parties and trick-or-treating, the deeper significance of this season deserves to be remembered. Behind the festivities and the familiar images of ghosts and skeletons is an opportunity to reflect on something much more universal: the reality of loss and the importance of remembering those who have shaped our lives.
The ancient Manunggul Jar reminds us that the desire to understand death and maintain a connection with the departed is not new. It is part of a long human history that crosses cultures, generations and religious traditions.
Perhaps this is why Undas continues to hold such a special place in Filipino life. It gives families time to pause amid their busy routines and remember people whose lives helped shape their own.
The candles will eventually burn out. The flowers will fade, and the cemeteries will grow quiet again. But the memories carried by those who return each year do not disappear with the passing of the season.
Long before Halloween became popular, our ancestors already understood the importance of remembering the dead. And today, as generations continue the tradition, one truth remains: those we love may no longer walk beside us, but they remain part of who we are.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
