House, Home, and Family

House, Home, and Family

Bayanihan
by Joselito Barcelona, 1993

1. Constructing a House

• If you are to build a house, always begin during a full moon.

• The best months to build a house is during the months of March, June, July, August, September, and November.

• Never build your house at the end of a cul de sac, or "dead end" road.

• It is bad luck for a house to have thirteen posts.

• When building a house, always remember to place certain things under each structural post. Old coins and religious medals will drive away evil spirits and ensure prosperity. Musical score sheets, medals, coins ensure harmony as well.

• The number of steps on a staircase should not be in multiples of three. Count off the steps as oro (gold), plata (silver), and mata (death). The last step must not fall on mata.

• Always move into a new house on a Wednesday or Saturday.

• If you move to a new home one day before the new moon, you will never go hungry.

• The first things one should carry into a new home n moving day are rice and salt.

• When moving into a new home, scatter coins in the living room so prosperity will reign.

• The number of people sleeping in a new house the first night should be the same for nine consecutive days. Otherwise, death will occur in that house.

2. Signs and Omens

• Bees found inside the house will bring fortune and good luck to its occupants.

• When doves and pigeons leave a house, it is a sign that there is no harmony there, because its owners quarrel all the time.

3. Dos and Don'ts

• If you want to rid your house of bedbugs (fleas), place some on a piece of paper and then leave them in someone else's house. The bedbugs will move to that house.

• If you wish to rid your home of unwanted visitors, secretly sprinkle salt around the house and they will soon depart.

• A guest should not leave the house while the family is eating because opening the doors will let out all the family's good fortune.

• All windows in a house should be opened on New Year's Day to let God's grace in.