Gaylord Ugalde's Zambales Cowboy Stories PALAISDAAN page 3

page title in graphics Palaisdaan 3

....Beyond the far bank where the coconut trees are lined, is about 4 hectares of rice paddies that are part of our farm, of course, fenced in. Adjacent to the far side of the fishpond bank with the coconut trees is a body of water called the "wa-ig". The wa-ig is a low lying area that when the rainy season arrives, the water level rises amongst the rice paddies. Then when the water level settles and lowers, the remaining water collects in this low area. What you have left is a seasonal lake or pond. This is the "wa-ig".

Fishes that are free to roam during the height of the rainy season and high water levels are then trapped in the wa-ig when the water level lowers. The rainy season ends, the water level goes even lower, and these trapped fish become concentrated in a pool of water that is basically only 40x60 feet wide and 2 ft deep of water. If lucky, the pool does not run completely dry in the dry season. Occasional years, it does run dry. Imagine all the fun we have fishing and swimming, not only in the regular fish pond but also in the wa-ig.

Between the palaisdaan and the wa-ig is something called the "bur-wang" or opening. There is a series of contraptions that serve as either fish blockages or fish traps. And so the term "tarik". The tarik is a bamboo fence that can block passage of fish between the 2 bodies of water, yet promotes the free passage of water so the palaisdaan can "breathe". The tarik is set up so fish can enter from the wa-ig into the tarik but prevented from going into the palaisdaan... thus trapped. On the other hand, fish in the palasidaan are prevented from going out at all. Only the baby fish fry can go in and out freely.

I do my morning work. Later, I go down to the tarik and see if it has any fish. It is nearing noon time and almost time to cook lunch....

Cowboy

running white horse

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