One of the most ancient methods of preserving food was smoking. Due to the absence of refrigeration, protein foods had to be preserved like fish and meat in excess of the home requirements, and for the rainy weather ahead.
This is the story of an “umbuyan” or fish smoking house worker during the years before the Pacific War in Tondo.
When Umberto Leon left his hometown for Manila, he did not have the inkling that he would be working in a fish-smoking house or “umbuyan” in one of Manila’s crowded district of Tondo.
That will be our rate of pay which may appear low, but remember you have free board and meals” spoke the supervisor of the smoking hut in Franco street in Tondo. “Oh yes, you will have your Sunday off”, he followed.
From early Monday to late Saturday night, Bert would be working for Mang Jeremias, the supervisor, together with a number of helpers in the umbuyan. The hut was made of light materials with G.I. roofing, poorly lighted by small electric light bulbs, and had become dark oily grey due to the continuous circulating smoke. Inside were the kiln-like structures in rows where fishes in circular bamboo containers were placed in stacks. Under the kilns were the compartments where burning woods were placed so that the smoke would pass through the containers for the smoking process. The type of wood fuel used during those years was the “bakawan”, a hard variety of trees growing in swamps and near the sea. The wood fuel would be controlled so that burning was limited and lots of smoke would be emitted. These are easily done by the use of a mixture of dry and undried “bakawan” wood in firing the kilns.
“Make sure that the vehicles that brings the fishes do not block the whole street, Bert.” Ordered Mang Jeremias.
“Aye, aye sir”. Bert would answer making the supervisor feel like an admiral of a battleship.
So early in the mornings and in the late afternoons, there would be caretelas, calesas, pushcarts, pick-up trucks and people with baskets and boxes unloading their e fish cargo for smoking. Bert was able to devise a systematic method of traffic flow for the customers that the supervisor smiled in satisfaction and a raise for Bert.
Outside the smoking hut were piles of wood for fuel from where the helpers would bring inside when smoking was being done. According to the supervisor, “bakawan” wood was preferred due to the quality of smoke resulting in the good flavor of the products. This could be compared to the ham smoked in hickory wood whose flavor was considered top of the line. “bakawan” also had that slow burning quality and the emission of such smoke when not too dry.
Smoked fish called “tinapa” would always be a favorite among the population. Tinapa which means, “placed or cooked in the smoking heat of the fire, not only affordable by many but can be eaten after purchase, or fried in shortening oil, warm on top of cooked rice or shredded as ingredient for noodles (pancit malabon), or mixed with sliced fresh tomatoes and grated onions.
So to the many poor, smoked fish would remain top of the list came rain or shine.
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Aside from the fish deliveries, there would be bill collectors, vendors, suppliers, buyer of smoked fish and notorious characters. The place was simply like a market and Bert slowly learned the ropes of fish smoking business.
Bert’s quarters was in a shack not very far from the smoking house. He shared the place with the other hands that elected not to go home, or who had no homes like him. Inspite of the distance, their place still would smell like tinapa and even their clean clothes. Bert had to live with that situation.
When the sale of fish in the nearby market was slow, or would bountiful catch in Manila Bay, the “umbuyan” would be busy as a hive. Almost all varieties of fishes were brought in for smoking especially when they could not be sold in the common outlets. Of course, Bert would also receive fishes from the catch directly for smoking aside from the unsold at the end of the day.
“How many today, Aling Pacing?” Bert would ask a smoked fish vendor every afternoon.
“Same as yesterday”, she would answer and with his note, the stockman would issue the stocks to be peddled from house to house. The following day, the women vendors would turn in the previous day’s sales, as new replacements were issued.
One day, a nice looking girl of about eighteen accompanied Aling Pacing. When Bert met the two, he found out that the girl was the daughter of the woman vendor. The two got acquainted and Aling Pacing called it a good match as her credit line was extended and she would always get the choicest smoked fishes.
Bert married Aling Pacing’s daughter Norma. The clouds of war threatened the peaceful skies of the Philippines. Then, like a bolt of lightning, the pacific war broke out. The “umbuyan” tried to remain open but demand dwindled as many people evacuated and much more, supplies of fishes and wood dwindled too. So eventually, the smokehouse shut down.
Bert and Norma with their only child, evacuated to Bert’s hometown and they remained there throughout the Occupation years. After Liberation, when transportation facilities were restored, Bert went to visit the place of his work.
He was nearly lost, for the buildings and landmarks in the area he knew so well were all gone. In the sprawl occupied by the old “umbuyan” complex were new houses built by the government for the needy and homeless. Likewise, he learned that the place had been declared residential, and establishments like the “umbuyan” were no longer allowed.
Bert was able to locate a few of the old workers and they exchanged pleasantries. He also learned that the owner of the “umbuyan” died during the Liberation.
With a heavy heart, Bert left the place still reminiscing the old smoking house where he spent so many years. At a big store he bought some items which could certainly make his wife and growing son happy, before he took the bus for home in the province…..