Palu-palo (Laguna)

Almost gone are the (Amorsolo Scenes of womens washing clothes in fast running brooks and making colorful mosaics of clothes , also, almost gone are the noisy children splattering water as they bathe ,almost gone are the uncomparable happy washing days once enjoyed before the advent of  swimming pool and the washing machine. Yesterday’s washer women or labanderas always look for forward to the time she wants to go to the brook where friendly and not so friendly labanderas pick up the days gossips and update themselves on the lives of others other than theirs.what a delightful sight to see their shouldered women shutter incessantly in time with the beating of their “Palo-palo”or clubs against their dirty laundry. Theirs is the joy of talking about others life other love affair, and other business not pertaining to themselves, the brook is the counterpart of the male barber shop.

Take the case of that woman who in innocently an admirer walk to the brook, did not eyes pop out from their sockets and tongues wagged til they hurt, whats more listen to how the gossip for the worst as it passes from one mouth to another, and listen to the noise of wooden clubs as they are used against other clubs, the result of gappy mouth.

Instead  of enjoying rhythmic pounding of the Polo-palo against wet clothes you suddenly hear club against club wood against wood and womens scampering through river stones trying to evade the advance of another clubs swinging heather yarder.

Thin Basins “Batya” Make Good shields.
Fun, Fun, Fun is what the laguna washer womens has as she dances the Palo-Palo.