Additionally, it is an integral part of social gatherings. During the Spanish contact in the 16th century, the Visayan society was divided into several social divisions; the Datu (chief leader), Timawa (freemen), and Oripun (slaves). Historically, only chiefs and commoners had the luxury of indulging in opulent beverages at their wedding rites, signifying the couple’s commitment and vow to support one another. Contrarily, the impoverished slaves lacked these rights and were unable to perform elaborate wedding rituals without ceremonial drinking like the Datus and the Timawas. It was also practiced during the first menstrual period for young girls, and rituals were done by the families to represent their fertility and wealth in life. According to Chirino (1603, as cited in Piscos, 2020), drinking among the Visayans is an intrinsic way of life. During non-mourning feasts, they engage in singing, playing instruments, and dancing, passionately spending days and nights until they end up falling asleep due to exhaustion. 

Lastly, is its inclusion in the maganito tradition. According to Pigafetta (1522, as cited in Piscos, 2020), drinking is a significant component of the maganito ceremony, in which participants dance around a tied pig while priestesses recite incantations, distribute wine, and offer direct prayers to the sun. This leads to a tribute that promotes harmony and tranquility while tying the neighborhood to the anitos. In the Visayan tradition, the maganito ritual was centered on drinking and was performed prior to crop cultivation. The celebrations began with drinking, eating, and loud music, with women and young people dancing and ringing bells and playing various instruments, signifying a fertility ceremony that improved the community’s well-being (Boder Codex, 1593, as cited in Piscos, 2020). 

Drinking also functions not only as a venue for storytelling but also for engaging in creative discussions. In the article by Alunan (2021) titled “Tagay-tagay Poetics and Gender in Cebuano Verse,” she thoroughly discussed and emphasized how the tagay tradition preserves oral Cebuano poetry, enabling literary conversations and giving aspiring writers a forum on which to improve their poetic abilities. Such poetic customs are honored during tagay gatherings and deliberately passed down from one generation to the next. 

Are there any similarities you can think of in how tagay is practiced in today’s time?

Perhaps you have experienced the camaraderie of tagay gatherings, where you and your friends come together while singing Visayan songs with a guitar or karaoke. Maybe you engaged in drinking while discussing personal matters as you toast each other’s glasses, play cards while enjoying a drink, or playfully taunt some of your pals whose partners (lover) are asking them to go home. 

In a blog post by Ligaya in 2012, she referenced the insights of historian William Henry Scott into ancient Visayan drinking culture. Before the emergence of the modern, luxurious wines we savor today, there were early versions of Visayan wine. The most popular local wine is known as Tuba—a fermented palm sap enriched with red-colored crushed tungog (tanbark) or lawaan tree bark. Pigafetta considered this beverage of superior strength and quality (Fernandez, 1987). On the milder variety is Lina, a sweetish sap without the addition of tungog, which is regarded to be the “ladies’ drink.” There was also a bitter-sour version of Tuba called Bahal, and elevating its strength would result in its robust brew called Lambanog, also known as Anisado when infused with anise seeds.