Dang Maria’s: A home for the heart and the music

Imagine it in 1935 when it was the home of Palawan’s elite, having been capital of the province for some years under the Spanish, but for all that still a sleepy town in which the young women school teachers in their long sayas were among the most respected of townspeople.

Meet a beautiful young woman, a teacher of course, of great musical talent and from a very illustrious family: Maria Ponce de Leon. The Ponce de Leon family traces its roots back to the Duke of Arco; this branch of the family was exiled to the Philippines for daring to disagree with the Spanish king. Maria has just met Tomas Timbancaya, of more native origin –his descendants trace their name to the Bancaya datus of the south and Indonesia, since "tim" means "son of". Or else, they say with a sly wink, perhaps he was from a family with pirate origins. Nevertheless, Tomas Timbancaya later became Principal of Cuyo’s Provincial High School.

Now fast forward about 70 years to April 25, 2003, on the outskirts of Puerto Princesa, the modern capital of Palawan. Dang Maria Ponce de Leon Timbancaya is 92. Tomas is gone, but he is present that night in spirit, as are his two departed sons, Tomas and Dave, who had earlier in the evening caused the lights to flicker out for a few minutes. They always did like to tease their mother on her birthday, says sister Filiusa.

At 92 Dang Maria is a beautiful woman. On this particular evening, her birthday, she made a grand entrance along a flower-strewn bamboo walkway, escorted by her son Alvin, and waved to the crowd.

When Manang Maria returned to Palawan from California where she lives with her youngest daughter Mary, she thought she was simply visiting her Palawan-based children: daughter Jane, and sons Vicente, Alonso and Dr. Alvin. She knew, of course, that Jane had opened up a restaurant in her honor but she couldn’t have dreamed of the beauty of the place or the joy of the Cuyonon reunion which marked her birthday.

Jane’s garden-restaurant, Dang Maria’s, graces the outskirts of Puerto Princesa City, past the airport, near the sea. Ancient trees hover over the garden–trees planted when the family first bought the property right after the war. New trees–mangoes and star apples and jacarandas–planted by Jane’s friends, by newly-weds who have been married at Dang Maria’s and children who have celebrated birthdays there are nurtured among the brightly-colored cornflowers and kitchen herbs. In April the golden shower is in full bloom; later it will be the fire trees.

The sprawling, welcoming house opens into the garden, and is always open–in fact there are no doors yet. On normal days there are five or six tables in different areas, but during parties, extra tables dot the grounds. There is always a swing to sit on too, and benches under trees. And a rock garden fountain, which provides the peaceful sound of running water.

Dang Maria’s was indirectly started by Jane’s youngest daughter, Neva. About
two years ago when Jane was off visiting her boat-building husband Franz, in Subic, Neva, with some urging from older brother Quddus, set up a pizza and pasta restaurant in the modest family home. Jane returned to find her living room transformed– but Neva, still a student at that point, took full responsibility for the restaurant and was soon paying the electricity and water bills, while still turning a profit. At first most of the guests were family friends and Jane was delighted, but before long Neva’s Place became the student hang-out.

That was when Jane, a writer, began looking for a little privacy for herself. The family had a tract of land a ways out of the city, where a half-completed house had sat for some years. Jane began spending days in the house, writing, planting and dreaming. She would stay there from morning to night, with her daughters bringing in lunch. Soon both house and garden began to take shape, and Jane moved in completely. When she had the piano brought in from the old house, it was clear that she was there to stay.

Then she began thinking of a restaurant– maybe just seafood, she thought, and possibly just on weekends. By that time Neva had added a few rice-and-ulam dishes–including a delicious Thai chicken–and when Quddus agreed to cook for the new place, it seemed easy enough to add all Neva’s dishes–pizza, pasta, and chicken– to Quddus’s incredible fish fillet, which is simmered in beer and topped with toasted garlic. Other dishes were soon added, some from the menu of older daughter Lua Hagedorn, who also has a restaurant in the city.

Jane also serves Neva’s invention, Kuripot Pizza or Pizzang Sosyal, made with Quick Melt instead of mozzarella, but definitely student-priced, although there is rarely a request for it in Dang Maria’s, which caters more to professionals. It is far enough out of town so that one really needs a car, although most of the local tricycle drivers have learned to find the place quickly enough.

The house itself is simply done, with wood and cement and open spaces. But it embraces the art of the community: oils by Mitch Gacott, water colors by Dan Habaradas, charcoal nudes by Rolly Gutierrez, photographs by Kanz Ponce de Leon, beads and marbled-bamboo lights and wind chimes by Susan and Mike Tupas, oils by Jane’s youngest son Nabil. Palawan’s art life–music, dance, crafts–is very rich, and Jane has encouraged and supported many young artists. Now she is planning a series of art and music workshops for both children and adults–right there in Dang Maria’s, of course.

Son Quddus, who was trained in cooking and restaurant management in Florida, is the general manager and main cook in Dang Maria’s, assisted by daughter-in-law Daphne, the new bride of another son, Anis. Ironically, when Jane got married to Franz about ten years ago (a second marriage), she told him he’d just have to accept a few things about her–one being that she didn’t know how to cook. Her children, however, are experts. On this particular evening, guests feasted on a dinner provided by the collaborative efforts of the family: lechon, chicken, fish, salads and fruit, and a special Salvadoran sausage dish prepared by Kiko Castro, of the Latin-American California branch of the family.

For Dang Maria–for the family –this was a night of music. Mike Tupas and Mitu’s Tribe provided ethnic drum and gong music, while Jay Loyola’s Palawan Dance Theater danced an invocation to the spirits, with offerings of fire and flowers. Susan Tupas sang Jane’s favorite Cuyunon song, Ploning, and continued with several lively Visayan songs.

Music is indeed usually part of an evening in Dang Maria’s; the love for music pre-dated the love for cooking by more than a generation, and came straight from the earlier family life in Cuyo. Many years ago Jane’s close friend Nonoy Lanzanas started the musical group Sinika, giving a musical voice to the traditions of Cuyo. Nonoy and Jane each "contributed" four children to the group as singers and musicians. Now the group is often invited to entertain at the most up-scale of Palawan’s resorts–Aman Pulo, Dos Palmas, Club Noah. They have also put in long stints in Manila. But in Dang Maria’s they are singing at home.

In fact there are already plans for another Cuyonon concert in September, and for a nationwide festival of music and arts, highlighting Cuyonon contributions, to be held in April of 2004, to honor Dang Maria on her next birthday.

On this occasion, the matriarch of Cuyo was serenaded by the generations, starting with great-grandchildren (one of whom sang in Cuyonon even though she grew up in California) and moving on to the very talented grandchildren, the Sinika group, and finally the children. It is always a treat to be in Dang Maria’s when Manang Jane sings.

The old folks then took over and moved from song to story as they told about Manang Maria as a young woman, a teacher, in Cuyo: Fe Tria Fernandez, from another (but related, of course!) traditional Cuyonon family, and also a teacher, spoke warmly of Dang Maria as teacher and as mother, disciplining both students and children with love. Soledad (Choleng) Baaco spoke of the days in which she, as a college student, idolized Manang Maria, being all too happy to run errands for her. And not the least by their students, says Sonny Mendoza, who confesses he is amazed to this day by the fact that his teacher Dang Maria still recognizes him, even after so many years!

Then the community was invited to join sisters Jane and Filiusa in singing a family favorite, When Your Hair Has Turned to Silver– the song, says Filiusa, that Manang Maria used to sing to her husband whenever he was feeling sad. She’d curl up on his lap and sing–and she sang with us that night, in a voice that cracked with age and emotion, and yet still showed that she was the beloved mother of a family of singers.

The family spirits must have all been there, weeping and cheering for her at that moment.