The Guinayangan Republic

Have you ever passed a wet market’s fish stand outside of Guinayangan, and inquire about something that made the fishmonger act as if, their out of their league? Because of thankful awareness I owe from my roots I usually make them unintentionally unease . Manlayuhin preferably can name and enumerate every sea denizens they were selling. From repeated twin-syllable Tagalog word. Hasa-hasa, lapu-lapu, maya-maya, bato-bato, salay salay, saging-saging to single syllable repeated words, like sap-sap, pla-pla, gung-gong , to weird names like Malaputo, Malakapas, Siwarik or Suhay Bagyo, Kitang and to the most common name of fish that even an idiot can identified the Galungong, Talakitok, Tulingan and Tamban.

My routine weekly visit to market always end up like tete-a-tete of comparison to fish naming system the fish monger grew up with. We always do a “what do you call this one in your dialects”. To avoid confusion and lessen the ambiguity of names we usually term species of fish by its classes. It becomes a mutual knowledge session every time I visit them.

Actually, they learned from me and I learned from them buying session. They always call tuna as tulingan whatever class of tuna they sell. In Manlayo you can actually name species of tuna by its simple name -segregating its classes to diluted info that we Guinayanganin are happened to be, “got used to it”. This time I approach her and I said “magkano ang kilo ng Gullasan?” – (Hesitated)She cant figure out what fish I might referring to. Finally She conceded and point a finger to a heap of labeled Tulingan (Skipjack Tunas). She said ah Gullasan pala tawag nyo sa Tulingan, I said “No we don’t just call it Tuna, it’s a variety of tuna, that particular species we call it Gullasan or Skipjack tuna in English. For common fish buyer, they cant identified tuna species to a plain tuna , so they always pass off names for some fish. Hundreds of species of tuna in Zoology books, it happen to be having the same appearance, except about their sizes and fins’ color. Ah..(She nod as if she injects the info to her mind).

Biologist understand our confusions. One of them actually claim that there are many species of animals in water than in land. Class Pisces is just one of them, probably spawns to millions of kinds to name a few. In fact Darwinism theorized that we all came from fish. Yes my dear friend, for those among you skipping Discovery and National Geographic channel while searching through the Cable Channel programs, looking for Monotonous soap opera.

If you grew up in seaside settings, you have probably had pattern of choices what to do to a fish. There are fish best for grilling, a fish best for sauteed over tomatoes, cooked it with broth, and fried it over to frying pan. I have here a lists compiled with their common name and English term for them. And I carefully arranged what we may called it in our coastal town. Not just by using the name “Hoya”(Special Kind of fish) or “Samot”(Cheap and Usually not rare).

Common Names and Regional/International Names
• Alumahan-Long-jawed Mackerel
• Apahap Katuyot- (matang-pusa, mangagat) Sea bass; bulgan (Negros); Barramundi (Australia)
• Asohos / Hosohos- Whiting
• Bakoko – Sea bream, reddish variety or sweet lips; related to snapper, with a smaller mouth; passed off as grouper (lapu-lapu)
• Bangus Milkfish
• Betilya – Emperor, white snapper; passed off as maya-maya
• Bisugo – Threadfin bream
• Blue marlin / Royal blue marlin -Swordfish (billfish)
• Chabita (Hiwas, Isabita, Bilong-bilong, Tahas) -Moonfish
• Dagum-dagum (Kabayo-kabayohan) Seahorse
• Dalag Mud fish
• Dalagang bukid (Lapas, morong, boyoyod) -Yellow tail fusilier
• Danggit Rabbit fish with white dots
• Dapa or Tampal (Tampal Puki)- Indian halibut or tongue sole
• Dilis (Bulinau, silag, bombra, sibuyan) -Anchovy
• Dorado or kabayo Mahi-mahi, -dolphin fish
• Duhol -Sea snake
• Espada -Beltfish
• Galunggong Hard-tail mackerel (galunggong babae); round scad (galunggong lalaki), muro-aji in Japan.
• Gindara Oil fish (escolar); two types: smooth-skinned and rough-skinned, the latter with a higher oil content; for both, servings of more than 6 oz or 150 g may cause bothersome loose oily stools, for which it has been referred to as “xenical’ fish. A good “colon-cleansing” fish, but a traveler’s nightmare, a fish to avoid if travel is contemplated in a day or two.
• Haol-haol (Bilis, Tamban-tuloy) -Sardines
• Hasa-hasa Short-bodied mackerel
• Hito -Catfish
• Isdang lawin -Flying fish
• Japayuki -Mackerel
• Kanduli -Salmon catfish
• Labahita (Mangadlit, isdang ilong, pulang ikog)-Surgeon fish or unicorn fish
• Lapu-lapu (Bato-bato Kulapo, Kakab) -Grouper
• Loro Parrot fish, brightly colored with beak-shaped mouth
• Malasugui -Black or white marlin
• Maming -Wrasse
• Matang baka -Purse-eyed scad
• Matang-dagat -Tilefish
• Matumbok -Sailfish
• Maya-maya (Bambangon, matangal, alsis) -Red snapper
• Pagi -Manta or sting ray
• Palos -Eel
• Pampano Apahan, damis lawin, pulang buntot -Pomfret, silver or black
• Pateros o Chabita (isabita) -Moonfish in Manlayo we called this Pateros
• Pla-pla -Tilapia bigger than 1 kg
• Salay-salay Pampano (Apahay, Tarakitok) -Smooth-tailed trevally
• Sapsap (Hiwas, Laway-laway) -Small flat fish, Ponyfish
• Sinarapan -Mistichthys Luzonensi, world’s smallest edible fish
• Tambakol (Tulingan, barilis, talingay, Gullasan) -Skipjack tuna
• Tamban -Sardinella
• Tanguingue (Tangi,Tanige) -Spanish mackerel; kingfish (U.S.); a bigger variety is called wahoo.
• Tawilis -Herring; found only in Taal Lake.

Now that you had the lists. Try to practice name game with your patronized fish monger. Don’t try to much bragg about your skills I can tell you there are smart fish monger that can sense you were pretending that you know them. Besides we still have a lot to learn. Don’t let this thing happen, what Im about to tell you and don’t let them thrust you unguarded.

There is one fish monger always riposte me every time I challenge him the name game about fish. Then one time that he caught me unguarded with the situation. Here is the thing.

Hey nell, you’re from Quezon? Yup.
Fish Monger:I know that people who grows there are really familiar and exceptionally can name every fish. With twice repeated words.
Fish Monger:Sapsap, gunggong mayamaya, hasa hasa, dila dila, and that kind of staff.
Fish Monger:Can you name me a fish that its name were derived from repeated thrice?
I keep browsing all my memory bank,but it seems I couldn’t figure if there is a fish like that.
Nell: Is it really a fish? No stir? you’re serious , right?
Fish Monger: Yes of course,
Nell: Salt water or Fresh water?
Fish Monger: Salt water
Nell: There is no such fish like that..
Fish Monger: There is! Wanna bet?
Nell: no okay I gave up.
Fish Monger: 555
555 Sardines is a fish right.
Nell: LOL, Wtf!!!

At least now you know the common name of fish. Go ahead and startled them with your info.

Created by: Nell Cenizal
Reposted from: Ang Tanglaw Ng Manlayo

Exchange, S. (2010, February). ISDA Pinoy Fish Names. Retrieved February 2010, from Information Exchange: http://www.stuartxchange.org/FishNames.html