FUNERAL RECEIPT FROM 1930

 

FUNERAL RECEIPT 1930

Once in a blue moon someone needed proof from the village priest that they paid the Church for funeral services, so that they could prove to a judge either that the person is the chief next-of-kin (and can thus be awarded certain rights over the estate) or to be reimbursed.

Juan Pablo was the half-brother of the deceased, Francisco Pablo Torres, and both were the sons of Angela Pablo, who had been married to a Torres and then later to a Castro. The deceased had no children so his half-brother paid for the funeral expenses.

What is of interest here is also the language used. This receipt is written in Chamorro by a Spanish priest, Father Bernabé de Cáseda, a Capuchin. He spent many years as priest in Inalåhan, where a few boys were named Bernabé in his honor. But this receipt was written when Father Bernabé was stationed in Hagåtña.

Here's what he wrote  (I will use my own spelling and make some corrections of his typos) :

Guåho si Fr. Bernabé de Cáseda hu na' magåhet na si Juan Pablo ha apasiye pot i funeråt Francisco Pablo Torres ni måtai a 27 de Disiembre de 1929, ini mo'na na salåppe' :

Pot i entiero primera klåse $21.00

Pot dos responso gi gima' $12.00

Pot i Misa Kantåda $5.00

Totåt $38.00

Which means :

I, Fray (Friar) Bernabé de Cáseda certify that Juan Pablo paid for the funeral of Francisco Pablo Torres who died on December 27, 1929, the following money :

For a funeral first class $21.00

For two prayers for the dead at the home $12.00

For a sung Mass $5.00

Total $38.00

NOTES

Fray. This priest gives himself the abbreviation Fr. which does not stand for "Father" but rather "Friar." Father Bernabé was a Capuchin Franciscan, who are friars, in Spanish "Fray."

Hu na' magåhet. Literally means "I make true," meaning that he certifies, or he assures the truthfulness of. He could've just as easily said "Hu settifika" for "I certify" but he uses indigenous terms instead.

Apasiye. It is misspelled "apasise" in the document. It means "to pay for."

Måtai a. This is a mix of Chamorro (måtai, died) and Spanish (a, at). Meaning on December 27. Strictly Chamorro would have been "måtai gi."

First Class Funeral. In those days, funerals came in first class or not first class, which meant less services or less ceremonial additions.

Responso. This was a prayer said for the dead, usually said in the home but sometimes at church or at the cemetery.

Sung Mass. In those days, Mass could be recited, without singing, or Mass could be sung, meaning the priest chanted a lot of the Mass. A larger fee was paid for the priest's extra effort at a Sung Mass.

In today's value, $38 back then is now worth $738.00.

FATHER BERNABÉ DE CÁSEDA