Upo and the katipunero. What is the relationship of the two?
Soldiers of the Katipunan (KKK) during the time of Bonifacio and Aguinaldo wore a
special helmet. It is made of the tough shell of mature gourd or upo (Lagaenaria leucantha). It is light and cool and princely to
wear. It is also worn on special
occasions, and fits well with the early barong
style wears. During rainy days, it
was paired with the annanga, a native
rain shield made of anahao (Levistona
rotundifolia).
The fruits of upo come in
two varieties: elongated and oblong.
Both are a favorite vegetable while still young and succulent. When
allowed to mature on the trellis, the fruits develop a tough rind that is
impervious to water, and resistant to pressure.
The elongated fruit is made into a receptacle to carry food and water.
The round fruit on the other hand, is cut across the middle with the upper half
fashioned into a helmet, while the lower half is made into a tray.
If we have a national tree
(narra), national flower (sampaguita), a national fruit (mango),
surely upo, by these criteria mentioned, deserves to be our national
fruit-vegetable. ~
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