The shoreline of Brgy. Bang-ugay in the town of Pilar, Capiz is made up of mud and sand, which according to our key informants make it an ideal place for shells to thrive. On low tide, people in the fishing community would simply go to the shore to harvest "batad" (sundial shell). In Brgy. Basiao in Ivisan, Capiz, batad is known as sihi, so in that community, the practice of harvesting sihi is "panihi."
We tried pamatad when we visited Pilar. We grabbed a fistful of sand and there were sundial shells! Locals bring baskets or containers with them and they would strain them many times on the seawater until the shell is cleansed. Then, it would be taken home where it would be soaked in seawater overnight ("pa-luad") before they are cooked the following morning.
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