#andeng

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CHAPTER 7: AN IDYLL IN THE AZOTEA

We are first introduced to her at the end of Chapter 7: An Idyll in the Azotea. Capitan Tiago asks Ibarra to pass a message to Andeng to 'prepare the house.'

Ch. 7 - Spanish

Ch 7 - Soledad Lacson-Locsin

We see here that there is no mention of what Andeng actually is. What is implied is that Andeng is staying at Capitan Tiago's house in San Diego, like she is one of the caretakers there.

In Leon Ma. Guerrero though, he calls her "housekeeper."

Guerrero kind of gives the game away. But does he?

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CHAPTER 22: LIGHTS AND SHADOWS

Sinang and Andeng both tell Maria Clara that Salvi was nuts.

Ch 22 - Spanish

Ch. 22 - Soledad Lacson-Locsin

Ch 22 - Leon Ma. Guerrero

Ch. 22 - Pascual Poblete

We finally have a term for her relationship with Maria Clara: HERMANA DE LECHE, (Literally SISTER OF MILK) or SISTER BY WET NURSE or KAPATID SA GATAS

Notice also that Maria Clara makes quite a clear distinction Sinang -> mi amiga/ my friend Andeng -> mi hermana de leche/ my sister by wet nurse

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CHAPTER 23: A FISHING EXPEDITION

Andeng showcases her cooking prowess. And people were trying to bother (nagpapansin) at her for her favor. cute

Ch. 23 - Spanish

Ch. 23 - Pascual Poblete

In the Spanish original, Andeng will then always be referred to as Maria's Hermana de leche.

Ch. 23 - Soledad Lacson-Locsin

Ch. 23 - Leon Ma. Guerrero

Soledad Lacson-Locsin and Leon Ma. Guerrero proceed to call her as "foster sister" in the next chapters.

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CHAPTER 29 LETTERS

Maria Clara tasks Andeng to deliver a letter to Crisostomo and have her serve Ibarra some tea.

Ch. 29 - Pascual Poblete

Pascual Poblete Tagalog translation also uses an alternate term: Kapatid sa Suso (Sibling by Breast). In the Tagalog translation, Kapatid sa Gatas and Kapatid sa Suso are then used interchangeably in the succeeding chapters.

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HERMANA DE LECHE

So now we get it. Andeng was Maria's Hermana de Leche or Sister by Wet Nurse or Kapatid sa Gatas. That means, Andeng's mom was most likely the one who breastfed Maria Clara after Donya Pia Alba died due to complications after childbirth.

But why was Andeng a housekeeper while Maria Clara was not? Were wet nurses considered family servants?

Aside from being a criada (househelp) of a rich family, women in 19th century Philippines could also become "nodriza" or "wet nurse." These women usually came from poorer families, just like criadas.

From Property Owners, Workers, and PublicWomen: Stories and Geographies of theLate Nineteenth Century Manileña, 1860-1896 by Marco Stefan Burce Lagman (2020)

What began as a practice associated with the aristocracy and comfortable classes soon became a custom even among urban working class women working outside the home who could afford the services of someone to provide milk for their children.

In October 1879, an unmarried mestiza named Luciana Eugenio filed theft charges against Cornelia Oliveros and her brother Rufino. In her complaint, Ms. Eugenio, who worked as a maestra of a production unit at a tobacco factory in Tambobong (present-day Malabon), stated that when she arrived home from work one day, she found her wet-nurse Cornelia was not around.

Like the criada, By 1897 they had to be registered with the government and have a certificate of approval from the gobernadorcillo and the curate of the places that they came from. A section of the Bureau of Public Health was also established to monitor the health of these nodrizas because the employers of these nodrizas were worried of poor quality breast milk. Their work documents included their health card from the BPH.

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It now makes sense that when Andeng came of age, she was most likely employed by the family as one of their house servants/criada, since her mother was already known by the family. This proves that Andeng was of 'lower class' compared to the elites Maria Clara, Victoria and Sinang.

We continue the social class divide between these women peppered throughout the chapters.

CHAPTER 43 : THE ESPADANAS

Note that Andeng is more often associated with housework (especially with cooking) than Victoria and Sinang.

As we can see, there really is a line between

Maria Clara's two best friends -> the cousins Victoria and Sinang

her hermana de leche -> Andeng

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So is there evidence of Andeng being P. Salvi's spy?

So far, the above^^^ passage and Andeng describing Salvi as "a man out of his wits" in Ch. 22 are the only lines where Andeng mentions Salvi or the Church. She has some pretty naughty ideas about religion in general that is so unlike the Andeng who was blackmailed by Salvi in MCAI.

Therefore, I have no reason to believe that Andeng was P. Salvi's spy, as portrayed in MCAI. In my opinion, he was too efficient in the book not to need it.

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OTHER JUICY ANDENG THINGS

CHAPTER 41 LAW AND MIGHT

Andeng also served refreshments to the VIPs during the theatre performances for the fiesta and well...

sooooooo may secret boyfriend pala ang lola niyo. huehuehuehue. Lumalablayp si Ate Andeng, mga peeps. 😘

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CHAPTER 55 THE CONSPIRACY

Andeng's actions when the terrorist attack took place.

I desperately need a graphic of Andeng protecting Maria Clara using a roasting spit hahhaha

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IN CONCLUSION, ANDENG...

...is Maria Clara's hermana de leche (or milk sister/kapatid sa gatas/kapatid sa suso). In english, she's more often referred to as "foster sister;"

...is most likely the daughter of the nodriza that nursed Maria Clara as a baby;

...is a criada/househelp of the delos Santos family who takes care of their house in San Diego;

...is of lower socio-economic class compared to the elites Maria Clara, Victoria, Sinang, Iday and Neneng;

...is known as an excellent cook whose specialty is sinigang;

...has a boyfriend (that was not Albino) who keeps trying to meet up with her;

...has weird ideas of what confessionals are for;

...is willing to protect Maria Clara with a roasting spit against bandits.