The Watchman of Old Manila
In the highly praised short story "May Day Eve" by Nick Joaquin, the narratives begin and end with a watchman announcing: "Guardia sereno-o-o! A las doce han dado-o-o!". The writer is actually reliving a century-old feature of Spanish Manila that traced back to Medieval Times in Spain -- Sereno, the watchman. A watchman of Madrid. 1832. Drawing by Juan Carrafa (BNE). I haven't seen yet illustrations or photos of "Sereno" of Manila. It heightens more curiosities. A watchman unit was a common feature in a European medieval town. They were employed by the community inside a walled town to guard the streets and announce the hours of the night. This hourly announcement was also meant as a weather update for medieval farmers, in cases of weather disturbances for the protection of crops and animals . Thus there are some parts in Spain with this popular sereno announcements: "Las