Historical Background
During the turn of the 19th Century, only a few families lived in Nipa Huts in a place south of Barrio Pila just across the Pila Creek. This place used to be a forested area, so the people depend on fishing as their means of livelihood, since fish were abundant in that creek during that time. They plant root crops such as cassava and camote as their food, in addition
to the fish they catch everyday. One day, one of the old folks there planted hot pepper or what they call in Ilocano as “sili” around their nipa huts. Since the soil then was very fertile, they have an abundant harvest. They put it in a small jars and soaked it with vinegar and mixed this with their food especially during rainy days. Then they planted more until such time that sili was seen all over the place. Then one day, people from nearby places accross the creek visited them and asked what is the name of their place, they said it’s a Casilian which means it is a place where there are plenty of hot pepper “sili”. Since there was already a place or Barrio in the town of Bacarra called Casilian, the people opted to shorten its name as Casili so as not to duplicate the barrio in Bacarra. Casili then was only a part of Barrio Sta. Maria as one of its Sitio. In 1936, it was separated from its Mother Barrio and was created as an independent barrio now called Casili. Some portion of which were originally part of Barrio 02 Sta. Joaquina and Barrio 01 San Lorenzo on the east, Babayugan now called Barrio Talingaan on the Southwest, Barrio 62-A Navotas on the Northwest and Barrio Pila on the North, and on the South Barrio 30-A Suyo and Barrio 30-B Sta. Until now you can still find sili or” inartem´ in every household in the Barrio. This is how Casili got its name
Patronal Fiesta/ Foundation Days
Sto. Domingo De Guzman/ August 8
