|
Monday, August 15, 2005
SpeakOut: Desecrating Cebu’s heritage
By Art. E. Cañares
CEBU is like an egg. To know its true nature, one has to study history, physiology, theology and political science.
An egg has three vital parts. It has a shell, a membrane and the yolk. Some people say that it symbolizes the composition of the Holy Trinity. They think that Jesus is the personification of the shell, having been in close encounters with mankind.
They compare the Holy Spirit to the membrane (called langit-langit in Cebuano vernacular) that serves as the link between Jesus and his Father, who is, in turn, likened to the yolk, which is the source of life.
Thus, without the shell that contains the yolk and the membrane that link them, an egg is not an egg. Likewise, without Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God the Father will not be with us. Unity and oneness, those are the lessons imparted to us through an egg with the essence of the Holy Trinity.
Like an egg, the life of Cebu is unity and oneness with God. It is materially and spiritually indivisible. Take away just one town from Cebu’s map and its shield of unity is cracked open. Cebu is so compacted that a single act of divisiveness would puncture its membrane of solidarity that links its to the yolk of prosperity.
God intended Cebu to remain undivided through its people. The Cebuanos are his living legacy in Asia and the rest of the world. The Cebuanos had their first taste of heavenly fortune when the image of Sto. Niño was given to Rajah Humabon after his conversion to Christianity.
By then, Cebu became the beacon of religious converts from distant lands, who brought along their diverse cultures to form a new and prosperous Christian civilization.
Over the centuries, bloodlines of Boholano, Ilonggo, Waray, Tagalog, Pampango, Chinese, Spanish, Americans and Europeans were engendered into Cebu’s cauldron of races.
And what emerged from the evolution of tribal and interracial alliances is a hybrid of Cebuanos, inheriting the indomitable spirit of conquerors shielded by unity and oneness with God.
These are the values that keep the new breed of Cebuanos on top of themselves.
Therefore, any divisive policy, however rightful, shall be considered as a desecration to their cultural and spiritual heritage.
(August 15, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
