Monday, January 15, 2007 Arches of Hope By Id Acaylar
NEW Year is always a time for renewal. And a time for hope. It was again my realization upon listening to a priest's homily during the Feast of the Epiphany. He said Christmas has formally ended but its spirit must linger and be alive through out the new year.
This brought to mind two arches I evaluated in connection with Lady's Choice national competition for the best Christmas landmarks in the country. Both were found in Mindanao, in the provinces of Misamis. One each for Oriental and Occidental. Both expressed the aspirations of the Mindanaoans.
One arch, done by the poorer residents of Barangay Mantic in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental explicitly manifested their desire for a better life, represented by a house they wanted to own. Significantly, they titled the edifice Gawad Kalinga in recognition of the organization or movement that was building their future homes.
The design might not be original but it was unique. Its finish was in mosaic using shells of amahong, burnay and lampirong, seashells found abundantly in the locality and a common source of livelihood for the residents.
I was awed. I thought amahong, which I knew as bilaog and burnay were already extinct. We were served its meat, salted and adobo-cooked, together with ube and camote with mayonnaise dressing. This brought back memories of my childhood in Dapitan City when burnay and bilaog were a constant victual on our dining table. It was a rediscovery that made me happy.
My greater joy, however, was the lampirong whose shell I found only in "shellcraft" and is popularly called Capiz shell. Who would have missed the old windows, the lampshades, tablemats and chandeliers made out of it? I was ecstatic when the barangay ladies graciously brought out live specimens of the lampirong.
They opened the thin shells in my presence to reveal luscious, delectable meats. It was my first time to see it. What an experience! Very excitedly I took pictures of it on the ladies' bare hands. And I managed to ask only one question. "By your continuous harvest, are you not making these seashells extinct?" To which, they chorused, "No!" Then I simply crossed my fingers.
The other arch was erected across the national highway between Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City. It stood just in front of the municipal building of Naawan, Misamis Oriental, last year's grand prize winner of Lady's Choice Christmasterpiece Competition.
My initial reaction was "An arch again?" Last year, their winning entry was also an arch. But I found out later, their new arch had another story to tell.
What was conspicuous about the new arch were the two hands outstretched towards a big globe and extending from two towers; one, of a Muslim mosque and the other, of a catholic church. The message could not be clearer and would not escape anyone's mind. They aptly called it the Arch of Unity. I wanted to add the word peace but then I realized there could be no unity without peace.
Naawan's Mayor Dennis L. Roa explained that the idea occurred to him after listening to CNN's report on the war between Lebanon and Israel. He realized that the problem in Mindanao is not isolated. It is also global.
When the people of Naawan began erecting the arch, Mayor Aminullah D. Arimao of Masiu, Lanao del Sur passed by and was perhaps intrigued for he paid Mayor Roa a visit.
Thereafter, he and his municipality donated more than 100 Lady's Choice bottles, other materials and ideas until the construction was finished. His support and participation did not end there. During the opening and lighting ceremony, he brought the officials and Muslim leaders of his municipality to make the event momentous and more meaningful.
The ceremony started at past 8 in the evening with a dance dramatization by MSU's Sining Kambayoka of the misconceptions Christians and Muslims had of each other. This was followed by the declaration of the desire and need for peace and unity by the municipalities of Naawan and Masiu.
To actualize what was verbalized and to realize the meaning and significance of the arch, the Sultan a Pithiilan of Poona Masiu, Hadji Amer Odal bestowed on Mayor Dennis Roa the title of Sultan and granted him the Sultanate of Naawan. Whether this was true or merely a show, I was touched and moved to tears.
So was Alex Dan Tacderas, the Group Product Manager of Unilever. He pointed out in his speech that among many other entries in the country during the past two years that the competition was conducted only in Naawan did he find the global concern for peace and unity simply manifested, a Muslim community wholeheartedly participating in a Christian project and two municipalities collaborating in the construction of a Christmas landmark.
I knew by then that Naawan, a fifth class municipality, again, has a good chance of winning the top prize in the competition. Its concept was timely and universal. Its design was stunning and magnificent. Its craftsmanship was neat and artistic. And its location was ideal, that is, midway between Christian and Islamic cities.
Win or lose, the two arches were successful in making me reflect on two trite questions. What will I do to the least of my brethren? How would I make this world a better place to live in? I don't have the answers for now but as a believing Christian Catholic, I know I need not have. For God will surely show the way.
