Saturday, December 16, 2006 Cena: On fiesta and Filipino attitude By Rolo B. Cena
CARNIVAL at Rio; Rose Parade of Pasadeña; Mardi Gras of New Orleans; Panagbenga of Baguio; Masskara of Bacolod; and Sandurot of Dumaguete! Wow! But what's the common denominator?
Carnival, mardi gras, festival, and fiesta -- all these have one thing in common. According to Microsoft Encarta, a carnival is a public festive occasion or period, often celebrated with street processions, costumes, music, and dancing; Mardi Gras is a carnival before lent often celebrated with costumes, parades, balls, and other festivities; Festival is defined as a day or period of celebration, often one of religious significance; while Fiesta is a celebration or festival linked to a religious holiday.
Looking at these definitions, the common denominator is "a celebration with religious significance." In Spanish culture, fiesta is a celebration of life and thanksgiving in honor of the saints.
The City of Dumaguete just celebrated the 58th Charter Day Anniversary on the 24th of November. What does this mean? November 24 is the day when Dumaguete was baptized as a City. Supposedly, this is not going to be linked to a religious activity. However, since the patron saint of the city is Sta. Catalina de Alejandria whose martyrdom is celebrated on the 25th of the same month, then religious activities are on top of the celebration.
Sandurot, for instance, is a ritual activity which, according to the City Tourism Office means "paghidaet" meaning to commune as one through an offering (from the word durot). In modern parlance, when we hold fiestas, we do mean to celebrate life and to pay homage to the gods.
Last year, a very prominent and influential family invited me to join them celebrate their own version of the fiesta. I graced their occasion, mingled with people but did not stay long for I still have to attend to two more invites. Although I already had my fill but due to commitment, I still pursued to see two more families with whom I am so close. Had a grab again, but this time, I became choosy with what I took. In my last commitment, I just did the same thing. For these three celebrations, I had an exhaustive chat with the hosts, exchanged ideas then left in thanks giving. Amazing, had three in one day!
As a new comer to the place whose culture never had included fiesta celebration while still living in the imperial City of Manila (or is this Value simply and slowly eradicating?), it was during this occasion when I learned varied Filipino approaches towards celebrating fiestas. The first family I joined with spent about P50,000 just to celebrate. According to the head of the family, they always save for the fiesta.
Thriftiness here is vividly defined and another Filipino value of cooperation is sub-consciously exhibited. The second family spent about ten by pooling the sibling's extra money, a value of cooperation (again) or "bayanihan" that has long been a practice especially in provincial areas; a value that has never been digitally deleted from the menu of our own distinct culture that is now overpowered by digital technology. The last family, on the other hand, loaned ten from a financing company just to celebrate - a matter that raised my eyebrows, somehow.
We Filipinos always celebrate life in any manner, any time. Celebrating fiestas, just like celebrating birthdays are a way of life. Pliant as a bamboo, we always strive to be somehow "in the same field" as the others. If our neighbors celebrate, why shouldn't we? If our friend has a new cellphone, why shouldn't I buy? However, we defy what we believe in when things went wrong, somehow, in the preparation or in the manner of either acquiring or doing things. As the old adage goes, "The end justifies the means." In most cases, the means do not justify the end.
I do not condemn celebration of fiestas. In fact, I've learned to like and believe in the reasons why most in the province celebrate them. However, if, in our desire to celebrate fiestas (and of course, other celebrations), we obtain more debts than assets, then I guess it's time to think and re-think what went wrong. The reason here is simply to place values in our celebration. Securing a loan just to celebrate the fiesta does not justify. Nowadays when everything else is "sky high," the best that we can do is to put our feet back on the ground and stand firm with our noble and prudent conviction; compose yourself and be genuine in your approaches to life; gather your senses and use them wisely and creatively; use your energy and dispose of them productively; and live life according to the standards you are actually and presently with. Simply put, live within your means.
