Friday, December 22, 2006 Cena: Putting the records straight By Rolo B. Cena
IT WAS the first time a City had a pool of national media covering an event that was new. It was also the first time a local campus was jammed with hundreds of people witnessing the first event ever in the province. It happened in 1981. It was the City of Dumaguete.
It happened in the campus of the modern-day Foundation University. It was the Buglasan Festival of Festivals. Great!
Buglasan, from the word buglas, a three-feet-tall reed that covered almost the entire area and from which the province took her original name was actually conceptualized way back in the early seventies by a group of six friends. The plans and dreams of this group remained just a dream. Ten years after, in May 22, 1981, the dream of holding the festival of festivals came into reality with the seven artistas de los negros in the lead some of whom are from the original group of six.
In October 13, 2006, several notable events relative to Buglasan took place: first, the Commission on Higher Education awarded Foundation University for starting Buglasan Festival; second, the same Commission awarded the seven artistas de los negros for founding Buglasan and initiating the first province-wide festival; and third, Victor Vicente G. Sinco, the chairman of the Board of Foundation University and the first Grandson of Dr. Vicente Sinco (who had endorsed the festival in 1980), riding in a horse-drawn calesa from FU campus to the Capitol grounds turned over to Governor Arnaiz the traditional FU Lamp of Knowledge as an icon signifying the passing on of Buglasan Legacy to the province.
Great awards indeed! At least, it is made clear who started it all and somebody from the government took time to pay homage and recognition to the founders. After two decade, the efforts of these arts enthusiasts, Foundation University, and Dr. Vicente G. Sinco who actively collaborated for the project were valued.
Foundation University and the sietes artistas de los negros made history. The Buglasan Festival of festivals, too, made her debut in the history of the Filipino people and had become part and will continue to be a part of the rich Filipino culture.
Yes, I said HISTORY. When we say history, we mean true accounts of events or happenings or of persons and places valued by authority through written or printed documentation preserved for a lifetime. A history can never be one unless recorded, that's my belief.
Attempts have been initiated to record the history of Buglasan. Flyers are circulating with the province' tourism office (for purposes of promoting the event only); news articles are written to account the event; media cover the details of the proceedings; feature articles are intelligently written to express the event professionally. While all these are good attempts, however, one best and noble way of preserving the memoirs of Buglasan must be done.
Buglasan is a legacy that has indeed become a history. Isn't it interesting to read history rather than listen to various reporters re-telling different versions of history time and again? The point is: why not write and publish a book about Buglasan? In doing so, we not only preserve the Buglasan history as a matter of legacy, but we nobly value this history as a matter of pride at the same time.
