KANSILAY tree speaks of Lin-ay Kansilay, the village princess who died fighting for her people when the marauders raided her clan, burned the houses, looted the property, raped the women, and killed the residents. On top of the mound where she was buried grew a plant that later became a sturdy tree bearing purple-pink flowers.
The tree was named Kansilay in honor of the beautiful warrior princess.
Kansilay was adopted as the name for the village to honor the princess.
Decades passed by and “Kansilay” has been shortened to “Silay.” On June 11, the Silay City Government takes pride to bring back the life, love, longings and memories of Kansilay in a street-dance drama that would culminate in an arena performance at Silay public plaza covered court.
rThe Legend of Kansilay is a product of my research that has undergone a three-generation check. I heard the story from my Lolo Pedro, and Tatay Nicolas repeated the same “anecdote,” and my fellow cane workers had the same account retold during our “pause-for-a-breath” while working in the sugarcane field. The fragmented version came clear to me when Vicente Villanueva, a retired barber and a former “jornalero” made a blow by blow account of that “historiette” as part of my assignment for my high school Filipino literature.
That was on my file already. When I became a public school secondary teacher, Dr. Rosario J. de Guzman (schools division superintendent) requested me to prepare a Kansilay script for a Hiligaynon zarzuela to be staged at Natalio G. Velez Sports and Cultural Center and later to be shown at Palarong Pambansa (1991) hosted by Iloilo. (The script was first made an entry for Silay Hiligaynon Zarzuela Competition by Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School Theater Guild which I directed also.)
It was during the time of Mayor Edwin Velez, when the late Ireneo Reyes and his group teamed up with me to have the “Legend of Kansilay” as dance festival that will be participated by 16 tribes representing the 16 barangays of Silay. This year, Mayor Mark Golez suggested that the dance drama should have a theme based on “Asenso sang Silay, Asenso sang Panimalay.”
The main characters are Princess Kansilay, Lawaan (the love interest of the princess), Pinunong Bubog (the chieftain, father of Kansilay), Kamangyan (the “babaylan”), Lunok (leader of the bandits), and Diwata (fairy of the flowers). The village near the sea is a typical community that reminds us of Carobcob (now Balaring), the first settlement in Silay. The villagers love to catch fish and scratch for seashells. Direct appropriation is still a dominant way of life, fruit gathering and hunting for wild animals in the forest.
The dwellers could have been wearing “patadyong” because during the pre-Spanish colonial period, the inhabitants made their clothing materials by using “teral” (manual weaving instrument). Many “terals” are still existing in the Province of Antique, especially the town of Patnongon where “patadyong” is very famous.
Kansilay epitomizes an ideal daughter, a cooperative member of the community, a committed sweetheart to Lawaan, and a woman leader who is ready to kill and be killed in defense of her community. Pinunong Bubog is a typical “punong barangay” who wants to do justice for the good and has the willingness to do everything for the good of the village (even that would mean his death). Lawaan is a model gentleman, caring, loving, industrious, and dedicated.
Lunok is the villain who would remind you of the pirate chief, Blackbeard. Kamangyan, the “babaylan” is a healer, village adviser, fortune teller, and worship leader. Diwata, the fairy of the flowers, could be somebody like one coming from Encantadia to help those who are in need. These characters are so important in the dance-drama to achieve a total entertaining package loaded with lessons to be learned.
“Kansilay,” the street dance-drama, is about love for environment, commitment to native land, belief in the most high, respect for elders, team work, and preservation of culture. It also involves the play of colors, scoring the music based on choreography, and “esprit de corps.” Come and see the cavalcade on June 11, Sunday, 1 p.m.
We are congratulating Mayor Mark, Vice Mayor Joedith, the councilors, the barangay captains and the villagers for their show of force. Good luck!