SOMEWHERE out there, men and women are breaking their backs to earn a living. Somewhere out there, enterprising people are trading their crafts and wares to help contribute to the national economy. Somewhere out there, craftsmen, artisans and artists are creating world class products and designs to show that they belong to a creative industry. And, somewhere out there, somebody is proving to herself that the inner self is where the true beauty lies and not at the surface of one’s skin.
Ganito nga yata kami sa Baguio. Kakaiba nga ba talaga ang malapit sa ulap?
In sports, men have literally broken their backs and limbs to be world champions in the arena of mixed martial arts. An elderly woman, an ex-cop is still harvesting gold medals throwing discs and javelins in the sports world.
Over the years, we have known honest taxi drivers and security guards and one of Baguio’s street sweepers went viral when I snapped a photo her in rain coat doing her chore in the midst of a strong typhoon.
There is a group of men who called themselves the Baguio Apaches and they are preparing to celebrate their 80th anniversary as the oldest civic group in this part of the country.
If there’s one thing that these mixed generation of men from Baguio’s past and present are quite familiar with, it’s the act of celebrating life with fellowship, fun, food, faith and family.
And when the moment comes for a grand celebration, they do not only converge like a pack of Apache Indians in a powwow but they also warm their camping ground with a big bonfire. They chant, they dance and stomp the ground as if the earth listens to their feet. They played baseball when men still wore knickerbockers and one of them sang over the radio to confuse the enemy during the Second World War. One of the founding members became a chief of police and mayor of the city while others became judges and executives of private firms.
As they celebrate their 80th anniversary, reminisce their formation as builders of Baguio, they will also honor their deserving members with a distinct Geronimo award as they did in the past with red and blue feathers. The Apaches will also confer totem pole awards to those who stood by the creed of a true Apache. As part of their tradition, the Apaches will once again let the earth feel the rhythm of their stomping feet and warmth of their grand bonfire as they honor their elders who already joined the creator in the great hunting ground in the sky.