By Rudy M. Viernes
The Obando Fertility Rites is an age-old three-day ritual held during summer in Obando, Bulacan, Philippines. The festivities will be re-created in a day in Burlingame, CA , on Saturday, May 18, at Our Lady of Angels parish and sponsored by the Obandenian Association of Northern California in cooperation with the OLA Filipino-American Community of Burlingame.
The traditional festivities are held in a three-day fair in Obando , north of Manila, in mid-May to honor its trio of patron saints, each day with its quaint anecdotes. But in the end it encapsulates one wish list of the revelers, many are childless couples coming from out-of-town, to grant a spirit of life into the wombs of their infertile wives. They pray and sashay in the streets with replicas of the saints on their shoulders to the tune of a fandango dance “Santa Clara Pinong Pino” (Saint Clare, Most Refined). And lo and behold, after nine months, they got what they wanted: a child. That’s the reason why Obandenians through-out the world are nostalgic about these dance rituals in mid-summer in their homeland. In testimony to the magic and mystery of the ritual a fertility and dance monument was installed in front of the Obando municipal hall, while the National Historical Commission put a historical marker between the church and municipal building.
The funny lyrics of the song sung by the revelers during the procession are: Santa Clara Pinong Pino/Ako po ay bigyan nyo/Ng asawang labintatlo/Sa gastos ’di magreklamo.
During the first day, May 18, is for St. Pascual , the patron saint of fertility, wealth and abundance. St. Pascual’s surname, Baylon, was taken to mean “one who likes to dance” because the Spanish word “bailar” is the verb form of dance. The origin of this festival goes back to the Kasilonawan, an ancient fertility dance said to promote pregnancy in barren women.
May 19 is for Santa Clara (St. Clare, a 13th century nun of Assisi, Italy) who became the first patron saint of Obando and eventually evolved as the patroness of couples satiating for a child. Clara, in Spanish means “claro” which is the brightening of the skies after a long season of bad weather. This later became the start of a tradition when Obandenians offered eggs to Saint Clare to supplant good weather. This belief was replicated in many towns and cities of the country by enthusiasts asking for fine skies when they stage special outdoor celebrations.
May 20 is for Nuestra Senora de Salambao, also known as Our Lady of Salambao, the saint to whom fishermen beseech for a beautiful catch. Local lore narrates of a miraculous discovery of an image of the Virgin Mary in the net called “salambao” owned by three fishermen. When they thought of bringing the image to neighboring Navotas town their raft suddenly became immovable. They didn’t know the reason. When they decided to deviate to bring the image to Obando their boat quickly lightened and easily navigable. This was to mean that the Virgin wanted her image enshrined at the Obando church and eventually became the patroness of fishermen.
A few years after WWII then Archbishop of Manila and the Obando parish priest at that time forbade the practice of the ritual because of its pagan origin. There was an outcry. Who would deny the testimonies of many grateful childless couples who soon bore children after joining in the dance ritual? Therefore, in 1972 Rev. Fr. Rome R. Fernandez and the Commission of Culture of Obando lifted the ban and revived its practice. The local tourism industry welcomed it and business flourished.
With all the discussions on the controversial RH Bill pending in the Philippine Congress about abortion, we intend to forget the thousands of childless couples in the country who are in perpetual hunger for a child.
The affair in Burlingame will start with a mass a 11 am to be celebrated by Rev. Fr. Michael Mahoney, OFM, pastor of Our Lady of Angels, followed by a procession of religious replicas borne on the shoulders of the revelers, lunch, games for kids and adults and folk singing to be held in the gym. The public is invited.
The Obandenian Association of Northern California was founded in 1981. Its present officers are Edgardo San Diego, president; Thelma Sy, vice-president; Josephine Claridades-Sanchez, secretary; and Nelia Oblea, treasurer. Gene Rebosura is the leader of the Fil-Am Community of Our Lady of Angeles of Burlingame.