“Bituing Marikit, sa gabi ng buhay,
Ang bawa’t kislap mo’y. ligaya ang taglay.
Yaring aking palad, iyong patnubayan..
Na kahit na sinag, ako’y bahaginan…
These lines of the kundiman “Bituing Marikit” kept running through my mind as my sister and I drove home that rainy Saturday night.
We just came from attending the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe presentation of “Anihan” at the Living Arts Center in Mississauga. The performance was a tribute to one of the great supporters of the organization: Ruben Cusipag.
It was a wonderful evening of Filipino dance and music, showcasing our traditions, native costumes, and way of life, local musical instruments and native farming implements made out of Philippine vegetation.
For those like me, who were born and lived in the Philippines almost up to middle age, the evening brought back nostalgic memories that are almost forgotten but found to be dormant and ready to be awakened.
As we have been going through the hurry and scurry of everyday life in a foreign land, going through the stresses and pressures of a very competitive way of life, trying to survive and make our own place under the sun and being exposed left, right and center to the culture of the moment, we often set aside the memories of that world we used to live in with our own people, the land and the gifts of nature that used to surround us, the music and poetry of our own language and all the traditions that we have developed as a people.
And then, we go to a performance like “Anihan” and we find that all the memories treasured and hidden in our hearts all come out as the strains of once familiar music fills the air and our eyes feast on scenery of local colour as we share the laughter as well as the poignancy of the dance and pageantry of the presentation,
Indeed, the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe does not just present Filipino dances and songs. They effectively research on the backgrounds of each tribe or village where the dance or song or music originated and inform the audience about their findings which they effectively portrayed in the presentation.
Dances and music that are quite familiar to most Filipinos take a different flavour when presented depicting a particular tribe or community in the Philippines. “Anihan” or harvest is a farming event in most of the agricultural parts of the country, but the terrain differs so that implementation and the procedures vary.
These are portrayed in the presentation with artistry and creativity of the choreography of each dance, coupled by the variety in colour and designs of the costumes, make each number a new work of art, but still retaining the message and legacy of the number. A good example is the “Maglalatik”. I have seen this dance presented by the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe several times but each performance has never been kept the same as the other.
The significance of the abundance of certain plants in the Philippines that pay a role in the creation of implements as well as musical instruments was also demonstrated in the presentation.
The bamboo whether in the Islam or Christian communities played a very significant part of the props and equipments. The same is true with the “salakot”, a native head covering made of some kind of palm leaves. The “bilao” a shallow basket as well as other forms of containers all come from native home-grown or wild plants. The fabrics of the costumes come from native cotton, abaca, and other fibers produced in the Philippines. They are hand-woven in looms found in houses in the villages.
The “Anklung”, a musical instrument originated in Indonesia, attracted the attention of the audience and was acclaimed by boisterous applause after the performance using the instrument by the Fiesta Filipina parents and Board of Directors.
The presentation of “Anihan” is another testimony to the widely accepted acclaim for the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe as the promoter, preserver and propagator of Filipino heritage, through music and dance in Canada for the last forty four years. To those who have followed its performances, the appreciation for its growth, versatility, creativity and enthusiasm for perfection will always be there.
Every year, the organization has new recruits, but the original founders and volunteers have stayed on. It is very evident that this is one volunteer undertaking wherein all members of the family can participate and have a particular task to carry on. The leadership has remained unwavering and energy seems to flourish.
As I think of the great satisfaction I got from the presentation of “Anihan”, I cannot help but hope that other Filipino organizations would undertake similar courses of action that will promote Filipino heritage. I wish there would be more Filipino kundimans sung during holiday celebrations. I hope to hear some of the songs rendered by Ruben Tagalog, Nora Aunor, Pilita Corrales and many more Filipino singers.
I know many would say, “Ay naku, laos na iyan!” But these native tunes are timeless. They carry the deep feelings and yearnings of the heart. They tell about our bygone days from those quiet and rural areas of our native land. Many of them are stories of love that may sound corny and out of place in these days and era. But they are a part of our identity as people of a particular nation, the Filipinos.
I will not be tired of listening to songs like this:
May ibong kakanta-kanta
Sa sanga ng punong mangga
Ang awit kay tamis-tamis
Ang tunog kay ganda ganda”