Oh my fiesta

By Marifi Jara

By Marifi Jara

(Fiestas are as Filipino as adobo can be. While it largely stems from our Spanish colonial past, we have, in many parts of the country, molded the festivals in recent years into our very own. And just like that other ubiquitous Filipino icon, the jeepney, fiestas are now an expression of our creativity, a venue for our fun-loving and oftentimes noisy nature, and a celebration of our culture that we continue to shape and define. Back home in Pangasinan, we have the Bangus Festival of Dagupan, the Corn Festival of Sto. Tomas, and the Talong Festival of Villasis to cite a few.

But there are still small towns that continue to be tied to the age-old, and I dare say boring, fiestas that really have no major significant cultural meaning to offer. The religious roots of the fiesta is sometimes even almost forgotten. Makes me wonder what the point really is in continuing with those annual celebrations. But that would probably be just me. For many a townsfolk, fiestas – whether grand or ho-hum – remains a highlight of the year, something that is looked forward to and celebrated in something that could be as simple as a small ferris wheel ride or a bingo game.

This week, a student from Colegio de Dagupan shares in our Young Roots column his hometown fiesta experience, the Mangatarem way.-Marifi Jara, Roots)

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The Mangatarem town fiesta seems to be more felt than the spirit of the coming Christmas and New Year. At this time of the year, as you pass by the town proper, you will see a lot of carnival rides for children, booths for all sorts of amusements, and betting games for all ages.

I go home to Mangatarem just once a week, but each week, I’ve noticed how the number of people going to the plaza has been multiplying. The rides and games, usually displayed at the main plaza, are now set up at the vacant lot on one side of the street because of the ongoing renovation of the plaza. And our fiesta won’t be until the third week of January.

But I do feel that the coming fiesta celebration will be more fun, enjoyable and exciting than previous years.

I actually visited the office of our beloved mayor Teddy Cruz to get his insights about the upcoming fiesta but unfortunately he wasn’t around. His secretary told me that our mayor is busy these days because of his commitments with the upcoming Christmas, New Year and town fiesta. I just wish I could talk to him the next time I visit his office.

Failing to get my hoped-for interview, I decided to hang around the town plaza until 8 pm since I was already there and our house is a bit of a distance away. I wanted to see what’s happening at the plaza at night. As I expected, a lot of people from all over Mangatarem gather at the plaza to play and enjoy. By the time I left, many people were still just arriving. I think that is a sign that there will be a big crowd in the coming fiesta. It seems that the people are going to the plaza for all the pre-fiesta funfare rather than preparing for Christmas. It seems to me like the fiesta is upsetting Christmas. (Romualdo Agtalao)-CdD

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