salubong

How was your Easter Sunday celebration? I hope it is well spent because if you would like to know, I had a very inspiring Easter celebration in Angono, Rizal. I particularly anticipate this celebration and always hoping to witness “salubong” in Angono. I’ll tell you why.

Angono is tagged as the Arts Capital of the Philippines. True, the town promises many good works of arts even up to these days. Art galleries and workshops abound the place. Higantes Festival is an event to watch. Music and old traditions still thrive and are highly patronized not just by locals but by people of neighboring towns as well.

So, aside from the religious connection of the salubong, this is particularly worth witnessing in Angono because they have a unique way of celebrating it. And being an art enthusiast, being highly interested in culture and peculiar traditions of different places, I am simply captured by their celebration. I know I cannot put it all into words so I’ll back it up with my poor photos and you can also look up in youtube for videos for additional visuals.

HOW IT IS DONE

The arch made of bamboo and adorned with colorful papers. At the center hangs the puso holding inside a little girl wo will sing Regina Coeli Lautare.

The Kapitana reciting the poem while the Tinyenta is resting after her dance routine.

A stage is set in an a plaza/ open area. A platform is set for ladies in ornate filipiniana ternos and another installation made of bamboos is set for the salubong. The salubong starts from the procession of Marian images from the church and it will meet the image of Christ at the exact location of the installation. The band plays a slow tempo arrangement and a certain Tinyenta (one of the two ladies on the platform) will dance a curious number by bending her upper body too low (I don’t really know how they do it) while waving a banner as a form of anticipating the culmination of the promise of Easter (Sayaw Ng Pagbati).

After the Tinyenta’s number, the other lady (the Kapitana) will start reciting a lengthy poem in rich tagalog about the promise of easter. The recital in itself is distinctive and the poem material is original to Angono (called Dicho Sa Birhen).

Upon reaching the highpoint of the poem, birds made out of colorful papers swoop down the center of the bamboo arch where a “puso” is. The “puso” will then open and reveal an angel inside. Said angel will do the rituals of removing the black veil from the Virgin Mary while singing Regina Coeli Laetare.

After which, the Kapitana will complete the remaining lines of the poem and culminates with the rejoicing lines: Alleluia, alleluia, Viva! (the crowd claps and joins in reciting these lines). The Kapitana will dance a unique number (very similar to the Sayaw ng Pagbati of Tinyenta) only that this time, the band plays a more lively arrangement, signifying the rejoicing heart for the fulfillment of God’s promise of resurrection.

The programs ends here while the crowd draws back to the church for the Easter Mass.

BACKSTORY

The selection process of Tinyenta and Kapitana is in itself a spectacle. Interested ladies are required to apply and church ministry will do the checking. Such is required because the roles will perform many church related advocacies and activities, culmination of their function is to perform the Salubong. Immediately on the night of the Salubong, new set of ladies will be selected. This is held at the patio of the church while town folks and family members of those who applied eagerly cheer on for the ladies. It is thrilling to watch how excited the crowd is to know who will be the next Tinyenta and Kapitana. The selection process is done by random, drawing names from a bowl. The manner how it is done varies every year but the anticipation is real. I applaud especially the crowd and the families for patronizing this tradition. If not for their support, this old tradition would not be sustained.

I think every lady in Angono (those whose clan originated from the town) dream of becoming one or at least for once, have wished one day they could be part of town’s history (aside from practical restrictions like funding, because really, they invest in filipiniana ternos and other incidental costs, some ladies don’t join the selection process). All the previous Tinyentas and Kapitanas alive have existing elite organization assisting church activities.

Apart from the actual performance of Salubong on Easter Sunday, a sort of a practice of what is expected to be seen on the actual salubong is shown to the crowd as well (this practice is called Panaog). Here, the ladies dress up just as good (take note, walang ulitan ng outfit at talaga namang ginagastusan ang pagpapatahi). The ladies practice their dance and the recital of the poem, make shift stage is installed (and well-adorned at that, like the real thing) and the band practices along. This is done 3 times during the holy week, prior to Easter Sunday. And no matter how much exposure it gets, I am fascinated to see the crowd would watch over and over, and would cheer on over and over and still would wake up extra early on Easter Sunday to see the culmination of the old-tested tradition of Salubong.

This patronage of the town folks is what I think the key to enriching arts and to lasting traditions.