By Joe Espiritu
Columnist
Bohol Sunday Post
Jagna fiesta season starts in May but a barrio or two starts earlier like Looc and Canupao. Such events bring respite from the daily grind. They offer a change of diet even if only for a day or two. It also offers some sort of entertainment, a diversion or whatever as long as minds can be diverted from the daily problems.
Perhaps, that is what fiesta is all about.
A host would not offer pure vegetable dishes on fiestas. That is a sacrilege.
Besides, he would not do that if he does not want to be called a tightwad. Meat must be the main entrée. A government census taker on the poverty level in the municipality once asked a resident how many times a year he would serve meat to his family. The answer was: only once a year, during fiestas. Not wanting to place the community in a bad light, the census taker insisted that it could be more than once a year. The respondent agreed but insisted that it may be when his livestock meets a traffic accident - he is living near the provincial highway.
The fiesta celebrant, who is also a fiesta goer in other days - will raise a pig and several chickens just for the yearly event. To offer variety, he might out down his share in the purchase of carabeef, the tougher the better. The recipe would not vary from house to house, but what the heck; most of them are meat dishes. Not all could hire a cook for the affair so the host puts out his version of the dish he might have tasted somewhere.
There was once a practice among fiesta goers to send uncooked dishes, even drinks, to each other along with the usual invitation. Let them cook the meat according to their tastes. Then, everyone is welcome, even those who are seen for the first time When the prices went to orbit, the practice was discontinued.
When a stranger comes, he is asked if he is lost and is offered directions to his destination, where ever that is. The whole family is invited, even the house cat and dog but please do not bring the whole barrio.
For entertainment, a basketball tournament, usually termed inter barangay, is held with prices ranging from the cheapest to extravagant. The team members must come from the barrio. As long as he can distinguish his goal from his opponent, he would be accepted. An import or two may be allowed. When they say import, that means the player may come from outside the entrant barangay or even out of town, from the UAAP, NCAA or even PBA or NBA. All shapes and sizes of players can be seen ranging from the rolly polly dwarfs to malnourished beanpoles.
Years ago, a barrio would present a drama with homegrown cast. Comments from self-appointed critics range from laudatory to insulting, usually the latter.
Residents of the host barrio would tolerate uncomplimentary remarks because they will have their turn criticizing when time comes. However, the cinema and TV put an end to that. The wide screen and projector killed the growth of local talents.
Religious processions are held at fiesta evenings. What is noticeable is that the procession goers are mostly women of all ages - from forty up. The only men in the procession are the hired musicians and drunks.
Dances are held on the night of the fiesta. They are called benefit dances for the benefit of the host's pockets. Girls are reduced to the status of taxi dancers but they get a share of the proceeds. Previously a dance is so tight that the girls think they are being embraced by boa constrictors. This time, benefit dances are no longer held but discos. Dancers are so far apart that carabaos, which had escaped from the fiesta slaughter, can go on stampede between the dancers without being noticed.
With the prices rising astronomically, fiesta practices might change. How? We cannot predict. Meat dishes may still be there but - God forbid -, the fiesta goers are in danger of being asked to pay up before sitting down before the table.
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