UP Ibalon Bicol: Baao & the Pintakasi in America : "Sa kalipungawan ko, ngowan na aldow, di tay ka malingawan!"

Baao & the Pintakasi in America : "Sa kalipungawan ko, ngowan na aldow, di tay ka malingawan!"

8/03/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

by Augusto F. Mesia, M.D.
Astoria, New York

“Tibaad makaabot kamo sa banwaan kong tinubuan
dara pa gayon ag tinkad ninyong kolor na namasdan,
ta arayo kamo sa ragang kinabuklatan, nang-alisngaw,
namarong na amot, tibaad dagos nang naoda, nanlasaw.
An hamio ninyo, kalag ninyong tunay, di maisusuway,
di malilingangawan kan langit kun sari kamo nabuway.”
--- “Para sa Burak sa Heildelberg” by J.P Rizal (trans. Robosa, P.B.)
Baao Historical Society

“But alas! You'll get there, oh flow'rs,
Perhaps you'll retain your colors;
But far from your native, heroic land
To which you owe your life,
You'll lose your fragrant odours;
'Cause aroma's the soul, and ne'er leaves the sky,
Nor forgets, that saw at birth its light.”
---To the Flowers of Heidelberg, by JP Rizal, (trans. Alzona, E.)

BAAO IN BIKOL

National hero Jose P. Rizal didn’t refer to a specific place in his poem above, but when we read the last few lines of "To the Flowers of Heidelberg," translated in royal Rinconada dialect, we quickly feel the pure love for the land he called home, the Philippines. This also applies to our own Baao--- a beautiful town in Bicol which is worth a million words and a lifetime of memories.

Many of us will agree with Vicente Ll. Ramirez, Jr. (Baao Historical Society) who spoke of Baao and its wonderful people of about 55,000. He wrote about the memorable flatlands and rolling hills between the cities of Naga and Iriga in the province of Camarines where his beloved kahimanwas are. With undisguised pride, he described one of Bicol’s distinctive farming village with unfettered personal fondness.

Ramirez theorized the name Baao must have started during the Spanish occupation. In those days, a local who lived by the lake was asked by one of the foreigners how they called the green-brown turtles, thriving well in the emerald inland marshes of this interesting town, a part of old Nueva Caceres.

The native referred to the rounded hump-backed reptile as a “ba-o-o” which timidly inhabits the fresh waterways. Sustained by lush ferns (aru-agnow,) they were in harmony with the brown snails (kohol) on which the migratory waterfowls fed. Under the tilted stalks of ripening rice grains in the moist wide paddies, the “ba-o-o” lived aplenty.

Not very long the happy place with a distinctly enchanting allure was referred to by its people as “Bao.” Later, the name slowly morphed into what is known today as “Baao.”

Baao is a popular enclave of traditional families bonded by generations of kinship. Rich in religious tradition, it's a great place that's hard to forget.

A hub of activity where the National Road wiggles towards Albay and Sorsogon, it is a home of the white heron which sits beside the carabao and the blackbird clad with iridescent feathers in the fertile fields. Baao is a fabulous place where the wind is as gentle as the blue sky--- and the afternoon, as restful as the break of dawn.

In Baao, it is said the B’s reign. Family names like Barlin, Badiola, Bernas, Bacsain, Barrameda, Boncayao, Ballesteros, Badong, Badilla, Brillo, Briones, Bismonte, Britanico, Bigay, Blasco, Bersabe, Baesa, Bisuna, Barandon, Borja, Bulalacao, Bolo, Bedural, Botor, Bustilla, Bolalin, Babilonia, Beldua, Bersabal, Buena, and many others stood tall like the elegant upright top of the town’s historic stone cathedral.

Because they are part of the heart and soul of generations, from Agdangan to San Roque to Sagrada to La Medalla, Santa Teresita, Bagumbayan or Oras, closely-knit families live together in harmony and peace.

Their company thrives. Like the multitude of stars in the dark sky, the families of Gumabao, Dato, Guevara, Arroyo, Robosa, Llorens, Fajardo, Uy-Barreta, Esplana, Serrano, Gaite, Totanes, Perdon, Del Rosario, Sanchez, Palencia, Martires, Mendez, Peyra, Ramirez, Torres, De los Santos, Antioquia, Imperial and many more have become bigger, albeit more difficult to count. They are part of a growing network of extended families in the community, dating back from the ancient days of Handiong.

Returning home and reconnecting with relatives and friends don’t lose steam in Baao. A place for exciting reunions, it is about 444 kilometers south of Manila and is less than an hour ride from Naga City. By tradition, Baao residents are nurturing to their friends who come and go--- tracing familial and religious affinities with gusto. Like the gems in a jewel box, they guard their binding ties, wherever they are or have been.

When Ramirez described the character of the dazzling people of the town, he alluded to their pedigree of “patience, perseverance, patience, wit, passion, sensitivity, resourcefulness, ingenuity, adaptability and resilience.” He concluded they are part of the “Baao persona that we all must be proud of and grateful for.”

Yes! The Baaoenos are caring and adaptable people. Look at the photographs! They are fun-loving and gentle human beings. Their sense of community is strong and their closeness to their neighbor is unmistakable. Unity is reflected in their language, songs, dances, and perhaps, in their dreams.

PINTAKASI IN AMERICA

What more is a better example than when Baaoenos celebrate their Pintakasi---that colorful merry feast reserved to honor St. Bartholomew, their patron saint? Ask anyone who visits Baao in August 23 to 25. The red-letter dates in the calendar make the whole town boil with joy. That’s also true here in America.

Almost coincident to the town fiesta, expatriate Baaoenos celebrate these days with homey merriment and unrestrained fun. In an amiable display of oneness and faith, they break bread and share stories together.

In 2008, one of Baao’s upbeat sons Walter Mendez and a group of his ardent supporters based in the golden state paid host to a motley crowd of kahimanwas. The gathering comes annually. Baaoenos from different states in America join the event and follow their roots.

For this year, it’s the Las Vegas Baaoenos’ turn to host the affair on August 8, 2009 in Nevada. Among the core group of organizers are Naty Martires, Sally & Joe (del Rosario) Valeras, Nilda & Michael (Torres) Chang, Ben & Myrna Ballesteros, Josephine Sanchez, Frank Banaria, and Rita Badiola.

Pintakasi in America is a sparkling reenactment of the same religious observance of Baao’s famous feast. The food is always generously scrumptious as the laughter and stories which go with it. The event is never dull---not overly pompous, but always roaring hot as memory can tell!

The wonderful pictures posted herein speak even louder and more eloquently than what I can probably say----so I leave them to you to attend the next heart-warming big Pinatakasi. It’s fun to see countless sons and daughters of Baao gather together in a festive celebration which sizzles with a bang!

Those who attend say they are more than satisfied. The event kicks in with a solemn mass of thanksgiving and recollection officiated by priests and attended by guests, some traveling all the way from Bicol. There is the unmistakable warmth that binds those who are present. Young and old, they join the celebration.

Group dancing and talent shows set the happy tone of the Pintakasi fun. Even without the spectacle of performers, they get energized huddling together. More often than not, they bump on someone they have not seen for so long. Sometimes, they get teary-eyed upon hearing stories back home.

Etched on their excited faces which often find their best friends in unlikely places, on the day of the grand Pintakasi, one can hear them whisper ---- Baao, sa kalipungawan ko, ngowan na aldow, di tay ka malingawan. (Photo Credit: NMU) =0=

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Labels: 2009, Baao PIntakasi USA, Caceres, Camarines Sur, fiesta, Las Vegas, organization, Rinconada, St. Battholomew, Totie Mesia

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Baao & the Pintakasi in America : "Sa kalipungawan ko, ngowan na aldow, di tay ka malingawan!"

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