The News Today Online

Carpooling Loonies

By Jinki H. Beldia

No Samhain for Capiznons?

Second of Two Parts

In October of 2004, the light wind of the coming Christmas season was swaying the once quiescent coastal city. Little did the Capiznons know that the celebration of a new-born festival would disquiet the proclaiming faithfuls of the Catholic Church and shake its seemingly temperamental walls. The first Aswang Festival was indeed successful. None of the religious groups stood in the way of the parading “aswangs” in their shuddersome but creatively done costumes; there was no changing of event names just because they had something to do with popular practices in the supernatural; there were no distressing dialogues between opposing groups. The festival went on as planned even when the Catholic church and religious organizations strongly expressed there disagreement to such concept. This time around, they're stronger with a piece of paper securely clipped in their superiors' axilla. Like the rumored rebirth of Artephius, they prepared well for this year's Aswang Festival—with a permit to rally today October 24 (according to a Dugo Capiznon member), and probably on the event itself beginning the 28th of October through the 30th, against what is now (regretfully) called Lupad Capiznon.

So what happened after Dugo Capiznon, Inc. agreed to change the name of the festival? The Catholic Church of Roxas City once again asked for the festival's name to be changed to something that had nothing to do with words like lupad (fly), dugo (blood), etc, etc. How thick can their personalized thesaurus be? According to the pastoral letter addressed to the organizers of the festival, even the festival's logo connotes aswang. Clearly, its a downright attack of the festival and the people behind it since even the visual expression of the Capiznon artists have not escaped the caviling so-called faithfuls. What makes this anticipated anti-Lupad rally even more comical is talks of the Catholic Church possibly joining forces with about 20 religious groups during the rally. Living in the same small city with a group of people amalgamated by a no-sense-of-humor character is what can be universally considered an 'extra challenge'. When I was told there are 20 religious groups in Roxas City, the first thing that came to mind was, for every nurse or nursing student in a family, there can also be one religious activist who comes alive once a year tasked to combat the Aswang Festival. If there aren't good jobs out there, then doing this should be exciting enough.

Considering the 'once upon a time' story of Capiz when the high caliber young generation of artists and intellectuals were elsewhere making unparalleled fulfillment in their academic lives, the elders of the city should look back in time when Roxas City experienced hunger for a tank of artistry. The past few years, so many of them started coming back singing 'home sweet home', dedicating their different crafts to ameliorate the city. Now it's a case of them coming, seeing, attempting to conquer but are above burning bush.

From where I stand (on one feet as I make coffee) I see the Aswang Festival as a well-thought of concept. To say it's ill-humored is also to say the Capiznons are ills of the Philippine population because with or without the Aswang Festival, Capiznons will always be associated with the bisected supernatural being. And whether these people from other parts of the country believe in aswang or not, the Capiznons would still be fondly known as the descendants of this supernatural rule---just because. Historians can tell us why or how the Capiznons became associated with the aswang, but no highbrow or bluestocking is capable of believing it can ruin the reputation of a city.

Who is taking this seriously? Some of us are, because even in essence, we don't want to be burned at stake. Not again.

Although a true-blooded Boholana, I spent a considerable time in Roxas City where a part of my family still lives until now (this makes me the apotheosis of an Aswang Tarsier). I have had my share of times (actually, a lifetime) of responding to those who would call me “Aswang!” as a replacement for any of my three real names and a banal moniker. An ingenius Akeanon writer once gave me a book, a collection of his poetry, and written on the inside cover was: To Jinki...because an aswang thinks deep.

Say it in any dialect, I cannot change a part of my own history, a part of my own truth. Aswang I may not be but reputed to be...Oh well, so be it. If I was born without a sense of humor, I'd rather be blind as well, and on their side as they rant about a convivial festival.

Will there be no Samhain for Capiznons? There will be but sadly redefined. The winning tribe of the Aswang Festival will perform in SM City on October 30. If you like enchiladas you won't call it lumpia. That's why I'm still calling it Aswang Festival.

(E-mail the author at jinki_young@yahoo.com)