I once again visited Balut in Tondo for the
yearly observance of the holy week. This
2014 I hope to be early as much as possible but then time was really running
that fast when you try to beat it. I got
lost in the process and arrived late at the site. Some of the photo enthusiasts were already
packing up their gadgets and left the place when I arrived.
Just like the previous year, I opted to stay
near the San Roque chapel because this is the place where participants usually
end their traditional penance activities.
There were so many people lined up on the side of the main road near the
chapel and towards the entrance of Simeon de Jesus street. By 9am, they were already able to witness so
many participants where their penance activities ended at San Roque chapel.
Last year, given the same time, there were
still several participants that paraded the streets in the area. I was hoping that I was not too late but upon
seeing the dramatization of person playing the role of Christ, I was told by a
barangay officer that it was already the finale of the event. Ouch.
My effort was in vain.
As I patiently waited
at the main road to witness their version of ‘passion of Christ’, another group
emerged. A bystander right away
commented that the one carrying the cross was a woman eventhough her face was
covered with black cloth. Her built revealed
her form. Following her were three men
on penance. The three men observed the
traditional form of penance be covering their faces with black cloth while
whipping their back. This was the ‘true
form’ of penance according to the older people who are witnessing the yearly
Good Friday tradition in the area. They
further added that the younger generation no longer observe the ‘sacred’
tradition of the people doing the penance before them.
After lingering for a
while witnessing the dramatization of the ‘passion of Christ’, I called it a
day. I walked towards the jeepney
terminal. There were still plenty of people that lined up the street as well as
those people flocking at the front of San Roque chapel. I just promised myself to be back early next
year, if ever.
After a couple of meters
passing the chapel, I saw a large group of people coming towards my
direction. I thought I missed my chance
but I was caught by surprise. I right
away readied my camera and I hastily took shots of the group as they pass
along.
As they pass along, I
wanted to stay in the middle of the street to have some decent shots of the
participants but their columns would not permit me. If ever I will be in their midst, they will
definitely hit me with the slinging of their thing as they continuously hit
their back. Also, as I experienced last
year, I would definitely get covered by blood coming for their bodies.
I then decided to
stay on the side of the street just aiming my camera to get some shots of the
people doing their penance. After that,
I followed the last one on the line and I took my sweet time taking pictures
until we reached the chapel. The group
no longer entered the chapel. Upon
nearing the chapel, the group positioned themselves along the side of the road
and performed their last rite of penance.
They lie flat on the hot pavement and their comrades gave each one of
them several whipping on their back.
Before my morning
ended that day, I was able to talk to that group and hopefully by next year I
will be doing a docu with some members of the group. That time around, as I walked with them
towards their home, I got a glimpse of some stories about their ‘penance.’ And I must say that the stories become
totally different the moment you hear their ‘real’ account of their lives. Until next year and hopefully with a story.
No comments:
Post a Comment