‘Fiesta Mexico’ opens / RP Heritage Festival presents Misa Pamana

In the Spanish colonial era, the galleons sailed to the Philippines from Acapulco, Mexico; accordingly, Phil-Mexican ties hark back to the early years of Spanish rule. Indeed, remnants of Mexico remain to this day; e.g., many of our fruits, words like petate and tranca, the Black Nazarene in Quiapo – all these are of Mexican origin.

Reminders of such permanent links will resurface as Mexico celebrates, through its embassy, a month-long Fiesta Mexico. September is a propitious choice for the occasion. As Ambassador Enrique Hubbard points out: "We in Mexico like to call September ‘The Month of the Motherland’ because several significant events emphasize its importance. We begin the month with the President’s SONA precisely on September 1st. On the 13th we remember the sacrifice of the military cadets who tried to repel a clearly superior invading force and paid with their lives.

"Our National Day is celebrated on the 16th, and we gained our independence on September 27, 1821. Furthermore, 2003 marks the 50th anniversary of Phil-Mexico diplomatic relations, and that adds to the already distinguished line of commemorations."

Fiesta Mexico opens with "A Taste of Mexico" tomorrow noon at Hyatt’s Al Fresco with the best of Mexican cuisine prepared by chefs Roberto and Rodolfo who flew to Manila expressly for the culinary feast which ends on Sept. 28. Choice Mexican films will be shown at the Instituto Cervantes every Saturday. A major event, the Mexican Bazaar offering the widest variety of Mexican crafts, will be held on Sept. 24 at Rustan’s.

A fiesta will not be a fiesta without music and dance. A 12-member Mariachi Band, beautifully costumed, will play Sept. 16-24 at Hyatt’s Al Fresco, and on Sept. 20, Myrza Maldonado, a famous interpreter of Mexican folkloric songs, will perform at the Calesa Bar. A Filipino group will execute regional Mexican dances, thus enlivening the cultural scene even more.

According to Jenny Puno of Hyatt’s PR Department, Food and Beverage Manager Abel Nolasco (who is Mexican) will welcome guest of honor Ambassador Hubbard at the opening of "A Taste of Mexico".

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The Filipino Heritage Festival, which I wrote on sometime ago, opened last Friday at the Manila Cathedral with the first-ever Misa Pamana, "a historical-ecclesiastical celebration with songs from Filipino composers". Festival Director Anton Juan describes Misa Pamana, which unites music and worship, as mass "offered in celebration of the intangible and tangible cultural heritage, and an offering for national unity through cultural change".

It was a project of the NCCA with the cooperation of the private sector.

The mass featured excerpts from the following legacies: Misa Baclayana de Bohol (Benedictus), Misa Adonay (Kyrie) by Marcelo Adonai, Misa Balintawak (Gloria) by Bonifacio Abdon, Misa Sto. Niño (Angelus, Credo and the Communion Song) by National Artist Lucio San Pedro, Misa Mysterium (Pater Noster, Agnus Dei) by Francisco Feliciano, and Misa 2000 (Sanctus and Te Deum) by Ryan Cayabyab.

The San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra accompanied the San Miguel Master Chorale under Berlin-trained musical director Jonathan Velasco. The performance in sum was brilliant.

The earlier composers Adonai and Abdon hewed to the conventional and traditional; San Pedro’s approach was midway between the traditional and the contemporary; Feliciano and Cayabyab were diametrically opposed in style to Adonai and Abdon. The sung part of the mass might therefore, be described as eclectic, the various parts having been rendered in divergent styles.

The celebration of the mass itself – the liturgy and homily were in Tagalog – attempted to recapture the atmosphere of folk worship during the Spanish period; e.g., the townspeople offering gifts in front of the altar as impersonated by Evelyn B. Pantig, NCCA chairperson; Armita Rufino, co-chairman; Maria Fina C. Yonzon, Ana Marie "Bambi" Harper (in a dalagang bukid terno), Alice T. Guerrero, and scores more.

It was gratifying to see foreigners experiencing the unique recreation of religious practices observed by early Filipinos. Among these guests were Australian Ambassador Ruth Pearce and NZ Ambassador Terry and Janet Baker. Mr. Baker commented that some of the best music he had ever heard was in the Philippines. Presumably, he was referring in part to Ryan Cayabyab’s stirring and compelling Te Deum from Misa 2000 which won a prize in an international contest. Not being part of the mass proper, it was then being rendered at the end of Misa Pamana.