SENIOR BYAHERO
Ever since I retired, I did many things that I never thought I will do. One of them was during my recent visit to Obando, and doing its famous fertility dance.
I was not asking Santa Clara to give me a child, but it was more of dance of gratitude for giving me the strength to do many things I never imagined I can still do in my senior years.
The visit to Obando was part of the tour organized by a group called Advocates for Heritage Preservation or AHP. It values preservation of Philippine heritage, conducting many tours around the country so that its members will be able to appreciate the value of “things from the past that still exist in the present, serving as evidence, which have cultural, historical, symbolic, spiritual, aesthetic and social value or significance, thereby needing preservation.”
After almost three years due to pandemic, AHP finally resumed its heritage tour and it selected the historic province of Bulacan as its first tour destination. Being from the south, I haven’t explored the province of Bulacan much, especially the three towns – Marilao, Meycauayan and Obando. I was particularly interested in Obando especially its famous fertility dance.
First thing I learned in an AHP tour was punctuality. When we were told to be at the meeting place before 5 a.m., the participants arrived on time. By 7 a.m., we were already at our first stop in Bahay Makabayan in Marilao, a private museum owned by Maestro Jose Benigno Salvador containing vast collections of Filipiana books, art objects and souvenir items, and was followed by a visit to San Miguel Archangel Church where a relic of the apparition of Saint Michael can be found.
Obando fertility dance
Our next stop was the city of Meycauyan where we were welcomed by a group of dancers performing the Bulakenya dance at its modern city hall. But what caught my attention was an old man dressed as a Katipunero who greeted our group as we entered the hall. I asked him how old he was and he said “72” with a smile. I want to be him when I reach his age, I told myself. We were then ushered into its heritage museum where we learned about the origin of the name of Meycauyan being “with bamboos.” Also on exhibit were two industries that made Meycauyan famous – jewelry-making and leather. After the museum tour, we were treated to the town’s famous kakanin: Tamales, empanada kaliskis and putong bakla (“because you will never know what’s inside” said our guide).
Obando church museum
Our final stop was the town of Obando. The town was once known as a barrio called Catanghalan and was once part of the municipality of Meycauayan. In 1753, the town was created and was named after the Governor General at the time, Francisco Jose de Obando. The church, which was founded by the Franciscan Order actually has three patron saints, namely: St. Pascual Baylon, St. Claire of Assisi and Nuestra Senora de la Inmaculada Conception de Salambao. Every May, parishioners and devotees perform the Obando Dance or more popularly known as the fertility dance, inside the church, and followed by a street procession.
Our guide at the Obando’s Museo de la Parrochia explained that what is known as a fertility dance is actually a “Sayaw ng Panalangin” or “Dance of Prayers” where devotees request to Santa Clara not just for a child but for good health, long life and success. Its origin, however, was the fertility rites done in honor of Lakapati, the Tagalog fertility deity, and Bathala, the supreme deity of the Tagalog people. When the Spaniards arrived, they introduced Christianity by substituting Christian saints for these deities. Santa Clara, known for her intercessions for good weather through egg offerings, was made to take the role of preventing and curing fertility.
A group called Salambao dancers taught us the five basic steps of the Obando Dance. First step is clasping of hands with thumbs pointed upward toward the heart and praying, “Lord, we believe that you will give us a child.” Second step is for healing, and third step, women dancers move their palms clockwise as if massaging their abdomen and praying, “Lord, please give us a child.” The fourth step is when couples join hands to show unity and love. The last is when couples sway their hands together in thanksgiving.
We joined the dancers inside the church and were told to follow them as they dance the fertility dance in front of Santa Clara. Each started to spread out and find their place in front of the altar. I was left in the middle with no choice but to do the same. The Santa Clara music played and we all moved in unison performing the five steps of the “Sayaw ng Panalangin.”
I realized that heritage preservation is not just for tangible objects but also for rites and traditions like the fertility dance that has evolved from the dance for the Tagalog deities.
(The author is a senior who recently retired. His taste for adventure has not kept him from travelling, usually via not-so-usual routes.)