The Bicol Dotoc: Performance, Postcoloniality, and Pilgrimage
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The Bicol Dotoc: Performance, Postcoloniality, and Pilgrimage Jazmin Badong Llana Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies Aberystwyth University September 2009 This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Aberystwyth University. Acknowledgements Most Filipinos know at least one proverb which they try to live their lives by and I believe it is this: ‘Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan’ (one who does not look back to where s/he has come from will not reach her/his desired destination). The underlying idea is the very same one present in concepts of relatedness or reciprocal relations that I discuss in this thesis. And how fitting for my purposes here, since the image is that of a journey. One must look back, however hard or painful it becomes sometimes. But the wisdom of the saying is its reversal of a particular looking back that turned the looker into stone (the story of Lot’s wife in the Bible). Here one looks back so that he/she might realize the goal of the journey (it is empowering and not petrifying!). One looks back with gratitude. It is therefore with deep gratitude that I acknowledge debts and gifts that can never be repaid by any kind of labour or good intention. I will forever cherish the many contributions to this work. I thank, first of all, my supervisors Richard Gough and Adrian Kear whose insights and critical attention to my work have shaped this thesis in entirely positive ways. I always came away from supervisory meetings energized and brimming with ideas, and comforted by their care and support. Mikel Koven supervised the first stages of this project leading to the field work and provided great encouragement, challenge and advice on ethnography. I came to the U.K. to study through the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program and this is a gift I will forever cherish. Administrative support was provided by the British Council and IFP-Philippines. Thanks to Luisa Fernan, Criselda Doble, the staff of IFP-Philippines and to their counterparts in the Institute for International Education in New York as well as to the Philippine Social Science Center that has made my study abroad possible. Special thanks to Dr. Virginia Miralao, Manny Diaz, and Danny Reyes, to the IFP selection committee, academic advisory panel, and pre-academic training team and resource speakers. The thesis grew out of my MA research at the University of the Philippines and for this I thank Amiel Leonardia, Tony Mabesa, the late Rogelio Juliano, Elena Rivera Mirano, and Apolonio Chua, who advised or read and critiqued my work. Sir Amiel and Sir Tony wrote reference letters for me, as did Judy Ick, Jina Andaya, Sr. Patria Painaga, OP, Christi Muñoz, and Fr. Mon Mendez, OP. Some parts of the thesis were first written as conference papers and I am grateful for the funding provided by the IFP Professional Enhancement Fund and the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies of Aberystwyth University. I also thank the University of Helsinki and Hanna Korsberg for the Helsinki Prize 2008 of the International Federation for Theatre Research that afforded me the trip to Seoul, Korea. Thanks as well to Patrick Alcedo, Hendrik Maier, and Sally Ann Ness for my participation in the SEATRiP conference in i California in 2007; to Jojo Buenconsejo, Cecilia de la Paz, and Jerry Respeto, my co-panelists in the 8th International Philippine Studies Conference; and to Dean Virgilio Almario and the organizers of Komedya Fiesta 2008, Belen Calingacion and Riya Lopez. I also benefited from encouragement or feedback and input from new friends I met in various conferences: Paul Rae, Jacqueline Lo, Helen Gilbert, William Peterson, Ric Trimillos, Gay Morris, Esteban Villaruz, Marian Roces, Julius Bautista, Kathy Nadeau, Anril Tiatco, and Victor Emeljanow and the Popular Entertainments working group of the IFTR. I also thank Karoline Gritzner and David Ian Rabey who read some initial submissions; Ceris Medhurst-Jones, Daniel Meyer-Dinkgrafe, Martin Barker, and Mike Pearson for their encouragement and support over the three years of the PhD; Heike Roms and Karoline Gritzner for trusting me to help out in their conferences; Sabine Sörgel and Andrew Filmer for their encouragement; and the staff of the Centre for Performance Research, especially Dominika Komaniecka, Siu-Lin Rawlinson, and Cathy Piquemal for their assistance. Russ Hunter and Pamela Atzori became my first friends in Aber and later on Esther Pilkington and Daniel Ladnar of Showroom Aberystwyth, and Arseli Dokumaci. They have become like my own family in Aberystwyth. I also thank other members of Showroom: Richard Allen, Kasia Coleman, Gareth Llŷr, and Louise Ritchie. Thanks as well to Julie Durcan, Martha Truscott and Nick Brown, Alex Yang, Ela Kruger, and Paddy and Sue O’Brien. Through the course of the field work and indeed the whole study, I was hosted and welcomed by kin and friends: Jun Gines in Riverside; Nathaniel and Jon Llana and their mother Chita in Los Angeles; Thelma, Dan, and Rachel LeMarble, Cindy and Mike Green in Raleigh; Edith and Jun Mirasol in Manila; Elmer and Neri Llana in Subic; Ringo and Janet Badilla in Naga; Rosalie and Jun Requintina in Canaman. In London, there’s Becca, Charisse Fradejas, and Faith. In Nottingham there is Riza Abilgos- Ramos. In Oxford is Analyn Salvador-Amores; in Manchester, Resty Abella, and elsewhere in the U.K. I am fortunate to have known other IFP fellows from the Philippines and the rest of Asia, Africa, Latin America and Russia, thanks to Mary Zurbuchen (IFP-Asia) and James O’Hara of the British Council. Linda Hall, Sue Duxbury, and Victoria Mackenzie welcomed me to Wales in 2006 and linked me with other British Council fellows. Fellows from Cohort 2005 became my precious companions and friends, all of us homesick but comforting each other via yahoo messenger, especially Frank Peñones, Ikin Salvador, Trixie Clemente, Miko Cañares, Rebecca Corral, and Gremil Naz. Thanks are due also to Doods Santos, Kristian Cordero, Gode Calleja, and Jenifer Belarmino. I thank the staff of the various libraries I visited: the University of the Philippines Main Library, the Ateneo de Manila University's Rizal Library; Ateneo de Naga University Library, the Aquinas University Library, Mary Mother of Salvation Major Seminary, Baao Municipal Library, Nabua Municipal Library, Albay Provincial Library, the Philippine National Library, and Philippine National Archives. Also, the Institute of Women’s Studies of St. Scholastica’s College Manila, University of Nueva Caceres Museum, the Lopez Museum, Filipinas Heritage Library, Aberystwyth University’s Hugh Owen and Old College Libraries, the Centre for Performance Research Resource Centre, and the National Library of Wales. ii My home institution, Aquinas University of Legazpi, allowed me to take the study leave and I thank them for their trust and support: the rector Fr. Ramonclaro G. Mendez, OP; Fr. Robie Reyes, OP, Walter Jalgalado and other colleagues in the division of culture; colleagues and friends Emerson Aquende, Mike Navarro, Amparo Binamira, Rose Barquez, Christie Muñoz, Susan and Ying Bobadilla, Pete Bernaldez, Letty Roque, Salve Fernandez, Raffi Banzuela and other members of the AQ community; the staff of the Centre for Culture and the Arts: Malou Berzamina and Che Lominario, Sarah Aviado, Arnel Espineda, and Ramon Manjares, as well as our student artists and student assistants, especially Jenica Adea and Richard Sales. For her encouragement, I also thank Merlinda Bobis who will always be part of the AQ community. I am in great debt to the Filipino scholars and Philippinists cited in the thesis whose works have provided the guiding trails for my own journey. Reinhard Wendt, Danny Gerona, Elsa Mampo, and July Mendoza provided me with materials for the thesis. And for the field work, what follows is a very tentative list. In Baao: Felicidad Baracena, Soledad Brabante, Gloria Bricia, Providencia Benosa, Lily Fajardo, David Esplana, Fr. Jorge Tirao, Salvador Babol, Narsi Brigola, Cesar and Hilda Bismonte; Eugenio Baudin and the paradotoc of San Juan; Precy Badong and the community of Centro in Buluang; Mrs. Brecinio and the paradotoc of Buluang; Eden Bayrante, the Baesa family, and the paradotoc of San Nicolas; Narsi Brigola and the Imperial family; and many others too many to name. In Bigaa: Arlene and Sam Aguilar, Beth Borja, Soledad Apuli, and Pilar Artiaga. In Canaman: Theresa Roy, Aurora Lara, Walter Pante, Rechilda Pante, Tess Pante, Tecla Fortaleza, Nelia Nolasco, and Abstenencia Coz. In Nabua: Fe Amparado, Mr. & Mrs. David Solano, and Msgr. Pan. Arnel Espineda, Carlo Garcia, Leo Ganace, and Gideon Peña assisted with the camera work. My sisters and brothers: Janet and Ringo Badilla, Joy and Ding Clutario, Judy and Abet Vergel de Dios became my companions on the field work, assisting with the camera or the voice recorder, and joining in the conversations. Even our children Niqui, Mikee, Judo, Mico, Buboy, and Ances accompanied me on some trips. Papa and Mama were important sources of my dotoc stories. My father (Juan Badong) always had contacts for me and one area I visited in Buluang turned out to be full of his relatives and welcomed me warmly. I decided to do this work on the dotoc because of my mother (Lourdes Badong) and Nanay, my grandmother (Rosario Balilla), both paradotoc. Nanay who was my oldest informant died in September 2008, a month before her 94th birthday; we did not plan it, but her funeral fell on the 14th of September, the feast of the exaltation of the Cross. Her memory will live forever in these pages. Most of all there is my own household and Tabontabon family who have persevered with me, especially Fe Mirabuenos and her children who have kept the house running while I’ve been away.