The Spanish Colonial Tradition in Philippine Theater

THE SPANISH COLONIAL TRADITION IN PHILIPPINE THEATER The Spanish colonial period lasted from 1565, when Legaspi arrived in Cebu, to 1898, when Aguinaldo declared Philippine Independence in Kawit, Cavite. During this 333-year reign, the Spanish government introduced into the islands the Catholic religion and the Spanish way of life, which gradually merged with the indigenous culture to form the “lowland folk culture” now shared by the major ethnolinguistic groups, like the Ilocano, lbanag, Pangasinan, Pampango, Tagalog, Bicol, Ilongo, Aklanon, Kinaray-a, Cebuano, Lineyte Samarnon, and Cuyunon. Today, the dramatic forms introduced or influenced by Spain continue to live in rural areas all over the archipelago. These forms include the komedya, the playlets, the sinakulo, the sarswela, and the drama. In recent years, some of these forms have been revitalized to make them more responsive to the conditions and needs of a developing nation. The Komedya Descended from the Spanish comedia (play) of the 16th century, the local komedya first appeared in Latin and Spanish in Cebu in 1598. In 1609, the komedya on the martyrdom of Santa Barbara, the first in a native language, facilitated the conversion of the Boholanos to Christianity. Later, in 1637, a famous komedya depicted the defeat of Corralat at the hands of Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera. In the 18th century, the komedya depicting conflicts in distant medieval European kingdoms began to be staged. By the 19th century, the komedya had become an institution in Manila theaters, and soon after became popular fiesta fare—in Pampanga by the 1830s, in the Ilocos by the 1850s, in Bicol by the 1860s, and in Iloilo and Cebu towards the end of the 19th century. In spite of the attacks on the komedya and the rise of the sarswela in the 1900s and bodabil in the 1920s, the komedya still attracted rural audiences until after World War II. Today, the mass media, especially film, has effectively eliminated many traditional drama forms, but the komedya survives in a few towns all over the islands. The komedya is a play written in verse (usually octosyllabic or dodecasyllabic quatrains), which uses conventions of the marcha for exits and entrances, batalla or choreographed fighting, and magia or magical effects. At present, the komedya may be divided into two principal types. The first, which may be called komedya de santo, centers on the lives of patron saints, like the Comedia de San Miguel (Play of San Miguel) of Iligan City; or on the miracles wrought by these saints, like the Haybing of Taal, Batangas; or on certain episodes in the life of a saint or of Christ, like the comedia de misterio of Paete, Laguna. The second and more secular type of komedya, also known as kumidya, moro-moro, linambay, coloquio, araquio, tibag, and minoros, may highlight: the epic battles between Christian kingdoms in medieval Europe, e.g., Francia, España, Italia, Alemania, Albania, and the Moorish kingdoms of the Middle East, e.g., Turquia, Persia, Arabia, as seen in Doce Pares de Francia (Twelve Peers of France); or the lives and loves of noble Christian or Muslim characters, like Don Alejandre y Don Luis (Don Alejandro and Don Luis) and Orosman at Zafira (Orosman and Zafira), respectively. The komedya de santo may derive its stories from the awit and korido (metrical romances) narrating the lives of saints, or from the hagiographies popularized by books or sermons, or from the stories of miracles attributed to certain saints. The other komedya, on the other hand, draws most of its stories, characters, and even lines from the awit and korido set in medieval kingdoms, which were published as libritos (pamphlets) and sold together with prayer books outside Catholic churches on Sundays. In the decades after World War II, the komedya began to be influenced as well by the movies and popular magazines. An example of the secular komedya is Biag ni Prinsipe Constantino (Life of Prince Constantine) by Lorenza Pre of Santa Catalina, Ilocos, Sur. Written circa 1990, the komedya follows a traditional plot. A battle is fought between the Christians of Granada and the Moors of Amorabia. The Christians lose, the king dies and in the confusion that follows, the king’s children, Princess Proserfina and Prince Constantino, are separated. Similarly, the Moorish Emperador’s son disappears. To counter the influence of the Moors, the Christians plot to put up a leader of their own, Miguel. The Moors and Christians continue to be at odds. Meanwhile, the Christian King who is getting older, wants his daughter Florencia to find a suitable husband. A torneo (tournament) is called, and princes from far away come to try their luck, including Prince Constantino, Princess Proserfina in male disguise, and the missing Muslim Prince. Prince Constantino wins the torneo and the hand of Florencia. After the reunion of Prince Constantino and Princess Proserfina, Constantino and Florencia are married and the king passes on the crown of Granada to them. The Muslim Emperador and his son are also reunited, and in their happiness are convinced to embrace the Christian faith. Supported by the community, the komedya is usually presented for two or three days to celebrate the feasts of barrio patron saints. On an elevated platform dominated by a set representing a two- or three-level European castle, the cast, composed mostly of barrio youths who participate in fulfillment of personal religious vows, declaims the verses and acts out the scenes of love, battle, and royal counsel, clad in colorful costumes that reveal each character’s religion (dark colors for Christians, red for Moors) and position in the political hierarchy (crowns for kings and queens, three-pointed hats for princes, etc.). Trained for months by a director (director), who often doubles as the apuntador (prompter), these personahe (cast) do rega marcha (slow marches) and crisp paso doble (double-step marches) and dance out their fights to the accompaniment of a brass band. As in previous centuries, the traditional komedya still propounds the belief that all Christians, by virtue of their baptism, are superior to Moors; that Europeans are a race superior to all others because the Christians are European; that authority is hierarchical, with the king dominating—in descending order—princes, generals, soldiers, and peasants; that authority must be followed at all costs; and that obedience, humility, perseverance, and suffering are the hallmarks of a good Christian subject. The Playlets From the colonial regime to the present century, the teachings of the Spanish Catholic Church—specifically, the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ and of the Catholic saints and the superiority of Catholicism over all other faiths—have been taught the Filipino Catholic laity not only from the book and the pulpit but also from the stage and the street. Revolving around the important seasons of Christmas and Lent, as well as the feasts of barrio or town patron saints, the religious playlets either embroider on the basic, traditional rituals prescribed by the Roman liturgy or create new dialogue and/or music to dramatize an episode in the life of Christ or a saint. Of the Christmas plays, the most famous are the Tagalog panunuluyan (seeking entry) or pananawagan (calling out) and the Bicol kagharong (going from house to house), both of which reenact the search for an inn by Mary and Joseph on the first Christmas eve. In Kawit, Cavite where the panunuluyan is known as the maytinis, a young man and a young woman, dressed as Joseph and Mary respectively, sing their plea to the owners of about five houses—to no avail. A procession of about 13 floats depicts characters from the Old Testament, like Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, David, Esther, and Judith; events from the New Testament, like the Annunciation and Visitation; and an allegory of Mother Philippines. Before midnight, the procession winds up in church. At the “Gloria” of the midnight mass, the birth of Jesus in a cave is heralded by the songs of little girls dressed as angels. Another Christmas play is the pastores (shepherds). In Bicol towns, pastores refers to a group of young men and women costumed as shepherds, who dance and sing Christmas carols in Bicol and Spanish in front of different houses. In Cebu and Leyte, the pastores is a short play depicting the journey of the shepherds to Bethlehem. In Tolosa, Leyte, the pastores features young shepherdesses with full skirts and wide-brimmed hats. Going from house to house, they sing Christmas songs in their native Waray and dance as they search for the Infant Jesus. On their way, the devil tries to block them. They debate in verse with the devil until he goes away. They then proceed on their journey until they find and adore the newly born Messiah. The rarest of the Christmas playlets is that of the tatlong hari (Three Kings), which is found only in Gasan, Marinduque. Here, the “kings” parade on horses following a star on a bamboo pole, then end up in front of a stage which depicts Herod’s palace. They ask Herod about the baby boy of Bethlehem. The kings depart, find the Infant Jesus, but fail to return. Herod is livid with anger and sends his soldiers to kill all babies below two years of age. The play ends with Herod going mad and—until a few years ago—destroying the whole set. In Floridablanca, Pampanga, the tatlong hari is not a play but a procession featuring three men dressed as Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar. In Mabitac, Laguna, the kings are played by three boys, who ride on horses from the church to the munisipyo (town hall).

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