The Hermeneutics of the Gozos for Señor Santo Niño De Cebu
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 4, No. 3, August 2016 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Asia Pacific Journal of The Hermeneutics of the Gozos for Señor Multidisciplinary Research Santo Niño de Cebu Vol. 4 No.3, 1-9 August 2016 Jamaal Omamalin1,Jeffrey Gapol2, Kristine Carol Lagala3, P-ISSN 2350-7756 Abaigail Lawas4, Vernale Rangaysiso5, and E-ISSN 2350-8442 Reynaldo B. Inocian6 www.apjmr.com 1-5Social Science State Scholars, College of Teacher Education, Cebu Normal University, Cebu City, Philippines, 6000 6Full Professor IV, Social Sciences Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Cebu Normal University, Cebu City, Philippines, 6000 [email protected],2 [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],[email protected] Date Received: March 30, 2016; Date Revised: April 30, 2016 Abstract - This study unveiled the historical roots and interpretations of the Gozos for Señor Santo Niño de Cebu. It sought to answer these objectives: identify the history and lyrical interpretation of the Batobalani, interpret the Batobalani in the perspective of the church and the devotees, and feature the symbolism of the waving of the hands during the singing of the Batobalani in the perspective of the church and the devotees. This study used the hermeneutics design of the verses of the Gozos of the Santo Niňo. The Gozos was interpreted using content analysis with historical sociological perspectives. This analysis is deepened with devotees’ narratives. The devotees were selected through a convenience sampling, especially those who attended the nine days novena masses. The Batobalani, as manifested in its verses, told the story of Christianity and Christianization of the Cebuanos by the Spanish missionaries–from the discovery of image in 1565 to the integralization of the worship and praise of the Holy Child in the lives of the Cebuano devotees. Further, as interpreted by the Church, the Batobalani signifies the surrendering of the people to God, the admittance of weakness, an invocation of mercy and protection from God. As interpreted by the devotees, the Batobalani signifies praise, offering, gratitude and request, and a manifestation of God’s passion and compassion toward His people. Further, the raising and waving of the hands, according to the Church, signifies the need for God, the expression of joy, the reaching out for God. According to the devotees, the raising and waving of the hands signifies joy, thanksgiving, and a gesture of request. Keywords: Gozos, Batobalani, Santo Niño, Sinulog, interpretation, hermeneutics INTRODUCTION activities through the grace and worship of a certain Culture is one of the social elements that defines corporeal entity, a god or a deity. In religion, there are and justifies the establishment of a civilization or the religious practices-manifestations of the belief– formation of a society. To Damen, culture is a through prayer, observances, holidays, rituals, and potpourri of learned and shared knowledge, rituals, actions. This research intends to study a particular and practices for living [1]. Dungog rejoins that religious practice–a song–among Cebuanos especially culture then is a socially transmitted way of living that during the Sinulog, the Batobalani. includes, but does not limit to, beliefs and norms The Batobalani (magnet in English) is a song within a particular social group from preceding which is sung during the novena (nine days) mass of generations to the next [2]. A more concrete the Sinulog Fiesta–a feast honoring the Holy Child manifestation of culture, particularly within belief, is Jesus in a Hispanicized name of Señor Santo Niño. religion, and religious practices. This song is part of the Gozos (“joy” in Spanish)–a Religion is a social institution which provides collection of religious verses. This song, when sung, individuals their need for spiritual quenching–a source involves the waving of the hands. Though, it is a of safety, assurance, and guidance in their daily common and natural practice among Cebuanos, many 1 P-ISSN 2350-7756 | E-ISSN 2350-8442 | www.apjmr.com Omamalin et al., The Hermeneutics of the Gozos for Señor Santo Niño de Cebu _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ questions and confusions still exist with regard to this particular group or tribe that includes and incorporates song. Despite the high level of education most the positioning of values, knowledge, language, Cebuanos have achieved, in depth knowledge on rituals, habits, lifestyle, attitudes, beliefs, folklore, philosophies, and the use of scientific process to rules and customs [3] and narrates the significance of investigate the truth create a sound and objective a specific locale but is dependent on the availability of judgment, they still are dependent with the powerful materials and works of the past that reveals the celestial being called God, which existentialists call it notable series of events of the human civilization. as a „myth‟. Call it faith among the Catholic devotees, One of the evidences that culture is substantial, whobelieve the existence of the most powerful God; authentic and real is through hermeneutics. To but this becomes a big issue among those who are Smits,hermeneutics is mainly a deep-thinking atheists, who believe that there is no God, responsible discipline that deals with series of questions and for our being and existence; nonetheless, these are provides answers which enables interpretation and dependent with the works of the human mind. Other understanding [4]. Historically, Von Zweckstates that Christian denominations, like the Born Again the roots of using hermeneutics have sprouted in the Christians consider this Catholic faith a pagan ritual– interpretation of Greek classical literature [5]. an act which does not please God.With these issues, Hoffman and Laverty testify that transcribed the Señor Santo Niño devotees continuously increases artifacts, most notably those of religious bearing, can in number as obviously observed during the annual take on a blind and irrational reverence for those fiesta celebration and their unwavering faith remains. without the resources for deconstructing and While attending the nine novena masses, a somewhat reconstructing texts, but the feasibility of psychedelic–a more relaxing feeling of euphoria is bewilderment is not only confined and exclusive to experienced while singing the “Batobalani”, written texts which effect hermeneutics‟ interpretation HisGozos. Thus, to find out such bliss, this study is as critical as to the process of understanding [6] and conducted to explore the hermeneutics of the Gozos‟ [7]. five verses. To Heine and Ramussen, hermeneutics considers This research intends to extract and interpret the itself as an art because it views texts, written texts history and meaning of the Batobalani–its specifically, as a realization of what interpretation implications, its verses, the actions that accompany it– becomes from the increasing difficulty of uncertainty through the perspectives of varied groups of people, through communication [8]and [9]. Unger supports thus, further intending to give light to the questions Ramussen‟s because the process of deciphering and concerning this religious practice and component. The extraction in this area of concern is totally anchored significance of this study may provide solace to the on the presence of facts, needs additional evidences Catholic believers in the Holy Child as a “Prince of and variables related to common media of Peace”, that they may continue to have such enduring communication (i.e. language, writing systems) faith, more than five centuries hence, when their depend, and interconnectedness of certain facts are forefathers embrace Him, as a Divine Son of God. products of controlled or manipulated manifestations For the atheists and the non-Catholics, this study of specific knowledge [10]. Moreover, dwelling into becomes useful in expanding their horizon to religious the art of deciphering and interpretation is just the diversity and tolerance, that conflicts and other forms ostentatious embodiment of the ordinary endeavor of of violence have no place in the world among open- seeking to bring sense out of certain variables that minded people. For educators, this study becomes a people do not understand from the assumptions‟ source of essential values that can be modeled or nature of experience rejoins Smith [11], which Agrey taught in school, a way to challenge the Cebuanos to proves hermeneutics as a result to persistency of strengthen their faith to Señor Santo Niño, regardless searching answers from questions pertaining to its of their socio-economic status, personal identity, meaning [12]. career position, and geographic location. To Urban, culture is really a meta-culture because it consists of the immediate imposition of the Review of Related Studies and Literature alterations of the beliefs of what a particular culture To Stajcic, history defines culture where it incorporates that recognizes the diaspora of culture unlocks and opens the reality of the identity of a across generations and is in constant changes with 2 P-ISSN 2350-7756 | E-ISSN 2350-8442 | www.apjmr.com Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 4, No. 3, August 2016 Omamalin et al., The Hermeneutics of the Gozos for Señor Santo Niño de Cebu _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________