Dances for Buwan Ng Wika

Forgot to put these photos up last week. Holy Cross High School had their Buwan ng Wika cultural show on Friday afternoon, August 26, and the kids were made to wear "Filipino costumes" in the morning. Both kids went in camisa chinos, rolled up maong pants and slippers. The only difference was that Louie wore a huge sundang in a sakuban strapped to his waist and was the center of attention (No,there was no knife. Just a real handle glued to a real holder/scabbard/thingy, but it looks so much like the real thing the guards and teachers repeatedly checked it). Last year, it was Jordi's turn but this year he decided he didn't want the attention. He could've gone as an Igorot warrior or something, but he said, "I can't go to school naked!" :-) (Sigh, I remember the time I sent a very game Patrick to school looking like a fisherman complete with fish trap and a paddle. Would've thrown in the banca if he could carry it. He says he remembers the fun we had, too.)

For the show, Louie couldn't wear this barong tagalog without the long-sleeved undershirt. "It's too itchy! How can I dance?" It looks good, doesn't it? Wearing a barong any other way, unless you're a minor, should be made a crime :-) That's his classmate and friend Ari. Ok, Ari's parents are both tall.

Louie told me to come watch the show "because I have a surprise for you!" This was his surprise: a pretty dance in pretty clothes. His teacher told me he quickly memorized the steps and it showed. He was so confident up there, but I think the thing that made it really special for him were the clothes. Coming up to me after his dance he asked, "Wasn't that a nice surprise, Mama?" Of course, it was perfect.

Jordi, who's always the leader at home, always seems to be shy at school and it shows in the way he smiles... He also picked up the steps of this dance very quickly and had the best-looking smile up there, shy or not. Well, only a few of them were smiling; most kids were too busy counting steps :-) I hope next year he gets to wear a barong, too. I believe it does wonders for self-confidence. Maybe I shouldn't wait for next year!

While watching the show, I was wondering about things that people seem to have taken for granted. For example, why does the sound at these shows always have to be so loud? Don't the school authorities care that loud sounds can damage young (and old) ears? Also, who monitors what the children are presenting on stage? Why do these shows always feature, in some skit, screaming homosexuals or effeminate cross-dressers? And who monitors the messages these skits put across? Like the one where an "ugly hunchbacked" girl makes a wish upon a magic mirror and ends up making everybody around her ugly and hunchbacked. Why allow such a negative message? I wish somebody would explain those things to me because I'm this close to joining the PTA again :-) Somebody STOP me!