The Barrio Fiesta

January 9, 1987; it was almost five o’ clock in the afternoon when Ricky and

his mother arrived at the train station in Tutuban. They are boarding the train going

to Iriga City for a barrio fiesta that will be three days from that day. The train left the

station at exactly five thirty that afternoon. Ricky enjoyed the view from the window

where he sat inside the train car. What he is seeing is new to him since it was his

first time to travel and he has spent most of his childhood seeing cars, tall buildings,

and shopping centers in Manila. He was just turning six years old that year and by

June, he would be going to school when the school year begins. After an hour it

began to turn dark since it was already night time and the buildings and houses that

he saw before turned into vast meadows, grasslands, and coconut trees. They were

already at Batangas that time and Ricky could only see a few houses that were

lighted by fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. He became bored since there were

nothing much to see outside except for the shadows of the trees that can be seen

from the window.

A few minutes passed and then some vendors on the train began calling out,

“Kanin! Ulam! Gulay!” His mother asked him if he was hungry since it was already

past seven. He nodded and they ate the packed food for dinner that was contained

in a large Tupperware. It was rice and fried pork and tilapia. They ate dinner and

afterwards he began to feel sleepy so his mother let him lay down on the long seat

while his head is on his mother’s lap as a pillow. Ricky fell asleep while being lulled

by the swaying and rocking of the train car and chattering of other passengers

talking to each other.

 It was past six in the morning when Ricky woke up. The train was

momentarily stopped in a train station in Pili and he could hear vendors and other

passengers that were still boarding the train. He asked his mother, “Are we there

yet mama?” His mother answered him in a soft voice, “We are still a bit far but we

are almost there.” The train moved again and Ricky once again enjoyed the

scenery outside as they continued the trip. The train arrived at Iriga after almost

two hours. After coming down the train, Ricky and his mother went past the town

market and rode a jeepney going to Sto. Niño. Finally they arrived at his

grandfather’s house. He took his grandparent’s’ hands and brought them to his

forehead as a gesture of respect. He did the same when he saw two of his aunts

that were present that time.

Soon after their arrival, his grandparents’ house was filled with their other

relatives after they heard that they have arrived. It was a common thing for barrio

folks then that whenever someone from another place especially from Manila

arrives that relatives would gather at the house where they are and greet one

another and oftentimes, eat lunch together. One of Ricky’s uncles, Teodoro came

in with a large carp that was freshly caught that morning. They prepared it and

cooked it into a hearty soup which they ate altogether for lunch. After having their

lunch they went in into one of the rooms to rest their bodies from the long trip.

When Ricky woke up that afternoon, he immediately went to the kitchen after

smelling the sweet aroma of the newly boiled corn for merienda. He was so happy

to be awakened with such a nice smell coming from the boiled corn. A few minutes

later, his cousins just came in from school. Most of his cousins are older than him
so they are already going to school. “Ricky!” they exclaimed almost at the same

time. “Now, now. Have some corn that your aunt Lita boiled.” their grandmother,

Amay Puring told the children. Ricky’s cousins asked him how he is doing and told

him to tell them stories about Manila while they ate corn.

“Hey Ricky, since it is Saturday tomorrow come with us at the iraya (east

river side). We will be harvesting some cassava tubers to be prepared as suman

for the fiesta on Sunday.” Artem, one of his cousins said to him.

“I will ask mama first. If she will give me consent, I will come with you.”

Ricky answered.

“Uncle Nonoy will also be going with us so your mama will give you consent

for sure.” Says his cousin Erwin.

The next morning Ricky and his cousins along with their uncle Nonoy

marched to iraya and stopped at an area that is covered with cassava plants. His

uncle along with some older cousins pulled out some tubers from the ground and

put them inside the sacks that they have brought with them. Some of his cousins

took the young leaves of the cassava plant and put them in a plastic bag.

“What are you going to do with those leaves?” Ricky asked Erwin.

“Aunty Lita told me to get the young leaves to be cooked for lunch. They will

cook it in coconut milk with fish that was cooked above coals.” His cousin

answered.
 After getting some cassava tubers, his uncle Nonoy took a very long bamboo

pole with a hook shaped blade on one of its end and raised it beside one of the

coconut trees. His uncle then aimed for a bunch of coconut fruits and pulled the

pole downwards. The coconuts fell and came with a sounding thud when it hit the

ground. His uncle then took his bolo and started chopping the husk and opened

holes on the coconuts.

“Come now and drink some fresh coconut juice!” Uncle Nonoy called.

The children hurried and drank the juice straight from the fruit and then ate

the young coconut meat. After that they all headed home. As they approached

their grandparent’s house, they can hear the squealing of the pig and saw his

uncles and a few elder male neighbours holding down the large pig as one of his

uncles thrust a long knife at the pig’s neck. A neighbour hurried with a pail and put

it near the pig’s neck to catch the blood that flowed from it.

“We arrived just in time to see it!” Ronald said happily.

“Why did they do that to the pig?” Ricky asked.

“So that we can have meat tomorrow for the fiesta.” Artem answered

explaining to Ricky.

After having lunch, Ricky’s aunts together with some elder female cousins

peeled the cassava tubers and grated them to be made into suman, cassava rolls,

and cassava tortillas which was locally called rock n’ roll. Ricky and his other

younger cousins just watched while everyone else was busy preparing for the barrio
fiesta. While the women were preparing sweets and pickles, the men were busy

cleaning, cutting, and chopping the pig’s meat to be cooked into various meat

dishes. Everyone was really busy preparing for tomorrow’s event.

That night, Ricky could hear the loud music coming from afar and upon

looking up the skies in one direction, he can see colourful lights flashing. When he

asked his mother about what it is, she told him that it is coming from the baylehan or

the dance where teenagers and some adults go to dance with their friends and

meet new acquaintances.

“Can I also go there mama?” Ricky asked.

“Ha, ha, ha. When you grow older you may. But for now, just go and play

with your cousins.” Ricky’s mother answered laughingly.

Morning came and it was the big event. There were a lot of people coming

out of nowhere greeting one another and telling stories as they ate. Men can be

seen under the trees around a table and drinking some local liquor while little

children sneak in from behind and took the empty bottles of liquor to be sold

cheaply at sari-sari stores. Everyone was happy. Food was plentiful and stories

seem never ending. Indeed, the barrio fiesta is one of the most awaited events in

the provinces. It is one of the happiest events next to Christmas and New Year’s

Eve.