Fiestas

Filipinos are very much notorious for their hospitality trait. This is greatly manifested in fiestas. We celebrate this specific occasion in honor of a patron saint.

Our practise? Pakannen tayo amin nga tao. No matter how dire straits our lives were, adda latta baboy , manok wenno kalding nga ipatumba ken isaganna. This was the best time of the year to go home and visit. Aggawit tayo itti bisita nga aggapo Manila. We showed our wares and we gave these visitors our warmest welcome.
Nangabak metten idiay kandidata for Ms. Agno. Her long gown has been prepared together with her expected change of costumes. The basketball teams have all been sponsored and their uniforms distributed.

The enterprising natives have already set up their halo-halo stands. You can get a glass full of halo-halo for 25 centavos then. No am-am-mum daydiay aglak-lako mabalin nga panayunan ti pinipig wenno sago. Nobody cared that the jeeps were distributing the dust into the halo-halo since the roads were without cement let alone asphalt.
The plaza has been decorated with strings of lights. Iddi awan pay ti electricity, generators were used to light up the plaza. The wooden seats from the high school have all been arranged and specifically assigned to "boxes". You see, these boxes i.e. group of seats were sold ta idiay magsitugaw amin nga makibai-le no rabi-i. There were still no concrete seats to use. And so.. let the party begin!!
Nabi-it nga naibos diay lako nga pamada ta ado nga baro itti im-may gim-matang. The ladies were all dressed in their finest and the high heeled shoes have all been polished.
I remembered the RayMasters' Band - I think this was Agno's favorite. Mangrugi itti tugtug ket panay balse met itti tukaren da. Mangrugi idiay amyanan agginggana abagattan ket agtiwir-tiwir dagiti lallakay ken babbaket nga agbalse. I enjoyed watching them executing the waltz especially the twirls. I remember Tiyo Gudo Pecson. He was a family friend - naka-Americana pay. Isala na amin nga balasang ket nalaing met ni Tiyo Gudo nga agsala.
Below is a picture of one of the Fiestas. The lady was Auntie Becca Espanol with my Papa. She was a good dancer so was my father. Auntie Becca, according to the stories, was also a student of Uncle Mente. She came to class one time unprepared. She was castigated by Uncle Mente - " Sika Rebecca all you know was to dance".
Anyway, the music must have been "Fernando's Hideaway" since tango was my Papa's forte. Next stop - The Coronation Of Miss Agno.