For 76-year-old poet Fred Cañete of Cordova town, Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) is not just about visiting historical landmarks, tasting local delicacies and museum-hopping.
The annual event rekindled his love for Visayan poetry or “balak” and gives him a venue to share it with a ready audience of first-time visitors and repeat patrons.
By reading aloud some of his original works, Cañete said he hopes to show the richness of Cebuano language and impart to his audience his passion for Visayan poetry.
He’s been participating in the Gabii sa Kabilin for four years now.
Born to a family of writers, he contributes some of his work to a Cebuano tabloid newspaper.
A visitor tries to play the “kulintang” oe gongs, traditional musical instruments, at the Jose R. Gullas Museum. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
Beautiful language
“Ang atong Sugbuanong pinulungan nindot gyod na kaayo litokon ug paminawon. Makagool lang usahay kay kadalasan ang mga batan-on karon di hilig og mga balak. Nalipay ko karon nga mapaambit nako unsa kanindot ang bisayang pinulungan (Cebuano, when spoken, is beautiful to hear. I just regret sometimes that the youth often aren’t interested in “balak”. But I’m glad that now I am able to share the beauty of the Visayan language),” he said.
Last Friday evening, Cañete delivered his poem “Duhiraw sa Paghanduraw” to an audience gathered at the Casa Gorordo Museum.
He said the poem tells his own story of how old age has slowed him down in writing the “balak” unlike before when he earned trophies in contests in the Semanang Binisaya (Visayan Week) during the administrations of former governors Lito Osmeña and Pablo Garcia.
A few lines of his poem read thus:
“Kaniadto, nagakos ko ang mga tropeyo nga gisang-at ibabaw sa bangaw.
Nakab-ot ko ang mga sidsid sa panganod nga siniprahan og mga titik,
Sa kabantog ug pasidungog.”
Aside from poetry reading, the crowd that gathered inside Casa Gorordo were entertained by live harp music, and Cebuano composers whose artists performed songs like “Pasayawa ko Day,” as well as a reading of Sugbuanong (Cebuano) drama.
Visitors like the couple Leah and Romeo Pancho, who will celebrate their 5th wedding anniversary this July, consider the Gabii sa Kabilin tour a perfect time to bond.
Despite a brief downpour, buses were crowded with visitors moving from one heritage site to another.
Joy Gerra, executive director for culture and heritage unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) said there were more visitors on Friday night compared to last year.
The Gabii sa Kabilin 2014 which carried the theme, “The Rise of the Queen” kicked off at the Parian Plaza with performances by youth groups, fireworks and fire dances.
In a speech, Felipe de Leon, director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) said the Gabii sa Kabilin serves as a gateway for cultural understanding and a platform for strengthening cultural identity.
Visitors enjoyed local delicacies, dances, storytelling and a Cebuano film screening staged in front of the Cebu City Hall grounds and different exhibits.
A curator of the University of the Southern Philippines – Foundation Rizaliana Museum describes at length the garments and other memorabilia of national hero Jose Rizal. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)