LEADING the contingent of dancers of the Lumad Basakanon is 35-year-old Maria Rose Jane Arreza.
For 13 straight years, she’s been the lead female dancer given the task of holding high the image of Sto. Nino during the entire presentation.
“Devotion gyud nako si Sto. Nino. As long as okay pa ang health ug makaya pa, mosayaw ko para niya and para sa mga taw (I really have a devotion for the Sto. Nino. As long as my health is fine and I can still do it, I will dance for Him and for the people),” she told CDN.
Arreza is a high school teacher handling MAPEH – music, arts, PE, health – at the University of Cebu.
She was in fourth year high school when she joined the Lumad Basakanon in 1997.
A few days before the Sinulog parade in 20014, she was pulled out by choreographers and told she would be the lead dancer.
In her growing years, Arreza said she’s been molded as a person by the discipline she learned from being a part of the group which she considers as family.
“Nakita nako nga gitagaan ko ug importansya as a member. It’s really a fulfillment for me labi na ug madaog mi. Kami gyud tanan nagtabang, labi na with the guidance of Sto. Niño.
(I was given importance as a member. It’s really a fulfillment for me especially when we win. Everyone is really helping each other, especially with the guidance of the Sto. Nino). We believe we are nothing without him. Everything we do, we lift it up to him,” she said.