Written by: Gaea Morales, 12
Photograph taken from: underside.wordpress.com
Once a year, the often starless, Philippine night sky is illuminated by an orange glow. However, this phenomenon is caused not by enthusiastic pyrotechnicians neither on New Year’s nor Christmas Eve, but by thousands of candle-bearing Filipinos on one of the most sacred days on the Catholic calendar – All Saint’s Day, known in Tagalog as Undas.
Contrary to popular belief, while the 1st of November is primarily a day dedicated to paying respects to, and remembering lost, loved ones, the general feel parallels that of what becomes the night sky. In several areas in the Philippines, provinces especially, the mood is festive. People are focused on celebrating the lives of those who have passed on, and recollecting fun and entertaining memories that often involves crazy antics or direct quotes from people present, or otherwise. The reason for this festivity is that in the Philippines the event becomes a lot like a family reunion of sorts, as people from far corners of the country and the world travel several hours on plane, car, bus, boat, jeepney or tricycle, by land, sea or air, to reach various cemeteries. And as grim as it may appear, the day of mourning is brightened by tables of homemade food and store-bought pasalubongs ranging from bags of peanuts, to pork barbeque on sticks and bilaos of pansit.
Some may not have the stomach to eat in a cemetery knowing what lies under the ground, and may see the whole practice as disrespectful, but to many Filipinos, eating in cemetaries stands in a long line of tradition, as people often spend the entire day by the graves. As a matter of fact, when in the cemetery on November 1, it is not uncommon to pass by pitched tents, because some people come from far-flung places, and cannot afford the price and the inconvenience of renting a room in a nearby motel. This is an incredible show of sacrifice and love, because not all cemeteries benefit from wide spaces, clear walkways, or essential amenities such as bathrooms, or even road lights. The cemeteries are uncomfortably crowded, the passageways and routes congested with people walking every which way, and kids are always running around, scrambling to sell bags of bits of candle wax that have dripped off those brought by the cemetery-goers. It is often loud, the night air filled with laughter and chanting, or announcements against pickpockets blared over megaphones. Some will spend the night in the cemetery, but most will not leave until an hour or so before midnight, especially if those people live nearby.
That said, people do not come for the food, nor the lively mood. If anything, the day is holy, and praying for the departed is of primary importance. You encounter a lot of people on this day, walking briskly to their family members’ graves, or sitting idly by them, enduring the Philippine heat with makeshift fans. One of the most unique qualities of All Saints Day in the Philippines is the range of life in our country, as mothers carry babies in their arms and elders stroll with with walking sticks. Rich or poor, young or old, everyone is on the same level as they brave the crowds of people in the cemeteries. In this environment, everyone has suffered loss, and everyone has grown to overcome it. All Saints Day is perhaps one of the most beautiful and unacknowledged shows of Philippine unity.
