A festival’s reflection
It was a complete package – big stage, lights, legitimate sound system equipment and a smoke machine. The solo artist invited for the night to play his original songs gazed from left to right, yet nobody applauded her performance, except for a few friends who came to see the show. Her set was full of emotions, both from the music she played and the personal feelings that she was not appreciated by the city which raised her to become a better person.
This was the scene for the past nights in the Quezon Park, days before the annual Sandurot Festival of Dumaguete city. For the first time, the tourism office decided to move the festival from November to September. It was designed a month before the province's bigger festival, leaving the fact that there would be no city-organized activity in time to celebrate the feast of the city's patron saint, St. Catherine of Alexandria.
The woman on stage with a guitar drew her strength to keep singing on her passion; the craft kept her going. Yet, at the end is a frustrated artist who became unappreciated in her own hometown. A sad note however is when a big star from the Manila or abroad would plays in small cities, buzz the fever generated may last for months. The show will be the talk of the town and becomes the content in everybody's social media accounts.
The starving artists who studied how to make good music and money are sadly shelved by no less than the people who should have been supporting them. Why do we have this kind of mentality? It is similar to the colonial mentality where imported is always the best and local products are second-class. We are so dazed with labels of objects that do not come from our own soil. It becomes a norm to show-off branded products which are difficult to acquire yet popular in the retail industry and we forget that we have our own versions of it, too.
This kind of mentality has buried the aspirations of our artists and entrepreneurs into the brink of giving up. Because we don't support them, they packed up to look for other opportunities even if it means giving up their craft. It is quite ironic when we tell people to chase after their dreams and passion, but we are not even there to help them build their dream empire.
A festival's reflection could be a minute point for discussion but its impact speaks for all the other artists who have worked hard to develop their skills and talent. When they step on land where they are appreciated, we take the credit for it, claiming that we are "kababayans." Ironic.
Today will be filled with dances celebrating culture of the city where I am currently covering. It doesn't guarantee a large audience and I will be there to witness all the efforts of the schools and barangays, just to give us a good show – a show that will remind us of our distinct past.