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The Cabangahan Jugglers posed in front of Arcaf's, the local general store. |
Page 26 March 1983
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A
Philippine Juggling Adventure By
Dave Finnigan, IJA Education Director
"Everything
arrives suddenly in Cabangahan, Philippines, and we are no
exception. We roar into town on a barreling Ceres, a local bus
that redistributes produce, livestock, building materials and
people around the island of Negros. Cries of joy and surprise greet
us as. we descend the steps and a host of relatives surrounds our
little family in a babbling, tearful reunion.
It
is the typhoon season and Cabangahan faces the Sulu Sea and
Zamboanga, a breeding ground for heavy storms. The rain arrives even
more suddenly than the local bus and we dash inside Arcafs Botica, a
tin-roofed, cinder block building that serves as a store, community
hall and home for the Arellano and Catino clans. The rain drums on
the roof like a horde of jugglers bouncing seven balls each. Since
conversation is impossible, we unpack the juggling equipment and
play.
Although
30 of us are jammed into two small rooms, there is space to juggle.
Shyly at first, and then with increasing courage, family and
neighborhood kids show us how they've progressed in the two years
since our last visit.
Botoy,
a natural clown, has learned to do five bean bags in three different
ways. Joycey, with hands like bamboo bird traps, feeds clubs to
Irene, Josephina, Andat, Regina and Lucena.
Freding,
Evelyn, Seria and Vicky pass rings in a box and everyone
participates in a super feed with Emmy.
Almost
every kid in the village can juggle now, we are told, and it has
become the town sport. On many cool evenings the church yard
Notwithstanding
the ceaseless rain, our two week visit passes quickly. We hold
rigorous auditions and head back to Manila with a team of ten of the
very best jugglers. The boat ride from Dumaguete is two days of
agony. playing tag
with a typhoon named Noring. The carabao and pigs jammed in the hold
add spice to the journey. Oh well, as they say in Korea - "a
bad smell is better than no smell at all. "
Our
first engagement in Manila is on the most popular nationwide TV show
for youngsters, "Student Canteen." The team has worked hard
to combine native music and costumes with juggling. The girls enter to
the familiar strains of the "tinikling," carrying baskets of
juggling equipment. They juggle bean bags, rings and clubs in turn in
a synchronized dance, while Botoy clowns around, juggling three straw
hats and balancing a peacock feather on his nose.
For
a bunch of village kids who have never seen TV, it is quite a thrill
to be a hit. We go out for a late lunch and introduce them to another
pleasure of the big city - Shakey's Pizza.
The
last two days of our visit are spent at the Manila International
School, where we teach
They
are working on plans for a college tour in the Philippines and an
exhibition and teaching tour of Asia. Don't be a bit surprised if, at
some future IJA convention. you see a colorful and smiling team of
Filipinos juggling and dancing to the rhythmic "tinikling. |
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The Cabangahan Jugglers posed in front of Arcaf's, the local general store. |
