Banton’s Fiesta Celebration of Yesteryears

Fiesta: Its Meanings

Fiesta has been celebrated in our island-town of Banton, Romblon since time immemorial. A much-awaited event of our forebears during their olden times, this was rooted to their lives. They enjoy themselves in their ostentatious display of gaiety and religious piety. That’s it. Fiesta was the early Bantoanons’ spiritual renewals and enhancements.

The fiesta celebration in Banton’s old past were marked with masses, novenas and processions. Other activities were the likewise staged which are nowhere to be witnessed by the present generation. Our Patron Saint Nicholas of Tolentino would take the center stage throughout the duration of the festivities. For truly, he was the essence very reason of the occasion.

A unique tradition of our people, the fiesta celebration in the many years past unfolded the Bantoanons’ flaming love of God and sparkling solidarity. A time for merry makings and reunions among families and friends and primitive Bantoanons took time out from their multifarious tasks and had precious time to pay homage to their venerated saint. In large measure, fiesta of long ago, promoted the island’s pristine peace and crystal clear unity in this beautiful isle of boundless love and spiritual contentment.

Kind of Fiesta Celebration

Yesteryears, Banton’s town fiesta celebrations were simple but colorful, meaningful and joyous. Aside from the tradition biniray which has been done up to these days, there were interesting and memorable activities filled with religious fervor and spiritual significance. Today, they are worthwhile recollecting in this year’s observance of the feast days of Patron Saint Nicholas of Tolentino in our dear town.

Camarero as a Pangako

In those years, the coming of the fiesta was heralded by the holding of a camarero. Sponsored by some parishioners, who were afflicted by some dreadful diseases and had met tragic incidents but miraculously survived with God’s help, the camarero was Bantoanon’s ready answer and faithful compliance with their pangako or panata. A form of thanks giving that was observed with a novena offered to the saint, who would be brought to the sponsor's home and become the object of fervent supplications and constant prayers by the faithful. After the prayer meeting, the camarero sponsor would throw a party wherein the townsfolk were invited. Thereafter the PatronSaint was brought back to the church ready for the celebration of his feast days. In the present decades, seldom there are camareros. Among the seventeen barangays of the municipality which fete their respective patron saints, only Nabalay and Mainit actively maintain this religious activity. Financial difficulties no longer warrant sponsoring the camarero these day. And that is the reality.

The Comedia

A very popular form of entertainment activity of Banton’s fiesta celebrations many years ago was the comedia. A vivid portrayal of the fierce battle between the Christians and the Moros of the ancient times, this was cooperated by both male and female parishioners as their pangako. Some of the participants were couples who had never been blessed with a child. Others were those who were recuperated from their sickness. A few were those who were saved from accidents. They joined the activity heartily consoled by the thought that graces from above would be showered upon them. The famous tutors of the comedias of the past years were Tente Benito Fegalquin and Ex- chief police Damian Featalcorin of that period.

The characters of the comedia were the groups of Christians and Moros, reflective of the long wars between Christianity and Mohamedanism in ancient history. On the Camato-oran of the fiesta celebration, the comediantes, who were Christians in light blue uniforms and Mohamedans or Moro in red attire, would proudly appear as paladins in shining armor with their deadly spears held firmly and fatal bayonets tucked fittingly to their sheaths tightly tied to their hips, and paraded around the town inviting the townspeople to witness their decisive battle at the Tablado. Among the most feared comediantes were the role players of the giant and a lion. In all the religious wars, the Christians were expectedly victorious over the Moros. It was their strong belief that as Christians, God would be always on their favor.

The Sadaw It Komun

Another entertaining activity of Banton’s past fiesta commemorations was the sadaw it komun. A folk dance tendered in honor of the Patron Saint, many of the town’s ladies would join in the practice and presentation of the dance in faithful obedience of their pangako. This was presented to the public a few hours after the fluvial parade had been ended. During the writers boyhood years, always in-charge of the sadaw was the late Catalina Fadriquela with her younger sister, Placida Fetalco as the guia. During the kidimia, vesperas and camato-oran the folk dancers and the comediantes were served free lunches, breakfast and suppers. On those fiesta observances, some heads of cows and carabaos were butchered for their viand.

These years we have no more comedia and sadaw. During the time of the late Natahniel Musico as the presedente de festijo these activities were revived, but no avail. They did not arrest the childrens attention. The people preferably witnessed the exciting thrilling softball and volleyball games for both men and women held at the public square. Thereafter, the comedia and the sadaw were completely buried into oblivion by the succeeding presidente de festijo. And what was left were just memories of the great long past.

The Biniray

One of the highlights of Banton’s pre-war year fiesta celebration was the biniray as it is this year’s. A parade on the Poblacion sea waters every ninth of September; this was well attended by the townsfolk. Several decorated bancas would join the activity with the Patron Saint’s boat carrier leading the parade. The barangay officials during that period who were composed of Teniente del Barrios and Supplementes, would actually take part in the affair. The biniray would accomplish seven trips northward and southward to symbolize the number of times that the Spaniards tried to bring the Saint out of the island but failed due to inclement weather that came when they planned to do so. The famous Fabiala Band would provide the biniray with sweet and beautiful music with deep relevance to the occasion.

While the biniray was going on, the faithful would converge on the seashore waiting for the Patron Saint to come down from the carrier singing gozos. From there the procession to church commenced and would up within such historical edifice.

The Kastillos

The appearance along Banton’s streets of light materials made Kastillos signaled the fast approaching fiesta celebration of ancient days. Those were constructed by the officials of the different barangays comprising the island-municipality. Also, there was the so-called semana de limpieza. That was attended by the tenientes del barrios and supplementes through the popular katipun. And the whole nooks and coigns of the Poblacion were thoroughly made ready and clean for the fiesta celebration. These days, the barangays officials of the whole municipality no longer have the katipun. The municipal officials and employees, teachers, students and pupils, and the Poblacion barangay officials take charge of the green and clean project and beautification of the town.

Sports Competition

Another enjoyable activity of past fiesta celebration of Banton was sports competition. The most popular games in those days were softball and volleyball. The folks would cherish the championship games on softball and volleyball games which were readily won by the Tobago athletes and Mainit Spikers respectively. Basketball game was not yet introduced in Banton during those years.

Fiesta Achievements

The success of the fiesta celebration is not measured by the happiness of the people, the net income from the benefit dances, and the halar collections but by tangible project accomplished. It is a fact that the project which had mushroomed in the premise of the tablado were the monumental achievements of Banton’s town fiesta commemorations several years ago. They are composed of concrete benches and bleachers. Some bleachers were even built in the town’s plaza and in Banton Elementary School grounds. Those expenses were paid with town fiesta proceeds. Meanwhile some fiesta celebration permanent project will soon rise in memory of our traditional town fiesta celebration honor of Patron Saint Nicholas.

Volume 1 No 3