STO. TOMAS, Pampanga – Birthed in 2009, the Sabuaga Festival has since become the capping event of the Holy Week observance here, coming as it is after the blasting of Judas at noontime.
“Sabuaga” is a portmanteau of the Kapampangan sabuag (scatter) and sampaga (flowers) – after the sagalas’ showering of petals on the image of the Virgin Mary in “veneration of her keeping the faith and oneness with her Son in His sufferings, thus her rewards in His joyful resurrection” at the earlier Easter Sunday procession.
Hence, petals and confetti literally rains on the processional route around Poblacion, usually starting at 2 p.m. of Easter Sunday as revelers join groups coming from the town’s seven barangays in street dancing. (This year’s though started at almost 5 p.m. due to the heat, and ended past 7 p.m.)
At the town plaza where the revelry culminates, the groups in their most exotic
costumes reflective of the product of the barangays they represent – pottery
for Sto. Nino, caskets for San Vicente, fish for Poblacion, garments for Moras
de la Paz, tinsmith for San Matias… -- or images of their patron saints will
each do its own interpretative dance presentation, on the theme sabuag
sampaga, naturally. Judges coming from the arts, culture and tourism sector
will proclaim the winners. 
Likewise, the Sabuaga Festival has since served as a fitting
climax to the Holy Week celebration in the whole province. Indeed, the Maleldo in
the City of San Fernando highlighted by the actual crucifixion rites in
Barangay Cutud on Good Friday finds culmination in the joy of Easter
Sunday’s Sabuaga in Sto. Tomas, which for the longest time was
but a barrio of the capital town until its weaning in 1952.
No comments:
Post a Comment