Showing posts with label Cultures and Traditions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cultures and Traditions. Show all posts

Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Political Power of being Number One



The Political Power of being Number One

The election is fast approaching , the aspiring leaders of the of the senate and local government are doing their best campaigning to be number one  in their own  political arena   . They have their own number one platform if they were elected. Truly being number one in the political slot can boozed their personality can change their perspective, from being a dreamer to be an achiever, in serving their number one country the Philippines.
However if we are dealing with numbers , being number one can also be favorable to the politicians not only in  the pooling counts but in the ballot. The official voters’ ballot this 2013 election is just like in 2010 presidential election. A long elongated electronic paper where the politician are arrange alphabetically and the voters have to do is to block the oval beside their preferred politician. Of course the politicians whose surname begins with letter A are the first person in the ballot and have an advantage to be voted by voters  who prefer also to be number one (” number one to go out and  finished the process of voting ” ).  I don’t underestimate the campaign plan of each team or politician because if the campaign strikes the tender hearts of the voters such us the action plan on the current problem in the locality, the live and jolly advertisement, the jingles that catch every person and child and the presentation of their achievements can mold the mindset of the voter to vote for them. But if their name is in the first line or let us say or in the first five in the list of 20 and above category of a certain position they would much probably not be left off. Good name in the list and exaggerated campaign plan could put any politician in the position unless their are only five running. The reason for number one sickness is because, the eyes can see only what the brain wants you to see. Just like if you are hearing a lecture, your attention could only go for the first  5 to ten minutes span, just like our feelings,  first impression  could last, so as to our eyes we favor who are the  first in line. Have we noticed during our school days most achievers sits in the front or first row. (Except to the people who are born achievers like THEM) And often time during our exam if it is a multiple choice we answer letter a at first question and true in question number 1 for true or false question.  So during election I predict that voters would shade what their mind could see, the first in line if there are more than 15 candidates. I would not be surprised if candidate whose surname are in the first five in the official ballot would be elected like Aquino and Angara for senatorial bet, Hon. Aliping in congressional slot in the city Baguio, if there are more than 15 contenders like the councilors so I go with Hon.  Alangsabwould have good number, and others who may not be elected but their number of vote is much better than candidates whose name belong to the last alphabetical order. And this could be true if the candidates level of  exposure is same in terms of public airtime, campaign propaganda and agenda. 
I am not endorsing any candidate but this is just my opinion to our Official Ballot , their are about 50 million voters,  for each voters and many of them in my point of view would  just follow the flow to vote what their mind could see.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Cordilleran Festival I


 

  Ipitik brings together all the cultural groups that have converged and live together in Baguo City. Ipitik emphasizes the fact that our city is a melting pot
filled to the brim with a bubbling stew
IPITIK FESTIVAL

When the cordilleran culture and modern art collaborate to form a festival   produces a unique and extravagant event seen here in the City of Pines, Baguio. The festivity is named as Ipitik festival. Ipitik comes from the Coldilleran tradition of a solemn act of offering the first drops of a newly opened jar of tapuy to Kabunian, the highest deity of the Cordilleras, and to the ancestors. The Ipitik Traditionally done by the mambunong, or shaman, the practice lives on today among many Cordillerans, young and old. When first opening a bottle of alcohol, be it tapuy, gin, wine, beer, vodka, or scotch, one whispers an invitation to the spirits to come and drink and spills a few drops of alcohol on the ground, or takes a symbolic sip on behalf of the spirits.

 Apart from the cultural background Ipitik festival is one of a kind, the spirit of cultural heritage and arts gives a breath taking and deep appreciation that will encourage you to join and be a part of the festivity.

The Ipitik festival showcased the Tapuy Master Brewer or Rice Wine Festival brings
together master brewers of tapuy from all over the region, each bearing a jar of his or her best brew and fortunately I taste some of their samples and have observed that rice wines have different taste, texture which will indulge you to drink more. Another event is the Pinikpikan Cook-Off from which  I saw HRM students cooking not only chicken, but also a native pig ( so this is not only pinikpikan cook-off  but also watwat cook off which ends up in having a tinola ) to feed hundreds.  On-The-Spot Woodcarving from different tribes in the cordillera is also featured from which they carved a ten feet wooden log, 15-20inch diameter and the 108 Gongs Performance Instead of having the traditional number of gong players and dancers, the Ipitik festival has 108 children playing gongs in unison and dancing with gusto to a beat that will most certainly outlive disco rhythms and dance your feet off. With the help of Axis Art Project, an art installation was build which showcases used clothing from Baguio youths, sewn together and will be assembled over a sturdy bamboo frame to form a tent which will house  Baguio Art Map. The venue for art workshops, dances, music, performance, for and art exhibits for the entire duration of festival.




 
Once the leader of the tribal group blows his horn, massive gong players come to play, dancing banging their ganza and all the crowd got amazed and want to join the 108 participants with complete Cordilleran attire. The exciting dance lasted for about 45 minutes and gives way to the celebration on the Ipitik festival.






 
Taste the native wine of the Codilleran some are sweet some are so strong others are smooth. The similarity are they are made of, gluttonous rice, and red rice. And surely the taste is different from other commercial wine and you will look for another shot or perhaps a glass.
In the ceremony the contestant are being judge by dignified representative from different sectors. The judge seems to be a veteran wine drinkers but other may be judging by the aesthetic of the burnei or clay jar. But the winner surely have the best rice wine .

 The Food may be a butcher pig or a Chicken. Usually salt and ginger is enough as ingredient. However in this case some of the participating schools gives a professional touch to give spice to the hungry  onlookers.
 A huge pot is set however it is not enough for hungry men. 

 Shovel in dipper and lade  out. For mixing the dish shovel are being use more handy than the lade. I wonder how's the taste test.

A blind man making basket using the sense of touch.