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The Bulacan of yore is famous for Balagtasan—a verbal joust among
poets or makatas. The Balagtasan, was named after Prince of Tagalog
Poets Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar.
The Balagtasan is limited to three roles—two
debaters and the debate moderator called lakambini or lakandiwa. The
protagonists in the Balagtasan spout long verses in rhyme and meter,
recited with flair before the public.
To give Filipinos in Metro Manila, the Visayas,
and Mindanao a sampling of the renowned oral tradition, the Filipino
Heritage Festival and the National Commission for Culture and the
Arts have lined up a series of performances that will bring
Bulacan’s best debaters before the general public.
“Over the past few years, we have featured the
Balagtasan during the annual Heritage Month celebration. It is not
only one of the most popular literary inventions of the 20th century
in the Philippines, but also a great source of pride for Bulakeños,”
explains FHF director Anna Maria Harper.
Palihang Hagonoy led by artistic director
Crispin de Luna, Bulacan’s premier Balagtasan group, will lead the
performances. The literary group’s makatas were known for
following the tradition of prominent Bulakeño poets and Balagtasan
champions such as Jose Corazon de Jesus, Florentino Collantes, and
Emilio Mar Antonio.
The makatas of Hagonoy will perform on the
evening of May 7.
The popularity of the Tagalogs’ Balagtasan is
said to have inspired other literary groups to organize their own
poetic jousts. The Ilocanos have Bucanegan named after poet Pedro
Bucaneg, and the Kapampangans have Crissotan named after Juan
Crisostomo Soto.
“Bringing this folk tradition to thousands of
audiences outside Bulacan will enable the province to share their
values, customs, and traditions with the rest of the country,” FHF
president Armita Rufino says.
For more information on National Heritage Month,
visit FHF website at http://filheritagefest.fateback.com.
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