First ''KUMBABA'' : Proof of Maca-asnon Unity and Artistry

The Philippines is a country of festivals. Throughout the year, festivals and fiestas are celebrated for different reasons, in different seasons and for different intentions. In Cebu, all municipalities are encouraged by the very culturally inclined governor, Gov. Gwen Garcia to hold a festival each year. Catmon has one, the Bud-bud Kabog Festival. Socio-cultural events like festivals bring out a lot of good things from the people. Unity, cooperation, camaraderie, brotherhood and friendship; these values are nurtured and developed in the participants of the different festivals, both in the old and the young ones. Artists, dancers, musicians, choreographers, stage directors, teachers, students, politicians - are all active participants of this event; anybody has a task to do from the preparation to the final performance of a festival.

This year, the Catmonanons' love of festivals is brought to a higher level. Aside from the Budbud Kabog Festival which is staged every February 10, some barangays are staging their own festivals. The people of Maca-as staged its first Kumbaba festival last October 24, 2009. According to Mr. Nelson Ares, Kumbaba is an old Cebuano word for merrymaking in which food is served by the host, and dancing is done with the accompaniment of a Rondalla. He added that when Catmon was just in the planning stage for its first festival (the Sadsaran), Kumbaba was the other choice for the name. Sadsaran was eventually used for the first festival, which later became the Budbud Kabog Festival. Finally after a few years, Kumbaba is used to name the festival of Barangay Maca-as.

The committee for this year's festival had chosen Kuradang as the contest piece for the Kumbamba. Kuradang is a lively festival dance performed during special occasions like fiestas, wedding and baptismal parties. Kuradang is popular also because of the step that is very distinctive for the music. A famous rendition of Kuradang is by the Visayan artist Max Surban, and this version is used in the Kumbamba festival.

I was so proud with my Maca-asnon heritage as I watched the dancers perform in the Macaas Basketball Court. Of course, my bet was the contingent from Brangay Tabuk, the place where my mother Editha Bravo Ares was born. Their dance was choreographed by my cousin Ernie Vergara, and some of the dancers were my relatives including my Auntie Emie Bravo Jayson. In the end of the show, Barangay Tabuk, was declared the champion, followed by the Barangay Centro for the second place and then by the Lower Laplaya for the third prize.

Next year will be a new and a bigger festival, the Macao-es Festival. It has something to do with the history of the place, where traders from Macao used it as haven after doing their businesses in the nearby places. I am sure that it would be as explosive as the Kumbamba 2009!

Kudus to all the organizers especially to the SK Chairman, Hon. Daneva Geonzon! Truly, Kumbaba united the people of Barangay Maca-as; and an overflow of creativity, aesthetics and pure artistry were enjoyed by those who watched, and experienced by those who participated.