St.

Camillus College of Manaoag Foundation, Inc

Brgy. Licsi, Manaoag, Pangasinan

Nothing is today without its History.

History maybe said to but have you ever tried to assess yourself how knowledgeable are
you about the past life of Filipinos for the past century? Everyone has to be wise regarding our
Country’s History because a person who ignores one’s nation’s history is likely to be a stupid
person who plants a pine tree without including its roots.

August 1, 2019, Thursday, A group of Historya Dance Production Group conquers the
Theater room with amazing performances that impressed the Camillians. The said group
portrayed the Philippines’ History through dancing. They aim to embody to the students the
things our country had done in the past and how wealth are we in terms of culture and traditions.
Although out the stage play, I am well contented with my 170 pesos because the performances
are excellent and have no flaws. In this regard, the said dance group should be acknowledged by
all schools not just to show how talented Filipinos are but because the concept of the dances is
very functional in boasting the knowledge of students about Philippines’ History and making
them appreciate Histories.Historya dance production is a story about our history,wherein through
dance they express, tell what did the colonizers did to our country,how they influence us,how did
they change us and many more.In here we can see our different cultures and dances in our
beloved country.

There are many different colonizers who came in the Philippines to invade us.The Spanish
Era were in Ferdinand Magellan set out from Spain in 1519 with a fleet of 5 ships (Trinidad, San
Antonio, Concepcion, Victoria, and Santiago). On March 16, 1521 Magellan discovered the
island of Homonhon, Samar. The Spaniards reigned over the Philippines for 3 centuries and the
life of the Filipinos became miserable, extortion,discrimination,exploitation,slavery and
suffering.Behind their crucial reigned they establish San Agustin Church,it is the 1st religious
structure in the island of Luzon.In March 31,1521 the first mass in the Philippines was conducted
led by Fr. Pedro Valdemar, Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon.Spanish missionaries found that
fiesta is a convinient tool to help teach Filipino.In July 7,1892 KKK was formed in Calle
Azcaraga Tondo,Manila.Then Dr. Jose Rizal wrote his two novels the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo which make the Filipino's minds to realize the brutality of the colonizers.In
December 30,1896 Jose Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan.Because of the bravery of the
different heroes in June 12,1898 the Philippine Independence was declared.Here comes the
American,they presented their different famous dances.They brought a group of 500 American
teachers in the Philippines they are called "the Thomasites".December 7,1941 Japan open a
surprise attacked on Pearl Harbor,A.U.S military base.Yamashita treasure,it is the name given to
the alleged war loot stolen in Southeast Asia by the Japanese forces.The Japanese are to crucial,
they made women as a comforter,they captured,dragged out of their houses,abused and raped
them.In the year 1942 death march happened in Bataan,were in the prisoners are forced to
marched with the intent to kill,brutalize,weaken them along the way.

After what happened to our country for the past years,we had already move on and
made it as our inspiration to become a developing country.There are three archipelagos in our
country,Luzon,Visayas and Mindanao.First is Luzon,their different cultures and
dances.Cordillera administrative Region,home to numerous indigenous tribes collectively called
the Igorot,they also have a Mambunong wherein she performs rituals near the dead
body.Cordilleras love hunting,ragragsakan,idudu and harvesting crops.There are different dances
in Luzon like Carinosa,La Jota Dance,Maglalatik,Tinikling,Sayaw sa Banko.They perform
Harana,wherein men introduced themselves wooed women by singing underneath her window at
night.Another is Pista sa Nayon,it is a one-day festival celebrating the very best of being a
Filipino.Next archipelago is Visayas,it consist of several islands. The Pintados,they are the
indigenous people with tattoed bodies.In here they are more on festival, this are some example of
their famous festivals; Baragatan festival, Sinulog festival in Cebu,Ati-atihan festival in Aklan
,Sandugo festival in Bohol, Dinagyang festival in IloIlo, Tugob festival in Ormoc,Masskara
festival in Bacolod and Aswang festival. Last is Mindanao,where there are good possibilities to
explore the tropical rainfores . First mosque have been built,established in Sulu by Makhdum
Karim. Islam,is the oldest recorded monotheistic religion in the Philippines. From the historya it
tells what is the origin of Mindanao and the legend of Durian .Moro Insurgency was very famous
in Mindanao.Datu is the title for their chieftains and singkil is their famous dance. I like also the
props that they show it the decorations is so nice. The sound is very good although some of it is
late or not on timing.But one of the most captured my attention is they performing the Yolanda
or the typhoon that struck our country and was the deadliest typhoon in our country’s history. I
like the way they performed.Actually while watching them I cry because the emotion that they
give in dance the way they enterpret is very goosebumps and heartfelt. Likewise in marawi. We
filipino is very resilient among problems, struggles or calamity that we encounter. We stand and
we continue to survive. They performe well and did a great job. Culture is our identity and
personality. It gives us spiritual, intellectual and emotional distinction from others,so you should
be proud of it.!!

Magnificent!! Dazzling!! Amazing!!.These are the words that I could think of to describe
the performance of the team behind the Historya Dance Production that have been performing
for around two years and counting all around our country, the Philippines, not through a movie
or a big screen but by performing it up close, in front of viewers and spectators of different ages.
Promoting and raising awareness about the history of our country are only some of the purposes
that drives this team to perform their elegant dances depicting events in our history.Yes, dance.
But this "dance" is not just the typical dance we see everyday, this is a dance with a lot of
significance to the viewers.

The talented performers grooved and danced to the music showing and depicting what
the country was like before. From trading with the Chinese, the entrance and introduction of
Islam, arrival of Ferdinand Magellan, the colonization of our nation by Spaniards, the execution
of our national hero, Jose Rizal, arrival of the Americans and the coming of the Japanese to
events and occurrences that shaped our nation now. Aside from that, they let the viewers and
spectators witness the cultures and traditions of the different regions of our country through their
colorful costumes and electrifying dances.

As one of the spectators during that day's performance, I realized that these talented
performers, the brains behind the show and the staffs, in my own opinion do this all around the
country to not just entertain, but to send a message to everyone about unity, appreciation and
love for our country and to never forget the sacrifices of our countrymen that helped form and
gave independence to our country.

We must not only preserve yesterday's heritage, fight for today's ephemeral interests, but die, if
need be, for tomorrow's hopes.