Celebrating Rizal through dance

Gat Dr. Jose P. Rizal, by his highly creative exceptional life of 35 young years and the great-grand-glorious gesture of his early martyrdom, created for us the remarkable conditions for the birth of Filipino nationhood. Propelled by his tremendous, indubitably unequalled love for his nation and his people. His life thus is full of mystery.   

His life, polemically, paradoxically, is a “realer” one more than a mythologer can conceive(“The mystery is in the visible”).It’s grudgingly accepted that his greatest mystery is his obvious life (his writings and travels abroad among others contribute to it).

Now the Rizalistas, federating under the umbrella organization of Celyo Rizal, with Reyna Yolanda Manalo, the Suprema Babaylan,  its founder at the helm being the guiding spirit, forming one strong body, after a century of Rizalista diversifications into cults, paid material and spiritual obeisance, homage and greatest honor to Rizal on his 148th birth anniversary(the equivalence of almost three lifetimes)at the LLC Auditorium, Calamba City. By staging material and spiritual festivities; that began at 12 Noon of  June 18 till 12 midnight of the same day.Indeed it was a joyful asalto; tempered with variety; of  kundimans ,songs, dances,  messages with material and spiritual underpinnings, etc.       

This is the third national public performance of Celyo Rizal; two others preceded it. Celyo Rizal is spearheaded by the battlecry of: MakaDiyos, MakaKalikasan, MakaTao, and MakaBayan. It aims not only to redeem the lost consciousness of an ancient civilization, Lemuria; but also to illuminate most the Rizal Consciousness in us (for a clear and more lengthy explanation of these log in to www.perlasngsilangan.com).

The present Rizal celebration was preceded by two other immeasureable events. In 2007, June 19, at the Luneta, Celyo Rizal gave birth to the living, throbbing Philippine Human Flag; composed of Rizalistas from all over. The men and women participating had their clothes sewn to the vivid red, blue, white and gold to simulate the vivid, vibrant colors of our flag. A first in the nation and Asia.   

In 2008, the June 17 asalto saw the mindboggling formation of our geography in the Luneta grounds: the Philippine Human Map. Indeed it was a heartbeating, living, breathing conglomeration of diverse peoples, for it included our indigenous peoples: the Tribos and Katutubos of our grassroots; like the Ifugaos, Isnegs, Itawis, Maranaos, Taosugs, Higaonons in their rainbowspangled costumes.Even schoolchildren from far Natappian, Cagayan Valley, participated. Again: a first not only in the nation but in the world (for a fruitful detailed significance of our human map log on to www.perlasngsilangan.com).

Celyo Rizal this year participated in the Rizal Festivities of Calamba City’s Jose Rizal birth anniversary celebrations.  The celebrations-homage is a first: for the very first time, Calamba City, Rizal’s birthplace, began its homage on June 12, Independence Day, and continued until June 19, Rizal’s birthday.  Celyo Rizal progenitrix Reyna Yolanda envisions this together momentum to become a national week-long event in the future to be called Kapistahan ng Lahing Pilipino.

Celyo Rizal paid homage to Bathalang Ama by presenting its own unique program to the theme: Sino At Ano Si Dr. Jose P. Rizal, which conjuncted  with Calamba City’s theme: Dr. Jose Rizal Isang Calambenyo, Idolo Ng Sambayanang Pilipino.

Celyo Rizal’s program opened with the singing of Tindig Inang Bayan, followed by the National Anthem, with some Rizalistas singing: Ang Mabuhay Ay Dahil Sa Iyo: where Ang Mamatay Ay Dahil Sa Iyo.. The fiesta-fun was peppered here and there with traditional Pilipino songs, poems, theater, and dances. But the evening’s highlights were well-defined by the speeches delivered by the special guests: DepEd’s assistant secretary Jonathan F. Malaya; National Historical Institute’s deputy executive director Emelita V. Almosara; Muntinlupa Congressman Ruffy Biazon; and Bagong Historian Michael Chua of De La Salle University, with his audio-visual presentation of Rizal’s rare qualities.

Outstanding show was the Sangkapphusay dance evaluation (choreographed by Rexi Wong), Pagbubunyi Para Kay Dr. Jose P. Rizal. The tasteful use of colors in the dancers, their pantomime in some scenes gave the rapt audience its highs. But what capped the program was the honor-plaques etc. given (handed out to the chairmen and members of the Mangingisda and Mansasaka Calamba organizations by former assistant secretary of the Department of Agriculture Marinela Reyes Castillo), a grand   gesture of Celyo Rizal’s Reyna Yolanda, a first in the history of our spirituality. The program was glori0usly professionally emceed by Celyo Rizal spokesman Auggusta De Almeidda with her beguilingly educated voice. The Rizalista-audience, composed of federated members, their leaders and visitors  garbed in white, looked clean, and wellscrubbed  in their Sunday best, avid for unusual entertainment.(Celyo Rizal joined in the yearly Calamba float-parade with its uniquely distinctive all-different leaves of Rizal symbols decorating its Elf truck.)

Rizal’s prophecies for our nation are embedded in his two novels, The Noli and The Fili; in 1986 those in The Noli have occurred; but those in The Fili are still unfolding. Conjunct with these are the unfolding prophecies in his essay Pilipinas: A Hundred Years After.

The Rizal Birthday Celebrations will have become Law by 2010(It needs only the Senate’s approval). Meaning, it’s going to be a national holiday, beginning June 12, Independence Day, culminating on June 19, Rizal National Day. This is the sacrosanct vision of Celyo Rizal; that not only will we celebrate nationally Rizal. At an allotted time on every June 19, “Lamps” (Rizal’s symbol of Divine Illumination and Freedom) be lighted simultaneously all over the nation! All this in just, greatest respect for Gat Dr. Jose P. Rizal!   

One recalls the unforgettable memory, when Celyo Rizal paid a courtesy call on DepED Secretary Jesli A. Lapus who in conversation said that in a world conference on Rizal scholars and historians in Malaysia they tried to find another man who could equal the achievements of Rizal to no avail. Ang Buhay Si Rizal At Si Rizal Ay Buhay.