First of all I want to Welcome our newest member Nora and Fely or Ale Sison here at Filipino Magick! It's been for a while since you were in the Philippines and Now you are here with us at Filipino Magick!
But today May 17, 2024 is the start of Obando Fertility Festival which before it became a Roman Catholic Festival it was called as Kasilonawan Fertility Festival on which our female ancestor dance at night in front of the Balete Tree on a bonfire making petition to the Diwata for fertility and prosperity.
https://youtu.be/-bzT1kTjVBE?si=JXvDZIB6MDAU1MYa
So this video was only a depiction of what a Kasilonawan was about and it was written as a Novel by Nick Joaquin and it also become a Movie which they named as Tatarin. But this one is made by a student named Dale Create as part of her academic project. Our next video is a short clip of a theater play by Sining Bulakenyo Pangkat Mananayaw ng Bulacan. Let us watch their performance.
https://youtu.be/al6SeVWocKw?si=l03ZaNxipZBnMwwX
We can see here on timestamp 5:20 a cross caried by a priest entered the scene and we can see here how the old ways continues even with the conversion of our ancestors into Roman Catholicism. In part 2 of this performance we can see men also joins the festivity.
https://youtu.be/VrH9-A1Pcmc?si=tRXv1FKlBheDQZ
And those men were fishermen as we can see that they dance with their boat paddle. And they tell the story how they obtain the image of Nuestra Senyora de Imaculada de Salambao. But our next video, i want to share a documentary on how this fertility festival have began.
https://youtu.be/PU9iag0OpFQ?si=961cWm9SoIQsfM9f
The video was in Tagalog and at introduction it tells that dance is an art of expression of our emotion so as prayer. In this documentary it explained the dance steps and its spiritual significance. To be honest, I am having a goose bumps while writing and watching the videos with you. And last year Lakay and Me have danced on the Street to reclaim our Spiritual Culture.
Like what i've said this festivity has its Pagan Origin and before the people venerate San Pascula Baylon, Sta. Clara of Assisi and Nuestra Senyora Imaculada de Salambao, people called the old Diwata Lakapati, Diyan Masalanta and Bathala. Originally the song in the Dance was this:
Sta. Clara Pinong Pino
(St. Claire most refined)
Ang Pangako ko ay Ganito
(This is my promise)
Pagdating ko po sa Obando
(as I arrive Obando)
ay Magsasayaw ng Pandanggo
(I will dance Pandango)
Abaruray Abarinding
(Magical Phrase that i will explain below)
Ang Pangako ko'y Tutuparin.
(I will fulfill my promise)
Sta. Clara Pinong Pino
(St Claire most refined)
Ako Po ay Bigyan Mo
(Give me)
Ng Asawang Labintatlo
(13 wife or husband)
Sa gastos ay walang reklamo!
(that does not complain in ex[enses)
Abaruray Abaranding!
Ang pangako ko'y tutuparin!
What does Abaruray and Abaranding Means?
I have the same question before and I thought that it is a word of power or spell. But i conduct research to know the meaning of the word as i see it as a compound word.
The first word is Aba which is an expression of Surprise. But in old tagalog word, Aba means God.
Then the Word Ruray might be a nick name but it might derived from the old tagalog word Guray which means given cheerfully or with Affection.
At first I thought when the singer says Abaruray it like an Expression in english "Hey Ruray I will fulfill my promise. Hey Randing I will do my Promise.
Now what is abaranding means?
I can not see any answer for the meaning of Randing so i will use my senses and channeling ability to define it. What i found is the word Ading in Ilocano language which means younger sibling but on name search it could be a shortened nick name for Randy which is Filipinized as Anding which may mean independent and resourceful.
So Abaruray and Abaranding is a word of Power indeed which means Honor Divinity Cheerfully and with Great affection and being independent and resourceful the Blessings of God will be fulfilled.