OPINION
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY October 16 - 31, 2017
Todos Los Santos: Feast of the Dead
Tinig Migrante
fail.
By E. Maestro
All Saints Day (Todos Los
Santos) on November First is
followed by All Souls Day on
November Second. Grouped
together, that is the Filipino
Feast of the Dead or Pista
ng Patay. Filipinos, wherever
they find themselves on these
days, celebrate these days the
best they can.
For me, these days
bring memories from the
Philippines -- of making
the trip to the cemetery,
of cleaning and painting
the tomb or tombstone, of
making sure the candles are
lit and flowers are in place. It
also means making sure that
everyone is comfortable and
that we have remembered to
bring all the basic stuff -- the
folding chairs, plastic mat,
food, water, and native fans
to ward off the heat during
the day and to drive away
pesky mosquitoes when night
sets in. It brings to mind the
memory of being patient,
of taking shifts visiting or
staying at the cemetery, of
taking one’s duty to be at the
gravesite because it is what we
do, as family. It is a tradition
that we do every year, without
Away
from
home, my daughter
and I remember the
rituals, however abbreviated
and different they have
become. The “altar” at home
is set in place with the candles
and photos. We remember to
set out the “spirit food”, a plate
of food and dessert, a glass of
water, and cutlery of course.
We call out (in our mind or we
whisper) for our loved ones
to come and partake of the
offering. If we make it to the
church, we light the candles
and say a prayer. We do this in
the midst of busy schedules
because the Feast of the Dead
are not holidays in Canada.
We continue to do it because
it is what we do, every year, as
family.
Pista ng Patay is also
remembering
friends,
classmates, and others who
died at the hands of the
military, those who were
“disappeared”, and those who
died from ailments and injury
sustained or aggravated from
years in prison, or those who
were taken away by death so
soon in life. We especially
remember Leah Masajo who
was salvaged by the military
during martial law. Leah was
pregnant when she was killed.
With no graves to go to, the families of the desaparecidos gather in
Plaza Miranda on All Souls Day last year to honour their missing loved
ones. Photo Credit: GMA Network
I named my daughter after
Leah. We light a candle for
Leah and her unborn child
and for all of them. We make
sure we do not forget them.
And for the thousands of
people killed from Duterte’s
“war on drugs” which has
been a “war against the poor”,
we also light a candle for
these victims of extrajudicial
killings. We join their families
who will be doing these
rituals too. The rituals provide
comfort, however small, for
the families of these victims
as they struggle to get justice
for what has happened to
them.
It is said that the time
of the Feast of the Dead is
a liminal moment, meaning
that the border between the
ordinary and the supernatural
worlds is at its most thinnest.
If this is true, there would be
marches of those whose lives
were ended with brutality and
without mercy. I would like
to think that they would seek
justice. And for the recent
deaths because of the “war
on drugs”, I think I know
where they would go. And it is
time for the government and
the military and its police and
agents to run. As fast as they
can. Because, as the myth
goes, the spirits, the kaluluwa,
the kalag are coming.
Tips for a Fun and Safe Halloween
Surrey – With Halloween
a week away, the City of
Surrey Fire Services, RCMP
and Bylaws want to ensure
everyone has a safe and fun
Halloween. Here are a few
reminders for a night of safe
fun for all trick-or-treaters.
Fireworks are not allowed
to be sold or discharged within
the City of Surrey. This has
been in effect since 2005 and
the only exception is with a
Fire Department permit and a
Federal Fireworks Supervisor
Certificate. For fireworks or fire
crackers complaints, please
do not call 911 unless it is an
emergency, and instead direct
your calls to City of Surrey
Bylaws at 604.591.4370.
“We continue to see
a downward trend in our
fireworks-related responses,
with an average of 7 responses
per year over the last 3 years.
It is due, in large part, to these
requirements that the safety
of our citizens has improved
as it relates to fireworks” said
Jason Cairney, Assistant Chief
with Surrey Fire Service.
Surrey RCMP will have
extra resources on patrol this
Halloween dealing with any
public safety concerns and
ensuring our streets are kept
safe for our young trick-or-
treaters.
”We receive a large
increase in calls for service
on Hallow