Marikina. Since when I was a kid, this is where I grew up, learn everything that matters to this community and later on, we're adapting it weather it's a type of liberal community or giving importance to the golden history of our homeland.
I'm Andy and I'm here to talk about how my community affects my development as an individual and the things that Marikina use to have or do things in this past years until now if there have any changes or we really are giving importance to what has begun.
image source BussinessMirror
Around 2010, I can still remember how innocent I am when it comes to our community. I'm not so familiar to things here in our city but what really marks my memories when the typhoon Undoy hit Metro Manila, including Marikina which is well know as being vulnerable to flood, this whole Marikina looked like it vanished in Metro Manila. I remember how my father carried me going to our neighbor because we don't have second floor as for evacuation at least, but then the hospitality of our neighbors never fades when it comes to helping each other and that what makes us Marikeños.
But then until now, we don't experience much super typhoons like what Undoy has done to Marikina.
image source TupangGala
Speaking of Marikina, there have many places to go here, especially in our Barangay, Sto. Niño. The River Park is one of most famous go out places here in Sto. Nino. Every Christmas season, the display of Tiangge (Bazaar) and Perya (Carnival) will start around October then closes by February, that was like the year 2010. Then now, it only starts around November or first week of December and sometimes it's not yet finished until the last week before Christmas break then closes by January. We missed the times that we still can see how many people strolls when 6 pm comes and invite our cousins near in our home to go to Tiangge and Perya. Well, because time past by, people were getting older, even us teenagers. We are getting busier even though this season should be the time when you celebrate and have time with your family. By the time comes when all of our families Tito and Tita and all of my cousins visit us here every Christmas Eve, we will have big dinner party, also known as Noche Buena and wait until 12 am and we all together greet ourselves "Merry Christmas". Then we go to bed because the other day which is the Christmas Day, we will go to church to attend mass by 8 in the morning with all of our families and then have a family picture in front of Kapitan Moy. We are not the only one who's doing this that's why I consider it as one of the Family Traditions of Marikeños every Christmas. And I'm proud that we still doing this until now.
image source Abiso Marikenyo
Then, New Year comes. It is also the Fiesta ng Sto. Niño. December 31, early as 7 pm after dinner, we can hear the torotot (hornpipe) outside or even us inside our house, then by 9 pm, some paputok (firecracker) were starting to light up by our neighbors, while my father and Titos also starting to light up the paputok but the small ones like watusi and kwitis. I can see that they're lighting it up safely by using a long stick with a fire in the end of it then they will use it to light up the firecracker outside of our gate because we use to have eskenita (street) outside the gate then that's where they display the firecrackers. Then by 11 to before 12 they will now light up the medium ones like situron ni hudas and the longest one of it then when midnight comes, we will go outside in our eskenita then screams as loud as we can and say "Happy New Year" then blows the torotot then we totally can't see the streets because of the fog caused by the firecrackers. Then January 1, every time we woke up, we can smell now the handa cooked by our grandpa with the help of our tito lolo (cousins and siblings of our grandparents). The Waknatoy' is the most famous cuisine that my grandfather cooks. So the Waknatoy' word is from a Filipino word "wag na to" which the Chinese people always saying to the Marikeños. This is also known as the Menudo, because Marikeños always cooks this every Fiesta ng Sto. Nino that originally is famous in Marikina.
But then, after the years that we still doing this cultures here in Marikina, It just disappeared when years past by. As far as I can remember, the last time we've done this was 2014-2015. We've been doing these things for over five years. Not only our family stop doing this kind of celebrations but also the community. It's rare to see the things for the last years when you still enjoying the youth. I missed the happy moments when Christmas and New Year still can be felt not only because of celebrations, but the people I see enjoying days before Christmas. Having smiles on their faces.
image source The Travelling Foxes & Marikina PIO Department
Also, we have changes here in Marikina. Like the LGBTQ+ parade every 29th of January, which I'm familiar with it when I was in High School. The Rehiyon- Rehiyon every December 9 that I'm not also familiar with it until in Sta. Elena High School, have activity about it. I also thought that it started just this past years but then when I searched about it, it just become relevant by the year 2007. Halloween Parade every October 31 was also the one that never done now after years. I mentioned the River Park earlier, the way it look for the last 5-10 years, it's more well constructed and regulated this year because of Mayor Marcy Teodoro. It is now much safe for flash floods. Shoe Festival is still celebrating here in Marikina and will never forget as a remarkable Marikeños. There are many Shoe Festival Bazaar here in Marikina specially in Freedom park in Sta. Elena. It starts November to January.
image source DanTheManPhotograhy
Here in Marikina, there are still traditions that Marikeños celebrate. Mahal na Araw or the Holy week every end of March or first week of April. As I came from a religious family, we attended all Mass every Holy Week as a celebration of Jesus Christ resurrection. Marikina is also the origin of cooking Munggo every Friday, because Christians should not eat meat every Good Friday so, we Marikeños are cooking Munggo as lunch and dinner as respect. We also watched prusisyon and penitensya that we, Marikeños are still doing it as forgiveness for our sins. I remember when watching prusisyon around 8 pm and take pictures of all Saints and Mary then wait for the last Saint to know how many karo or rebulto so far this Holy Week because when I was a kid, I remember that almost 100 karos were in the prusisyon that time. But then, only a half or few that is being displayed in prusisyon. Even the people watching it were not that many as those past years.
image source PressReader
As I mentioned also the Halloween parade, we Marikeños are still doing stuffs every All Saints and Souls Day. When November 2 comes, my mother will cook for our lunch and merienda when we go to the cemetery particularly in Loyola. Then after going home, before going to sleep we should light candles in front of our house as a respect for our families and friends who have rest in peace. Then last is Summer which I really missed. Here in Marikina, it is famous to go to Laguna every Summer because all the resorts especially the Hot Springs are in Laguna. I remember going to probinsya (province) in Isabela, Quirino. This is where my grandmother (mother side) grew up so we have bahay bakasyunan there. Then the Lubluban Festival every first week of May here in Marikina was the famous one when it come to Summer days. Halo- halo stands in Marikina are not only one, but you will see every streets were selling Halo-halo.
Some of this are my memories when I was growing up here in Marikina, and all of those were now remain as memories of us Marikeños. I am proud of growing up here in our community and homeland. I am proud to say that "Laking Marikeño Ako!".
Trivia:
- Ang mga Marikeño ay palamura hindi dahil sila ay may kaaway o may galit, marahil sila'y natutuwa, nagulat, o minsa'y nagkukwento lamang.
hal. Ay P*t*ngin*! Alam mo ba?
- Ang mga salitang Mag-urong at Maleta ay nagsimula sa Marikina at mga tunay na mga Marikeño lamang ang makakaintindi ng mga ito.
Mag-urong (maghugas ng pinggan)
Maleta (mahina, partikular sa tao)
hal. Nak! Ikaw na mag-urong mamaya ha...
Wala 'to! Maleta!
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