The 2024 Santacruzan in Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico, was a vibrant celebration of Filipino culture and heritage, sponsored by the City of Albuquerque, Department of Arts and Culture. The event took place at the historic San Felipe de Neri Parish and began with a mass at 4:00PM, followed by a cultural show at 6:00PM.
As part of a group of Filipino teachers from the City of Grants, we had the privilege of showcasing the “Tinikling', a traditional Filipino dance that involves rhythmic jumping and the clacking of bamboo poles. If dancers miss a second, the poles could catch their foot!
The teachers, a mix of seasoned performers and enthusiastic newcomers, took to the stage with energy and grace. Their performance highlighted the significance of Tinikling in Filipino culture and captivated the audience with its intricate footwork and rhythmic bamboo clapping: Shem Verlee Cabotaje and Honeyfrel Eltagon (Cubero Elementary School); John Edward Marcelino and Mark Anthony Sayat (Milan Elementary School); and Jayson Hernandez, Reymundo Cahiyang, Nathan Lawrence, and Anne Richie Balgos (Los Alamitos Middle School).
As one of the lead choreographers, Ms. Cabotaje believes that Tinikling is more than just a dance; it’s a symbol of our resilience and adaptability. She added, “Choreographing Tinikling is tantamount to promoting our Filipino culture and having to live up to the challenge of putting together all the bits and pieces of our creativity through dance and music”.
Her daughter, Ruthlianne Cabotaje, a Grade 10 student at Laguna Acoma High School, also danced in the performance. This mother-daughter duo captured the hearts of everyone present. Ruthlainne, expressed, 'Dancing the Tinikling with my mom is a way to stay connected to our roots and share our culture with the community.' Interestingly, Mr. Lawrence, originally from New Zealand but deeply connected to Filipino culture, feels that dancing the Tinikling was a profound way for him to connect to Filipinos.
As night fell, the lit-up plaza and gazebo created a festive ambiance. The cultural show culminated with the much-anticipated Tinikling dance, despite a brief rain shower. Filipino-American families stayed to witness this finale, which not only displayed the dancers’ agility and coordination but also symbolized the strength of the Filipino character. Much like the “kawayan” (bamboo) that bends but does not break, the community came together to celebrate their heritage, supporting each other while living and working in a foreign country.
During the long drive from Grants to Albuquerque, I've marveled at how the resilience of the Filipino people interweaves with the mesa of New Mexico, thriving in new environments while preserving their cultural identity and embracing the local landscape. Well, none of the dancers broke a leg! The dance was exhausting, but we remained impassioned by the Filipino spirit of building each other and surviving as one.