Halloween in the Philippines: Should it be Observed?

For one who is always online, a busted computer is a pain in the back. The past weeks, I was locked inside my cocoon having no chance to read my favorite internet sites. My old and reliable computer is around eight years old but I still love it until its motherboard was busted. I went out to internet cafes braving the heat and other inconveniences searching better motherboards in the market today. I am lucky that it is available here. I dismantled my CPU (tower), did the delicate work and hopefully, everything is normal although I have not yet tested the full capability of my “new” computer.

It’s Halloween. Despite the economic crunch no one can stop the country in celebrating the Western introduced-fun of wearing creepy make ups, costumes and the like. As night falls, kids prowl the streets knocking at doors for their “Trick or Treat”.

I have no recollection when we were teen or young adult that there were merriment/celebrations as practiced today. Of course, in school, we learned what Halloween is and its origin --- totally un-Filipino.

Anyone familiar with The Philippine Music Horizon, a music book for elementary schools, there is a Halloween song there which runs, “On the night of every Halloween, we visit the graves of friends now unseen . . .” I believe that ghost and paranormal stories associated with the dead gradually sculpted the icon of Halloween we have today.

No one can stop us, Filipinos, to have fun on Halloween here in the country but if we are truly nationalistic in hating everything that has something to do with colonial mentality, “Why a hell that we celebrate Halloween in the Philippines?” is a valid question that makes the hair stand on its end.

There is a recent article of a student in one of the dailies saying that at first, she had problems with the English language but eventually, she was able to perfect it and develop her own accent. Years later, she realized that there’s no reason for her to speak English, a vestige of colonial mentality and from then on, she reverted to her unflinching love to her mother tongue.

We fully respect such glow of nationalism and way of thinking although we do not necessarily agree. I am sure that on the 31st, she stays at home and put a sign on her door disallowing kids to have their trick or treat and just sleep peacefully on her palm mat on the floor. No radio, TV, VCR, internet, phone, cell phone, iPod, guitar, soft drinks, coffee and chocolate to name a few --- these are original products of the United States, Japan or Spain --- countries that inflicted us suffering and brutal rules.

While some parts of the country are busy having their Halloween fun, I will remember members of my family who have gone to their rest with a lot of nostalgia reminiscing how they loved us who are still struggling on earth. I know that they continue to love us through their prayers.

To those who celebrate, have a fun and safe Halloween. -30-

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Photo Courtesy:  Wikipedia
Additional reading material:
http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20101030-300627