Apart from Oktoberfest, this year's ber months will be celebrated with another kind of festival - a dizzying buffet of history, heritage, habitat, and language commemorating the Day of the Galleon. Following UNESCO's proclamation last year that October 8 of every year shall be celebrated as Dia del Galeon, in commemoration of the Galleon Trade from 1565 to 1815, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is spearheading the month-long festival in recognition of the Philippines' significant role in one of the most important trade routes in history.
THE GALLEON TRADE
1. Dia Del Galeon is celebrated on October 8 in honor of the day the San Pedro Galeon reached Acapulco in 1565. 2. The arrival of the ships, directed by master navigator Fray Urdaneta, established the Manila-Acapulco route later dubbed Tornaviaje that linked the people of Asia, America, Europe, and Africa. 3. Thanks to the Galleon Trade, the Barong Tagalog made its way to Mexico and Cuba, and is now called Guayabera in those countries. 4. The Galleon Trade also brought sampaloc, achuete, and tsokolate de batirol to the Philippines. 5. The now world-famous Ylang-Ylang made its way from the Philippines to Europe via the Galleon Trade.
The NCCA is organizing the first International Dia del Galeon Festival together with the Baler 400 Steering Committee headed by Senator Edgardo J. Angara, festival director Cecile Guidote-Alvarez announced in a news conference Friday. The Mexican Embassy and the Spanish Embassy, two other countries impacted by the Galleon Trade, will also be involved when the Philippines plays host to the commemorative activities to be held from September 15 to October 15. Aimed at giving the audience a closer look at the Galleon Trade's impact in commencing globalization as a route of commerce and bridging a cultural highway connecting four continents, the assortment of activities includes workshops, an international conference, and regional events. The festival's highlight, however, is the Viaje del Galeon - a one-week educational trip in various Philippine ports of call tracing the galleon route in the Philippines. Participants will visit Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Negros and Northern Mindanao while learning through on-board workshops and interactive performances. There will also be on-land Galleon Trade reenactments and celebrations in Calbayog, Tacloban, Cebu, Tagbilaran, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, and Bacolod. While only a few pre-selected students will be joining the Viaje del Galeon, there is another festival highlight that is open to the public. The theatrical production of Juana La Loca -- a collaborative effort of the Philippines, Mexico and Spain -- will be staged during the festival. Juana La Loca tells the story of Joanna of Castille, the last monarch of the Iberian House of Trastamara. Her romantic story has inspired many works of art, including Eric Gamalinda's poem Las Ruinas del Corazon. A series of events and gestures that will emphasize the international celebration include the launching of the international yacht competition across the Pacific, bilingual declamation contests, and national student music, literature, and visual arts competitions. Apart from its objective to draw from existing knowledge on the impact of Spanish colonization in the Philippines, the festival will also advocate the welfare of seafarers and the impact of climate change on the oceans. -
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