Buhayin ang Tanaga!

Monday, March 21, 2005

Holy Week Tanagas Part III

Here is a more serious Tanaga in the Holy week theme. It talks about the salvific of sacrifice power according to the Catholic tradition. Just in time for Holy Monday:


Ilang beses si Hesus
ipinapako sa krus?
Dugo nyang umaaagos
upang tayo'y matubos.

- Angelo Ancheta, Philippines.



A Tanaga that is not well known to be one is the Revelation of the Mystery of faith by the Catholics. Just in time as the above work, let me quote what is said:

Si Kristo ay namatay,
Si Kristo ay nabuhay;
Si Kristo ay babalik,
Sa wakas ng Panahon.

"Christ died, Christ has risen,
Christ will come again."

Author Unknown.



Perhaps It was not willed to be a Tanaga, but this poses a question on the nature our collective cultural memory. Is the mystery of seven syllables here an artifact of the Catholic faith and its preoccupation with the mystery of the number seven? Or more of a relic of the Filipino poem naturally coming out of the translator?

Nothing is certain, but either way, the Tanaga itself died with the Colonization, the Tanaga lived again in the time of Abadilla and Ildefonso Santos, and perhaps, when given enough world exposure the Tanaga will come again in a salvific form.

Hit me if I'm dreaming.
posted by Jardine Davies @ 6:07 AM

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