45 Years of Senakulo in Barangka Mandaluyong City

The Senakulo is a religious ritual, theatrical extravaganza and a personal expression of faith deliciously served in a platter of colorful costumes, eye-catching scenery, ingenious effects, soothing verse and high energy performance. But the most sumptuous facet of the senakulo is that it is a living, growing heritage ; the senakulo has become a force majeur that continues to bring together several generations of a community of various persuasions in preserving folk tradition in a proud expression of the towns distinct cultural identity.

Staged during Lent’s Holy week, the senakulo derives its sequence of events from both the Gospels of the Bible and from the Book Martyr of Golgotha. Its translation into richly textured Tagalog prose sets the tone for its melodramatic rendering. Today it has expanded to include various relevant chapters from both the Old and New Testaments. Its performing time runs to about 24 hours broken down into 3-hour segments performed every night of Holy Week from Holy Monday to Black Saturday.

For the past 45 years , in the City of Mandaluyong one group never fails to re-enact the senakulo…The Samahang Kabataan Ng San Roque Senakulista ng Barangka is a community-based theater organization in the City of Mandaluyong that is responsible for the yearly staging of the time honored SENAKULO .

Senakulo for us is not just a cultural event, it is more than just a tradition , it is our way of life… our “panata” . And we want a lot of people to know that such a thing still exist in this part of Metro Manila, inspite of the modern times.

Here are some interesting features you might want to consider :

* All performers, technical and production crew selflessly dedicate their time and talent for the promotion of the senakulo for FREE. Nobody is paid for being part of the weeklong performance, Their only consolation would be a free dinner nightly

* All performers or “senakulista” as they are fondly called never underwent any formal training on theater and stage performance. Their talents were handed down from them by their parents who use to perform in the senakulo during their younger years

* Until now, for the past 45 years, our group still hires the services of a local band or “musiko” for our musical requirements. So rare that we use CD or any modern music for our background musical requirements.

* Until now, we still use bamboo or “kawayan” to hang our stage backdrop. We do not use the modern trashes

* Due to limited budget, we do not and can not use lapel microphones. We still use the typical microphones that are hanged from the bamboos and usually seen on top of the head of the performers

* Our backdrops or background sceneries are still made of cococloth or “katsa” .

* In our desire to impart the senakulo to the young generation, we cast out young performers whose age ranges from 7 to 12. They are given roles like “young jesus” , “young judas”, angels and “taong bayan” . This is indeed “tradition handed down from one generation to another”

* Annual rehearsals usually takes almost 6 months prior to holy week . Every weekend we gather outside our directors house and on the street we rehearse scenes after scenes. Six months of sacrifice, six months without any talent fee. Our only consolation… a bottle of softdrink. But nobody complains.

There are still a lot of other interesting matters about each of our senakulistas, our senakulo and our almost half a century of “pamamanata”. We just hope that you will find interest in us. Our only wish and hope is for more people to know and watch our senakulo.

The City Government of Mandaluyong thru the Office of the Mayor and the Cultural Affairs and Tourism Department extends their full support to this undertaking. The Department of Tourism recognizes the group and in fact the senakulo is listed in the annual cultural and tourism calendar of the said agency.

The senakulo of Barangka is privileged to have been covered by the media. ABS-CBN and GMA-7 would annually feature the senakulo in their news programs and other shows. There has also been a number of articles about the senakulo in Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer and tabloids

On its 45th Season slated nightly on March 29-April 3,2010 Holy Monday to Black Saturday the group will perform the Senakulo at the Plaza of Barangay Barangka Ibaba in the City of Mandaluyong . As early as now the group is already in full swing with its rehearsals and preparations. As in the past, it is expected to draw thousands of crowds from all over our city.

From its humble beginning in 1965, and now in its 45th year, truly the Senakulo of Barangka Mandaluyong City has indeed gone a long way.

For details , you can get in touch with SENAKULO 2010 Over-All Project Coordinator, MR. NOLAN ANGELES at 0908-3706667 or at 5324492 , 532-23-32 and fax 532-22-24 or email at nolan_angeles@yahoo.com.ph

Photo by Dennis Rito, as provided by the event organizers.