By: Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
A Crown of Flowers for Mary and How Flores de Mayo Keeps Faith Blooming
When I was little, my dream was to be an angel in the midst of flowers. The dream became real starting one month of May, with my older sister, Aurora. We were invited to attend the Flores de Mayo performing the role of angels bringing flower to be offered to Mother Mary. We welcomed the invitation with gladness in our hearts.
The Flores in Baclayon was started by Nang Coring Real Manding
It was my Lola Danday who prepared the angel’s wings and all the trimmings including the crown of flowers crafted by Anding Pilar. Anding Pilar is Nang Maeng’s mother. She really had this talent for making paper flowers. They designed these flowers beautifully and the big letters of the AVE MARIA were adorned by her. Flores de Mayo then was a grand affair for young girls. The event was purely for girls. The Flores de Mayo in Baclayon was started by Nang Coring Real Manding. She was educated at Sta. Isabel in Manila before the war. She brought Flores de Mayo to our town.
When we grew a little older, we had to graduate as angels. We were elevated to another role where we were already allowed to choose our white dress for the Flores de Mayo. Kinahanglan gyud nga ang among sinina binoktonan ug ang gitas-on sa among sayal kadtong gitawag ug midi nga mulapas gyud sa tuhod. Unya ang pilo sa sayal dihay pa-abong aron magamit pa sa sunod nga tuig ang sinina aron tangkason lang. Ang among sapatos may pagka lu-ag ug dyutay, taghuwat nga modaku na ang among mga tiil. We changed our footwear only when the pair was already destroyed, otherwise, we brought these to Nong Roman’s place for shoe repair. During those days, durable and good shoes were not sold in small stores. The branded ones were found in big stores like the Rubillar Shoe Palace and another store of the Chiu family located in the town of Cortes.
The bouquet prepared for me from the kalachuchi of my Lola Danday
There was always a practice, for the Flores de Mayo with
Nong Tekyo, Nang Loleng, Ingko Lumen on the lead. Manding Iyay was the novena leader and Custod was ready with her stick to control the unruly kids. Everything and everybody had to follow a straight line with participants arranged according to height. We never abhorred the discipline; we loved the way it was implemented and we enjoyed the magic and mystery behind the theory of “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
My Lola Danday planted a kalachuchi tree so we would not go to Payahan or Taguihon to gather kalachuchi flowers. So, in my present home in Taguihon, I have planted several trees whose flowers are for everyone to pick. But I noticed that there are no takers now. Akong namatikdan nga gamay na lang ang pundok sa mga dalagita nga motambong sa Flores de Mayo. And in today’s celebration of the daily Flowers of May, young boys are already participating. They are the ones carrying the big letters AVE MARIA.
Propriety in dressing up was part of the lesson learned in the Flores de Mayo of yesteryears. I also noticed that most of those in the Flores de Mayo today are septuagenarians and octogenarians like me. And we are happy that the beautiful songs of the Flores de Mayo are reverberating in the church halls making us teary-eyed as we listen to the songs and hymns.
This may not be part of the Flores de Mayo, but talking about style in dressing up, I’m happy that the lady senators are wearing regular working clothes, in contrast to the ladies in Congress. For me, the terno is associated with Rigodon de Honor. Actually a peacock dance for a very special occasion.
In this chaotic times, let’s reflect on the reason for the devotion to the Blessed Virgin. “Oh inahan namong dalangpan, sa mga kalisud among manlalaban”.