On our first day at Leyte National High School, Obed, our dynamic, much loved host teacher, instructed his 10th grade class of high performing super students to create a welcome program for us TGC fellows, and Sana, the IREX coordinator. They flew with this assignment! Left alone to prepare for large chunks of time, they created an elaborate program which included a song, a traditional folk dance and a choral welcome to the Philippines which began with a large swathe of fabric covering the 40+ students who were set up in a rectangular tier in front of the audience. They moved and chanted, and waved their hands colored in red, blue and yellow in a spectacular, beautiful presentation which joyfully celebrated our arrival in this beautiful archipelago.
The school principal and Obed, were as impressed by the creativity, and innovation of the students as we were. The sense of pride and respect was palpable.
Over the next few days we had the great good fortune to witness the Pintados and Sangyaw festivals for the first time since Yolanda. They brought out thousands of people from all over the region, and gave us a visual feast. The Pintados parade culminated in a dance competition at the stadium, where local communities had up to 7 minutes to perform dances celebrating Santo Nino, and the history, (old and new), of the Visayas region. i say new history because several of the dances told the story of Yolanda, visually portraying the terrible death and destruction she brought, and celebrating the resilience and rebirth that has followed.
The school principal and Obed, were as impressed by the creativity, and innovation of the students as we were. The sense of pride and respect was palpable.
Over the next few days we had the great good fortune to witness the Pintados and Sangyaw festivals for the first time since Yolanda. They brought out thousands of people from all over the region, and gave us a visual feast. The Pintados parade culminated in a dance competition at the stadium, where local communities had up to 7 minutes to perform dances celebrating Santo Nino, and the history, (old and new), of the Visayas region. i say new history because several of the dances told the story of Yolanda, visually portraying the terrible death and destruction she brought, and celebrating the resilience and rebirth that has followed.