Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

I was one of the research leaders of the Ateneo Cultural Laboratory 2009 in Tayabas, Quezon Province, Philippines. Funded by Fundacion Santiago, the project has released a report offering a comprehensive documentation, analysis, and policy proposals regarding the various aspects of the cultural heritage of Tayabas. This chapter specifically deals with the town's religious rituals which showcase how Catholicism, while deeply embedded in everyday life, also manifests elements that may be pre-Hispanic in character. The paper ends by emphasising a community-based approach to the preservation of these fascinating religious rituals. The report is now in the hands of Fundacion Santiago and the Local Government of Tayabas, both of which are committed to cultural heritage management. Afocusonritualsisveryimportantinthestudyoftheculturalheritageofalocalcommunity.Apartfromservingasopportunitiesforshowcasingtheuniquenessoftheplacetooutsiders,rituals,particularlythosethatemanatefromreligion,arefoundationaltotheexistenceandsustainabilityofacommunity.Indeed,religiousrituals,asclassicalsocialscienceputsit,reflectthevaluesdeeplyheldandsharedwithinthekinshipandextendedrelationships(Durkheim1912/2001).Thisisbecauseritualsaregenerallygoal-oriented“fixedsequencesofactions”performedbythemembersofacommunityandwitha“generalsenseofobligation”(Bowen2002:28).Withthedesiretoshowcasereligiousritualsaspartoforganizedtourismcomes,however,theriskofhavingparticipantsemphasizetheformatthecostofthemeaningfulnessofthepractice.Asritualsareroutinelystagedfortheconsumptionofoutsiders,alastingeffectonthecommunitymayoccurattwolevels.Atonelevel,howlocalsperceivetheiridentityasacommunitymaybeaffected.Losingthemeaningfulnessofritualsthatdrawfromthelonghistoryofthecommunitymaycauselocalstoseetheirownasinferiortootherculturalformscomingfromtheoutside(Foradiscussionfromadevelopmentstudiesangle,seeKelly1999).Atanotherlevel,theeffectmaybeontheattitudeoflocalstowardstouristsandtourismitself.Caseshavebeendocumentedabouthowlocalsinvolvedintourismindustryhavecontributedtothecommodificationofcultureortheexploitativeshowcasingofculturalformsforthesakeofprofitandwithoutregardtotheirsocialcontexts.HowreligiousritualsandtheircorrespondingfeastsarecarriedoutinTayabasoffersinterestingcasesofhowheritage,ortheuniquenessofthecommunity,maybebetterpreserved.Wehaveseenthatwhilethereareritualscelebratedtown-widethatinvitetheparticipationoflocalsandtouristsalike,therearethoseinother barangays thatareexclusivelypracticedandcherished.Giventhenuancestheypresentforabetterunderstandingofcommunity-basedheritagetourisminTayabas,thesereligiousritualsandbeliefsdeserveaffirmation.ThepreliminaryversionofthissectionwaswrittenbytheRituals,Festivals,andBeliefsteamcomposedofgraduateandundergraduatestudentsduringtheAteneoCulturalLaboratory.Fascinatedbythepotentialitbroughtasalocallyorganizedritual,theteamgaveprimaryattentiontothe Awitsa

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