Celebrating the Feast of San Jose at the Camiña Balay nga Bato

The Feast of San Jose is celebrated every March 19 with a big fiesta in places honoring the saint be it a city, town or barangay. But the one I experienced a few weeks ago was more than just the gastronomic side - it was a feast alright but in a different setting. Not just because it was held during breakfast time but it also included a traditional ritual which brought back a lot childhood memories.

I joined the feast at the Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo on that day and it brought the memories of yesteryears. I was no more than 10 years old when I witnessed the "San Jose" ritual in my lola's house in Molo. I can still vividly remember the "role-playing" which had elements of eating, washing and "kissing".

As explained by Sir Eugene Jamerlan (of the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council), this ritual is a tradition in rice-producing places like Iloilo. It is a sort of welcoming San Jose and his family into the household to also welcome abundance especially in rice production.

The ritual starts with all the guests welcoming the Holy Family with songs and prayers. As the tradition goes San Jose is played by an older man while Mary, a young maiden; together with a boy who plays the Child Jesus. In the purist tradition (in far away areas), the cast for each is selected from among the least fortunate workers and/or relatives of the household.

As the ritual continues, the "Holy Family" is fed by the masters of the household (in modern times VIP guests) - just for the ritual purposes.

Then the washing ritual takes place before to the culminating activity in which the guests pay respects to the "Holy Family". Starting the Child Jesus, the devotees kiss (or bow low in front) representation of the family, in this case framed photos (which is wiped with cotton with alcohol every after guest). In some households, guests kiss (directly) the hands or doing "mano po".

Donations are given in which the three cast will split among themselves (which sort of explains why in purist traditions the least fortunate are chosen).

The the gastronomy begins. As this was breakfast (our host family attended the 6am mass at the Arevalo Church then), traditional Ilonggo breakfast fare was lain on the table which included dried seafood, choriso, fish and pancit molo, among others.

There were also native delicacies like alupe and the specialty of the house - tsokolate E with ibos and ripe mango.

It was indeed more than all the delicious food we had that day. It was witnessing an age old tradition of a family whose devotion to San Jose extended more then having two images on him in the family's oratoryo. It was a living tradition shared by family and friends in a perfect setting - the Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo. (Reposted fron 2013)

Many thanks to the ever gracious hosts - LTO Regional Director Gerard Camiña and his businesswoman wife, Luth.

More photos on Flavours of Iloilo on Facebook.

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