Filipinos have a way of celebrating life (and death at that).
Filipinos just love gatherings and reunions. Be it a family, friends or neighbors. It is not just the crowd, not just the food, but the fun of it all. It is human connection and acceptance … a reunion.
Undas is more than just clean up and visiting cemeteries. Undas is deeper than just lighting candles and saying prayers. It is not simply collecting wax or rolling candle balls. It is both a remembering and being with. Undas is not just remembering and being-in-spirit with the departed. It is a family reunion; a chance to meet people – both the old and new faces … classmates, friends, buddies, and yes, even young lovers. Another celebration of life and family.
For a time, Filipinos celebrate Undas with candles, prayers, music, food, laughter, fun, play, board games and even alcohol. It was a real celebration … of life and death.
But, the practice of music plays and drinking alcohol within the cemetery premises had to be toned down with the new genre of Filipino seemingly bordering on relaxing the preservation of the solemnity of the occasion with much louder music and unruly actions pumped primarily by alcohol. At times, also resulting to violence and crimes. Unwelcome to some, but, proper to many.
Undas is part of the tradition and culture of the Filipinos, celebrated in a way only Filipinos do, that is, pure celebration and family reunion.
“Trick or Treat” and modern Halloween costumes are of foreign influence. But, Filipinos have its own local Halloween costumes related to its Folklores of “aswang”, “manananggal”, “tikbalang”, “kapre”, “tiyanak”, “traditional barong-outfit for the dead”, “white dress”, ”dwende”, and other elemental.
There is also the ”pangangaluluwa” (pa-nga-NGA-loo-loo-wah), that is, likened to singing carols in Christmas, but this time, it’s with mellow songs of prayers intended for the departed (sadly, i haven’t seen much of it these days).
For Filipinos, Undas is a solemn, fun, relaxing, vacation, feasting and reunion mold into one. Imagining how it is only limits this occasion, one must be in it, immersed and involved to really understand and feel how it is. Unlike Christmas, Undas is a rather short occasion, but, Filipinos always have a way of celebrating occasions with lasting memories.
