A misty-eyed look at 1st Sandugo Kuradang

Last Friday’s Sandugo street-dancing competition had a new twist.  It had infused kuradang, a native Visayan dance practiced in Bohol, Cebu, Leyte and Panay, that might had a culture shock for the Boholano millenials.

The kuradang dancing competition, the reinvented street-dancing festival competition, used the kuradang as the main basis and inspiration of this year’s dance competition to make it more rooted in Boholano aesthetics in music, dance and content.  It had also put emphasis on the Sanduguan of Miguel Lopes de Legazpi and Rajah Si Katuna.

The kuradang dancing competition, the reinvented street-dancing

 festival competition reflects the soul of Bohol.  Leo Udtohan/Chronicle

There were eight contingents- Holy Name University, Bohol Island State University, Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School, and the local government units of Balilihan, Mabini, Baclayon, Loon and Tubigon- who accepted the challenge.

The performers tugged at the audience’s (including yours truly, Liza Macalandag and Doris Dinorog-Obena) heartstrings, with its nostalgic body movement, music and earnest look at traditional Boholano dance.

I chanced upon Prof. Marianito Luspo at the street-dancing competition. He said the “Bangga sa Kuradang ug Subli sa Sandugo” was new and untested. But Friday’s reactions from the audience and dancers, it seemed kuradang has seeped through the fancy of the Boholano young and old.

“They feel..it comes from inside of us. It is not something that is imposed from outside.  This is something worthwhile, something we can proud of, something we can claim our own,” Luspo said.

Kuradang is dance during social gatherings such as birthday, baptism, wedding and fiesta because of its lively moves and the life it gives to the gatherings. It is dance with the accompaniment of the rondalla that it makes kuradang flared, brisk and romantic.

The kuradang, a courtship dance, imitates the playful "birig" or courting movements of the aggressive rooster and coy hen.

The province’s official dance is kuratcha Boholana. However, many people considered kuradang their unofficial dance because of its popularity and familiarity in the island.

I grew up watching kuradang and balitaw in some gatherings, fiestas and programs. The low profile Ubi festival gives importance to kuradang and balitaw as one of the highlights of the festival.  It has the best kuradang dancers (from Sevilla, Catigbian and Loboc) discovered during the contest. The dancers have mastered the awkward movement of the body, the stamp of the feet, the twist of the hips and snaps of the fingers. 

Yes, I shed tears seeing this year’s contingents gave justice to our own dance. I was overwhelmed they showed us how to dance the kuradang with dignity and pride.

As I went home, the soundtrack of my memory keeps playing a Max Surban song, Sayawon ta ang kuradang, ang sayaw nga kinaraan, maoy paborito sa mga tigulang, ang nindot nga sayaw nga kuradang...Yes, indeed: I can say that Kuradang dance reflects the soul of Bohol. Thus, kuradang for Sandugo was just perfect.

SANDUGO 2016 RESULTS

Bangga Sa Kuradang ug Subli sa Sandugo 2016

MINOR Awards
Best Pair for Kuradang King & Queen - Brgy. Napo, Loon, Bohol
Best Pair for Sikatuna & Legaspi - Balilihan LGU
Best In Costume - Holy Name University
Most Authentic Group - Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Most Colorful Group - Brgy. Napo, Loon, Bohol

MAJOR Awards
Best In Kuradang Street Dancing - Brgy. Napo, Loon, Bohol
Best in Sandugo Reenactment - Balilihan LGU

2nd runner up - Balilihan LGU
1st runner up - Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
Champion - Brgy. Napo, Loon, Bohol

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Doctor warns against swallowing santol seeds

The market stands are packed with santol (cotton fruit), a delicious yellow-orange fruit Filipinos love to eat.  Imagine, the ripe, soft and juicy santol fruit can make out mouths watery.

But, swallowing the santol seeds can be dangerous.

Dr. Carlo C. Gurrea warns the public particularly

 children not to swallow santol seeds. Leo Udtohan/Chronicle

Two weeks ago, a 51-year-old man was hospitalized after swallowing 120 santol seeds.

Bienvenido Fernandez, a resident of Barangay Putlongcam in Alicia town, at least 103 km from the capital city of Tagbilaran, binged on santol last Tuesday night.

Fernandez said he ate about 30 pieces of the fruit, which had four seeds each. Instead of spitting out the seeds after gnawing its sweet and sour flesh, he swallowed all 120 of these.

The following day, Fernandez was brought to the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City after he complained of stomachache.

The physicians conducted an ultrasound on his stomach and decided to conduct a surgery if he would not be able to flush out the seeds on his own.

Fernandez was able to defecate the seeds one after the other by Friday night.

Most Filipinos have the habit of swallowing santol seeds because they were unaware the seeds would post a serious health threat.

Dr. Carlo C. Gurrea has warned the public particularly children not to swallow seeds since the seeds are indigestible.

“It may cause intestinal injury,” he said.

Gurrea, a practicing surgeon, also said that if the intestine is punctured, germs can escape to the stomach and cause infection which might result to death if not treated in time.

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