Documentary
A tribute to the dead
November 1, 2001
PJ Tolentino
Chill wind violently hammers itself against the vastly colored candles scattered all over the cemetery. Children of all walks of life take the opportunity of the dripping wax from the candles alit to entertain themselves from the long, senseless, passive ritual by, creating balls which they pit against other children comparing which individual has the biggest ball of wax. Their parents let them do so for they themselves are too busy preparing food and entertaining visitors of their clan. Some children who are still very young and have no interest in a little ball of wax urge their parents to buy them ice cream from the estimated 300 vendors of candles, toys, ice cream, crackers and the lot. Several privileged ones takes the opportunity to flaunt their wealth by showing off their flashy cars, bragging either about its top speed, horsepower or the how genuine their leather seats are. Some obstruct the placidity of the site with superfluous chatter and the reckless vibration of massive speakers. Some people’s only purpose to go to the cemetery, as I have heard from my colleagues, and I certainly think it is very factual; though I’ve never really seen some people do it, attend only for an inherited tradition of playing cards, which, they say, tend to fortify the relationship of the clan. For all these people mentioned, November 1, 2001, is only celebrated for the purpose of rite of passage. Only some, a very few number, if I must add, and if there is, go to the cemetery to devote a time in their lives, even just once every year in their lives, to pray for their loved ones who passed away.
