As promised pictures of one of the most bizarre events I have ever witnessed and that includes all the usual festival carry on! Set off at 6.30am to Pampagna which is about 100km north of Manila. Went with our language teacher Ferdie for what he termed as cultural immersion - little did I realise how literally he meant it. He explained we were going to see devote acts of penitence where penitents self flagellated and were actually crucified on Good Friday. We arrived just outside the town at about 7.30 to see find the young male flagellants warming up for their big day. They had started beating themselves with the whips of bamboo to get their back "ready" for the first cuts. The cuts were made by someone who wouldn't look out of place at a traditional gallows - big, fat with a bald head chain smoking as he did his work. He was paid 10 peso (10p) for each penitent and sliced their backs and covered in water to get the blood flowing. Given the large numbers of people using his services it was clearly a very profitable day.
The lads had their faces covered with rather pretty leaf garlands around their heads. It is traditional for the penitents to cover their faces so people didn't know who they were and traditionally they wore black sacks. Those in the black sacks would have seemed rather menacing swaying side to side in rhythm slapping their backs if it wasn't for the carnival atmosphere all around. U can see the crowds gathered in the photos - the ice cream seller got to business early selling the kids ice cream - whole families followed the "whippers" perched on top of tricycles videoing the whole show.
It soon became apparent that in this modern age black sacks were rather passe and that all manner of colourful scarves were substituted including ones with cannabis leaves on! There was rather more machismo than penitence as gangs swaggered up with cigarettes in mouths taking whips put of back pockets , limboing up for the start!!! The other thing that was noticeable was that the trousers around the bum style, popular in south London, was favoured with brand named underpants on show - white was most popular and it soon became apparent why once the blood really got going.................
The immersion didn't take long to begin as we realised the blood was being splattered all over the place from the whips and took refuge behind and then in the car!
We followed the processions to the church were the whippers lay on the floor while they were beaten some more by their friends - those without bamboo poles merely used their flip flops. Clearly the "assistants" relished their roles and also got some kudos by association - rather similar to carry the record box into a nightclub I suppose.
Then it was off to the main event! It was easy to find as we simply followed helpfully erected street signs saying "this way to Crucifixion" Now that's not a street sign u'ed find at home!
When we arrived at the site it was like arriving at cream fields except security had machine guns. If u were on the guest list u got to sit on a raised platform with a better view of the stage - press got its own raised platform - we hadn't got any eflyers or advance tickets so had to muscle down to the front for a good view of the first act.
It was a long wait in the blazing sun - luckily u could buy almost anything there from the hawkers and stalls that had set up all about - hot dogs, whips, cutters, binoculars and cycle gloves???? Surprisingly no t-shirts . Marc thinks this could be an opening for him next year! However there were very cute little Jesus effigies on sale with their own wardrobes so they can have a change of outfit each day. Surprisingly no Crucifixion accessories though -(see picture)
The whole experience was getting bizarrer by the minute when I realised I could hear REM loosing my religion in Gregorian chant being played over the loud speaker. As u can imagine what with the sun , lack of sleep and noise and mayhem from the crowd I did actually wonder whether I was hallucinating at first - the music then moved onto I can feel it (Phil Collins) and Stairway to Heaven and much worse !!!
Just before it all became too much the main act arrived and Jesus and his pals turned up. The crowd were clearly very excited. Despite being warned that there should be silence when they arrived the crowd let out loud oohhhs when the nails went in. I half expected a round of applause! We only saw the first 4 cruifixtions - well once u've seen one they're all pretty much the same! We resisted the souvenirs and decided to make an early exit and avoid the crowds. All it really needed was house music and I would have thought I was at some alternative theatre show at Glastonbury.
Whilst the whole thing was very irreligious those being crucified seemed to be taking it seriously as U suppose one would. On reflection the whole spectacle was probably much closer to how a real crufixtion was in roman times than I first suspected, with the crowds all out for the day to see the Christians strung up as oppose to being in a ,ore sombre mood. I suspect then as now those facing the hammer and nails were the only ones not in the holiday mood!
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