VOLVERTE A CASA
“Come back home”
‘An affair ‘de la generación a la generación’.
SEMANA SANTA 2006
Los Herederos de Don Francisco Esquieres y Doña Dionicia Tagulinao
It was an early Viernes Santo, when the Herederos gather in their ancestral home, in the center of the town, know to us Lucbanin’s as “sa gitna” or “ Ilaya”, to pay tribute and follow a tradition that only the forefathers really understand. It was a time of family piety, that all gather to prepare the “Tres Caidas”, a processional image, a town heirloom, from Don Agapito Esquieres, which will be on procession late afternoon.
After the Camarero Major has prepared and dressed the santos last Jueves Santos, the Viernes Santo preparation is participated primarily by the whole clan of the late Don Francisco Esquieres, the foremost Camarero, who has preserved the santos and his tradition. Led by the Camarero Major, the andas is cleaned by damp cloth and then wipped with dry cotton cloth, then the santos is lifted to the andas, the Señor is the first to be positioned, then the “tres hudios”, and the Virgen, it is always observed that the eyes of the Señor and the Virgen will meet, this is always observed after the decision of including the Virgen in the 70’s. Most of the elders row their seats in front of La Casa de Doña Ana, chatting and having coffee or tea, the Hermanos y Hermanas Majores always seating at the center of the row, draw close to the Camarero Major, dealing with whatever the Santo needs, candles, flowers, and flowers was always an annual talk, plus side comments on how to improve the following year.
Refreshments were served at 10, kakanin, broas, sinukmani, tamales, halo-halo, and other lucbanin foods were served, which the Herederos from Manila and other parts of the country and the globe have long missed for. After an hour of “merienda”, or “minandal”, in Lucbanense dialect, lunch is served at 12, prepared in a hall rented by the Hermanos, seafoods are served: large fish covered with mayonnaise, cheese, grinded carrots and veggies, shells, calamares and other sea foods from Bicol. Lunch was such a festive affair; the Herederos abstain red meat but never fast, for no one can decline the accommodating host.
After a sumptuous meal and “kamustahans”, the clan prepares for the “procesion”, which will be at four in the afternoon.
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