Kampanaryo san Bulusan SADTO

BULUSAN BELFRY THEN

By Joel G. France, Ed. D.
Dimond HS, Anchorage, AK

Salamat sa mga pictures na hale sa waypoint, flicker nan friendster. Special na pasasalamat man kan Abraham Tan na mao sini an nagparapitik para sa Genealogy nan sa Bulusan eGroup, tapos salamat man kan Alma Frades na mao an nagpaluwas san primero na picture san gasolinahan sa simbahan.
(Thanks to the sources of pictures: waypoint, flicker and friendster. A special acknowledgment is also given to Abraham Tan who was shooting these and to Alma Frades who first posted the picture of gasoline station in the church.)

Uya ho, litrato san mga kampana kaupod ni Toti. Malin grabe na ini kaawat ha. Salamatunon kan Palagatik Pana san pilsitan.net sa pagpadukot sini.

(Here. This is the picture of the bells with Toti. It seems very old, eh. Thanks a lot, Palagatik Pana of pilsitan.net for posting this one.)

Kasakit baya mag-translate pa English hale sa Bicol Bulusanon, or genuine Bisakol.

PATARA-TARA

Dianison pagparadumdumon an mga nakaagi na san mga bata pa na nagtutulay-tulay sini na pader san simbahan, an hamot san burak san mga rosas, sampaguita nan kantal sa palibot san kampanaryo. Sadto san nagkakanta pa kami sa choir, an lugar na hagdanan pasakat sa tore mao an amo praktisan san kanta. Wara pa sadto yadto na mga kamanggahan pero an kagayunan diri malilimutan.

Daghanon na an mga nakaagi na prosisyon, mga pareritrato, pistahan, hosanna, pagsaklot, kumpir, kasal, pabunyag na an background mao an kampanaryo na pira na na taon nakatindog sa butnga san ato bungto. An primero na emergency na nabati ko na ginamit an kampanaryo san nagkasunog sadto sa Madlawon, kun diri ako nasala, Marso 1979 yadto nangyari.

Batog sadto aram ko na an iba iba na tunog san kampana, mapa-repeke, punebre, emergency, alas 6, alas 12 or ordinaryo na gahoy para sa sa mga parasimba uru-adlaw. Sa kabutngaan san misa bigla mo mababati an 3 na bagting. Intero na taga-bungto nasabi san "bayaw na." (ba'-yaw). Malin bihira ko man yun mabati sa iba na lugar na bagting sa bayaw. Mayon man ako nababati na iba na nagbabagting san bayaw maski sa papan-o. I-recognize ko man an bungto san Pilar, Sorsogon kay pirmi man nagbabagting sun.

Nakatatak na sa talinga san mga taga bungto san Bulusan an kada tagingting, taguntong san mga kampana. Nataririk an duwa na saday na kampana kun nagrerepeke, dianison pagbatibation lalo na kun hale pa lang sa semana santa na an pirmi ta nababati an mataraka. Maski harayuon kita na nababati an tunog san kampana, natatak an korte san kampanaryo sa imahinasyon. Kun lunampas diyo na minuto sadto, nakaraw ako: "Baadaw si Toti, naglamaw naman." San buhay pa si Enoy Pekto nagdanon man ako pag-sakristan. Nag-uupod ako kan Etog sadto magpalagatong sun na mga kampana. Pasakaton mo ako niyan, aram ko kun pan-o magpatunog sun sa iba-iba na okasyon. San 4th year high school ako, basi diri niyo aram, ako an parabagting san Alas 6. kaupod ko sadto si Joseph Alegria na nasala ngani ako magpatunog, paghuna ko repeke. An pinakamasayon na bagting, an Alas 6 nan an lubong.

May sayo pa ako na nadumduman, medyo mapait, san panahon ni Fr. Pura. May nagsasalbatana sadto san kampana kaya natagingting hamok. Kami sadto na mga nagsisirbi sa sakristiya grabe an nerbiyos sun kan Fr. Pura kay atog ka, an isog sa imo. Naiisturbo an padi san nagpaparasalbatana, ma-alas 6 na kaya ako pakadto na man. Nag-usyuso man ako kun sin-o yadto na nagsasalbatana, kaupod ko an bata ni Parabas, si Rolly Gallinera Jr., kay sakristan man sadto. Sabay kami sunakat sa kampanaryo sa pag-usyuso. Kaya lang bigla lunuwas si Padi sa kumbento may dara na sundang. Nahadok si Rolly kaya runuhab paluwas ako an nabilin. Sugad san tilulumpat na ako sadto sa primero na eskalon kay sa hadok. Pero nagkusog ako boot pagluwas nan pagpaimod sa padi. Pagtangbara ko sa kaniya grabe an init san pandok, kinuraratan ako san layaaas!!!! Oh di ruhab man, wara wara an lobot. Wara man sadto pakiaram nanggad si toti kaya bunagting man gihapon san Alas 6 na wara kami. Kun mababasa man ini ni Fr. Pura, basi in-ulian mo kami, di man kami an nagsalbatana san kampana.

Ini na istorya ko, hale sa kaborot-on ko bilang sayo na tawo na kinadakuan na an kampanaryo na maski kan-o diri mapapara sa isip ko. Lugod pa man maimod ko gihapon an mutang san dati na kampanaryo na pinagsirbihan ko san pira kataon. Aram ko, namamatian ko na an mga taga Bulusan indudumdom ini na sayo na simbolo san ato pagka-Bulusanon. Diri ta ipaghatag na rauton ini san iba na tawo. Kayamanan ini na pinamana sa ato san ato mga ninuno.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

INTRODUCTION

It’s so nice to reminisce the past during the time when we were young walking atop the walls of the church, enjoying the scent of the flowers like roses, sampaguita and kantal surrounding the belfry. When we were still members of the choir, we used to practice songs at the tower stairways. Mango trees weren’t there yet but the beauty can never be forgotten.

There are many processions, picture taking, feasts, hosannas, Easter celebration, confirmations, weddings, baptisms that the belfry which is standing for centuries at the heart of our town served as a background. The first emergency that I know that the bells were used was when the big fire started in Madlawon, if I am not mistaken, that was March 1979.

Since then, I recognized different kind of bell tone styles whether it is festive, somber, 6 o clock bells, 12 o clock bells or ordinary day call to the faithful. In the middle of the mass three you can hear three clangs. The whole town knows that that part of the mass is the breaking of the bread called “bayaw”. I rarely hear it anywhere although there are towns that do this also like Pilar, Sorsogon.

Each sound of the bells is earmarked by the people of Bulusan. When the occasion is festive we could see the two small bells swinging fast around so nice to hear especially after holy week when we only hear wood clappers. Even when we are so far and could here the sound of the bell the image of the belfry flashes in our mind. I used to joke around when the bell was a minute late saying: Toti is sleeping tight. When Enoy Pecto was still alive I also served as an altar boy. I used to climb the belfry with Etog to sound the bells. If today you would want me to do that again I could do all bell styles. When I was 4th year high school, you’d never known, I was assigned to ring the 6 o clock bell with Joseph Alegria. I was even mistaken one time when I sound the bells like festive ones. The easiest ones are that of 6 o clock bells and funerals.

I remember one quite bitter experience during the time of Fr. Pura. There were kids who were throwing stones at the bells with the slingshot. Sounds were alarming. We were usually very fearful at Fr. Pura who was a very strict priest. He is disturbed by the untimely sounds of the bells. It was close to 6 o clock that’s why we were there. I climbed to see who were throwing stones at the bells. I was with Rolly Gallinera Jr., son of Parabas, who was also a sacristan but he ran fast out of the belfry because he saw Fr. Pura came out with bolo. But I stayed anyways. I almost jumped out from the first floor because of fear. But I approached him anyway only to face his anger. GET OUT OF HERE!!! He said. And so I ran very fast. Toti never mind what happened at went on to strike a 6 o clock bells. If Fr. Pura would read this, I am saying, we were not the ones who did that.

This story came from my heart as a person who grew up in the shadow of the belfry that can never be forgotten. I so hope to see the same belfry again that I served for many years. I know, I can feel that most of the people of Bulusan cherish this as a symbol of out town. Don’t give this up to other people. This is the treasure we inherited from our folks.

(An sa walahon ini na in-English kay masakiton an pag-translate)