PCN`09

So I went to PACE’s annual Pilipino Cultural Night entitiled “Mahalaya.” I found the name of the production to be really creative since it was from one of SFSU’s professor’s daughter’s name. Mahalaya is made up of two tagalog words - mahal meaning love and malaya meaning freedom. So, the story was based on two lovers that were separated by class trying to the freedom to love amidst all the obstacles they have to face, mostly brought upon by their families and friends. It was taken place around the 1960s in which there was a lot of political activism in the US and in the Philippines.

The main character’s name was Isa, short for Isabella. Her destined lover’s name was Gusto, short for Gusto, whom she worked for. She was his family’s maid and therefore, their feelings for each other was unheard of. Being the gentleman he is, Gusto didn’t care about what his family and friends thought and still pursued his interest for Isa. Gusto’s sister was the main factor that pulled the two apart from each other. She couldn’t accept the fact that Isa and Gusto liked each other and so she pulled them apart using magic and nasty tactics. In the end, Isa and Gusto ended up marrying each other despite everything that pulled them apart.

In between scenes, there were so many cultural dances that I was never aware of. What I liked the most about the dances were the clothes that they wore. Although they were traditional, I liked how most were elegant and colorful, compared to what we wear now - baggy jeans and what not.

I also enjoyed how they show had some really funny parts where the characters would crack some Filipino jokes with the accent and everything. I just love how the audience could pretty much relate and understand it because we’ve experienced it with our own families.

I’d had to say that I truly loved going to PCN because not only did it bring out so many traditional factors about my own culture, but I became more appreciative of who I am as a Filipina. Shows like these make me feel really proud of where I come from and what I believe in.

-Angel