Masskara Festival: A Festival of Smiles

OUTLINE

Topic: Masskara Festival: A Festival of Smiles

Thesis Statement: The people of Bacolod should challenge themselves to keep the Masskara Festival even if hardships come upon their way.

I.        Introduction

A.     Meaning of Masskara Festival

B.     The History of the Masskara Festival

II.     Body

A.     Purpose of the Festival

1.      Tourism

2.      Economy

B.     Effects of Masskara Festival to the People

1.      Physical Aspect

2.      Mental Aspect

3.      Social Aspect

4.      Psychological Aspect

III.   Conclusion

A.     Prediction of the Future

B.     Challenge

EXTENDED DEFINITION ESSAY

    Sigue lang Sige na. This was the song that paved way for the development of a famous festival in Bacolod that depicts many people as a very happy person even if hardships come their way. This event is called Masskara Festival. So, what is Masskara Festival? Masskara Festival, also known as the Festival of Smiles, is a 20-day celebration that is defined to attract thousands of people, may it be locally or internationally, because of its colorful costumes and smiling masks. The festival was created as a tool for escapism and a way to generate revenues for big business. It is celebrated yearly between the first and second Sundays of October and it showcases a variety of merry making, beer drinking, dining and the most celebrated part: the street dancing (philippinecountry.com).

In the late 1970’s, Negros Occidental, particularly Bacolod, experienced severe crisis. These include the Navigation’s luxury liner-MS Don Juan accident that killed at least a hundred Negros citizens and the periodic downfall of sugar industry---a primary source of their livelihood. As a result, in the wake of tragedy and economic hardships and the aspiration to pull the residents from the pervasive gloomy atmosphere, government personalities, civic figures and artists with full support from the city government, they decided to create a festival with a primary goal of hiding the sadness and sufferings of Negrenses (byahilo.com). Hence, Masskara Festival was created. From then on, it promoted the city as the “City of Smiles” in order to uplift public spirits and enable them to “keep on smiling” no matter what. Since then the Masskara Festival, symbolized by smiling masks, has been held every October. The term Masskara is a portmanteau, coined by the late artis Ely Santiago from the word “mass” meaning many or a group of people, and the Spanish word “cara” that means face. A prominent and significant item of the festival is the mask worn by the participants in the said activity. Therefore the festival is described to be a multitude of smiling faces making the people somehow escape from the reality that they are experiencing hardships in their life. Masskara Festival was intended as an encouragement to all to fight back and to keep smiling despite the sugar problems, and highlighted that hope still existed.

The said celebration is composed of many features including street dances, pageants, food festivals, sport events, and the like. The main event which is the street dance competition is well-equipped with gyrating participants performing under the sun showing their dancing talents in front of screaming fans and supporters that came from different places. This annual festival, which has become one of Philippines best known tourist attraction, has been earning raves both from local and foreign tourists. Masskara Festival has also been judged the most beautiful and colorful festival among the various contingents from other countries. That is why this celebration is considered to be one of the factors why Bacolod is one of the prestigious tourist spots of the Philippines. One of the main purposes of the festival is to preserve then will and commitment of the people from Bacolod that even if hardships and struggles come in their way, they should always try to smile and they can already forget their problems and do whatever goals they aim and be the person they wan to be. Another reason for the festival is for economic purposes. During the festival, many people are accommodated to their hotels and restaurants adding up to the income of their businesses. The festival also contributes to the tourism of Bacolod. If there is high tourism, there will be high income; if there is high income, there will be enough money for people; if there will be enough money for people, and then there will be no poverty in the Philippines. The province earns so much with this festival that there could be possibilities that it can help in the improvement and the development of the place.

So what are the effects of the festival to the people? Actually, the people are affected physically, mentally, socially and psychologically. The people that in point of fact participate in the actual street dance competition are given the chance to have a leaner and fitter kind of body. Just think of it, many months of practice, hardships and synchronization will not give you even a pinch of muscle. Seriously? Why would you join here if it will no even give you a single benefit? There are also times that the stamina of those people joining here are given much more emphasis in the sense that the dance itself is already lively meaning it requires a person to have agility and endurance. The festival can possibly change the attitude of the dancers and also the people watching how important the dance is. It may instill to their minds how important the festival is to their life and why the city government of Bacolod is doing their job only to preserve the festival itself. The people can also be affected socially and psychologically in the sense that the festival gives them the chance to interact and mingle to different walks of life. It can give them the chance to know what is already happening to their environment through which the festival was created. It can give them the awareness on how people try to change their life and how they make possibilities to live a WONDERFUL life.

There are possibilities that in the next generations, the Festival of Smiles can turn into the Festival of Melancholy. It is because of the problems happening not only in the world especially in the Philippines including global warming, corruption, and even poverty that may lessen the confidence of the people and it may instill to their minds that they can never escape the fact that they are experiencing problems in their life. It is up to the people of Bacolod, the Negrenses, on how they will be coping with the problems they are encountering. They must challenge themselves to keep the flame of Masskara Festival burning.

Resources

Masskara Festival. Retrieved from http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/masskara_festival.html

Dee, Enrique. (2011, March 3). Masskara Festival Schedule 2011. Retrieved from http://www.byahilo.com/2011/03/03/masskara-festival-2011-schedule/#axzz21LfGE9GO