NEW FACLA NEWS
April 17, 2014

PABASA OR THE PASYON AT FACLA ON THE HOLY WEEK, APRIL 16-18, 2014

Los Angeles—In celebration of the SEMANA SANTA or the Holy Week, the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles Inc. (FACLA) has started last Wednesday, April 16, the Filipino-American Community three days of the Filipino tradition of the PABASA NG PASYON NG POONG HESUKRISTO or the singing oral tradition of the Philippines during the Holy Week.

FACLA invite all people who knows to sing the PABASA to join in this tradition. FACLA will be open from 9:00 AM in April 16, Holy Wednesday up before 3;00 PM on the Holy Friday for 24 hours from April 16 and 17.

A Call For the PABASA

We also call on the public not only those who knows the PABASA but also especially the younger Fil-Am youths and students and their organization to learn and participate in the PABASA .This is agood opportunity for them learn more about their culture.

They can also bring cooked foods and refreshments for the PABASA readers at FACLA to keep them awake and strong during the two 24-hour period of non-stop reading.

FACLA President Austin Baul Jr announced this today in anticipation of the next two weeks of the Holy Week celebrations of the Filipino American community.

The FACLA president also announced that FACLA will open the social hall for two nights and three days for 24 hours of non-stop singing of the PABASA ( Reading which is actually reading by singing).

History of the PASYON or the PABASA

The PABASA became a tradition when the Spanish colonizers of the Philippines used the oral tradition of singing of the Filipinos to spread Catholism for the more than 300 years they occupied the Philippines. The Spanish used the passion of Christ and the Tagalog Language written in BAYBAYIN for the PABASA or the PASYON during the Annual Holy Week of the April.

Different Tribal traditions in the Philippines have a rich oral tradition like the DALLOT and DAN-DANIW of the Ilocos and the Cordillera , KUNDIMAN and KUDYAPI of the Tagalog regions during the Pre-Spanish period.

This was continued with the new forms that the Spanish introduced and enrich, integrating this oral tradition with the DUPLUHAN, SARSUERLA, MORO-MORO and the PABASA or the PASYON.

For more information about this cultural event at FACLA, please contact Clarita Julian of FACLA or Bernie-Targa Ganon at (213)484-1527. Or please email us atnewfaclayahoo.com

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