‘Rigodon de Honor’

When the Spaniards brought Christianity to out country, they also brought a part of their culture. The terosidonean part of which include such dance as the La Jota, the Flamingos, the Tango etcetera, and of course, the Rigodon which is not partly dance but ceremonial. The music is marshal and the participant walk around in pair in the most graceful way called Raso Lento. Unlike the Square Dance of the American West, they form a sort of rectangle, the shorter side is called Cabesera and the longer one is called Costado. There are five musical parts of different tempo, the last part called Cadenilla is also lively and fasters.

When the American came, they accepted Rigodon as part of the Filipino Culture so that the all social function in Malacanang opened with it event when the occupant was an American Governor-general. All Filipinos president from Quezon to Marcos adapted Rigodon as part of Malacanang protocol.

The early exponent of the Rigodon and possibly the group responsible for its adoption as official highlight of the yearly Katbaloganon celebration were Man Juaning Munoz, Man Berto Cuna, Man Cacoy Cinco, Man Jorge Jazmines and others.

One cannot talk of Rigodon without calling to mind Man Juaning Munoz. Mr. Rigodon himself. We loved him as a taskmaster who demand proper decorum even during rehearsal. I can still recall the punetas exploding whenever some of us would fool around.

In the early years, the Cabesera was usually occupied by the Cabesa de Barangay or the Gobernadoncillo. In the later years our Rigodon was honored by the attendance of Imelda Marcos, Claro M. Recto. Mayor Ramon Bagatsing, Secretary Jesus Perpinan and other prominent figures like Senator Rosales, Congressman Veloso, Justice Jesus Berrera, Mrs. Aurora Recto. These guest were expert, they did not need rehearsal. The Rigodon has by itself become the focal point of the social part of the yearly activities. Each rehearsal (4 or 5 Sunday before the final affair) is a social function itself attended not only by the participant but also by their children, relative and friends, complete with such favorites as callos. lumpia, empanadas, adillas, kari-kari, kinilaw, as merienda fair. The gentlemen would refresh themselves the way Katbaloganon gentlemen are famous for. The usually range from the standard beer to the classy whiskies, brandies, and cognacs.

As the original exponents gradually vanished from the social hall, a new team, no less dedicated, came to take over where they left off. Conching L. Sison, Vicentito Cuna, Nonoy Rosales, Nena Villarin and Antonio Lucero became our new darling in the Rigodon scene. Conching is no taskmaster, but as the leadr, she gets wonderful result with her persuasive persistence.

In the early days of the ceremony Rigodon groups, ‘Kahirup’ of the Visayas, and the ‘Mancumonidad’ of Panpanga survived even after the second World War but later vanish from the social scene in recent years. But the Rigodon of the Katbaloganon has withstand the years in their observance of the Feast of St. Bartholome the Apostle.

The father of the Katbaloganon Association in their humble beginning never realized that in adapting Rigodon as a highlight in their original celebration, they had unwitting founded a religious social institution that has lasted six decades.

This piece was not written to glorify Rigodon itself but rather to give importance to its role in the growth or the Katbaloganon Association which reached even the great North American continent.