soledad - why is there such a fuss about it?

i first joined Soledad when i was 12,
i did because Ma would get mad at me if i didn’t.
it was okay not to see the meaning of what i was doing then,
i had my excuse – i was young.
and besides, my friends were joining, too,
so it was a chance for me to socialize:
agui-agui, arak-atak, pangisiyan, etc.

then college came,
and i only went back to Baao during breaks:
sem, Christmas, summer.
on said breaks, Ma would again urge me to join
and play for Ina on Good Friday.
and because i was in my age when i’d rather do other stuff
than mingle with the old,
it was annoying,
and Ma & i would fight,
i even got pinched a lot of times,
for resisting her “suggestions”.
but i would oblige, even when i was branded as “sutil”.

career and the pursuit of then, my dreams,
took me to far-flung places
and made me miss some Good Fridays in Baao,
and that meant, i forgot the music, too.
it was only in 2001 that i was able to rejoin,
and to my utter disappointment and mild disgust,
the group was dwindling and the music
(for the lack of a better word) sucked!

my life then was in turmoil,
i needed to do something,
i needed a mission,
a purpose and i found one in Soledad – in my solitude.
and i became determined.
i talked with john and posed a challenge to him,
which he took, so we embarked and journeyed,
although in the middle of the trip john tripped,
i continue to pursue a vision,
that has been quite elusive till now.





a community band named:
“Estudiantinas de la Soledad de Baao”
– the name is quite lengthy, but who’s minding? not me.
with job and audie at the helm of the abandoned reins, the vision is clear.
with the sisters in the hood (ritzie, tootsie, anne lilette)
& the brotherhood of the trees (matt, audie & job),
what can we NOT do?


So, why is there such a fuss about Soledad?

if one is not from Baao, one need not understand nor bother to know. but i, and my friends who are rooted in Baao, know, in our hearts, why we go ways to keep the music playing!

Soledad!
Para ki Ina!
Para ka Baao!
Para ka Jovenes!
Para kanato ngamin!