Damayan Flares Up the End of Summer [02 September 2006]

Before summer finally came to an end this year, Damayan gathered some of the warmest people in The Netherlands to share an afternoon of pinoy film-showing, videoke singing and lots of barbeque eating. This Tigum-tigom of Filipino and Dutch cultures was held last Sept 2 at a cosy abode in Grootmeesteplein, Utrecht. Incidentally, it was also the birthday celebration of Damayan’s new auditor, Josephine Galang-de Boer. She generously prepared the mouth-watering barbeque served during the occasion.

To have a glance on an aspect of Filipino culture, the belief in superstitions, everyone was enjoined to watch the film "Feng Shui". It is a suspense thriller-type of movie, which stars Kris Aquino. The story started when Joy, played by Kris, and her family moved into a new house in a sparsely populated village. For them, this signals a new beginning, a new hope at life. On a not-so-fine day, Joy saw and picked up a package left by a co-passenger in a bus. She realized that it contains a "bagua", a red hexagonal object with a circular mirror at the center which is usually put on walls above house doors for it is believed to drive bad lucks away. Thus, the title Feng-shui, the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space, which is claimed to achieve harmony with the environment.

Joy tried to return the bagua to the owner but she was not successful. Being superstitious herself, she kept the bagua and anticipated good things happening to her and her family. Little did she know that this object is cursed. That is, every good luck she gained is paired with a bad one, even death, to each of her friends and loved ones. As the movie proceeds, more deaths and terrifying scenes scare the hell out of the audience. The plot generally points to the suspenseful discovery of how the curse would end.

After the movie, everyone shared in a scrumptious meal composed mainly of grilled chicken, pork and sea foods, with vegetable salads and desserts on the side. For more fun and entertainment, some had the guts to lead the crowd on to videoke singing and dancing, maybe after a few glasses of beer and wine. Altogether, the event had been gezellig! Everyone enjoyed a harmonious company of two different cultures.