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| Mama Sita's children celebrate her birthday with choir and rondalla. |
By Nancy T. Lu
Celebrated recently in a nostalgic atmosphere of love and
joy was the birth centennial of the Filipino culinary icon Teresita “Mama Sita”
Reyes. A serenade or harana both romantic
and patriotic in spirit fanned reminiscences of the halcyon days of the older
generation.
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| Teeresita "Mama Sita" Reyes |
Full appreciation of the Filipino cultural heritage seemed
the intention of the event’s organizers. The Andres Bonifacio Concert Choir
under Jerry Dadap and the RTU Tunog Rizalia Rondalia under Lino Mangandi came
together at the UP Film Center in Diliman last September 29 to bring back the
heartfelt kundiman era of a distant
past.
Baby boomers and those even older watched and enjoyed the
gently flowing singing which sparked flashbacks of a period of traditional
courtship songs in Philippine music history. Folk songs like “Sa Kabukiran” in the program captured in vivid detail the idyllic
countryside settings immortalized in Fernando Amorsolo’s rustic paintings.
Wasn’t Ruben Tagalog the kundiman
king who warmed listeners’ hearts with his soothing rendition of “Ang Dalagang Pilipina” in days long
gone? Didn’t soprano Sylvia La Torre flirtatiously sweep through the high notes
of “Ako’y Kampupot” and leave her
audience breathless many years ago? Young vocalists this time stepped into the limelight
to perform these beautiful music compositions to the delight of the young and the
old alike.
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| Jerry Dadap and Romy Vitug |
Songs like Constancio de Guzman’s “Bayan Ko,” Francisco Santiago’s “Pilipinas Kong Mahal,” and Jerry Dadap’s “Awit ng Pagkakaisa” stirred nationalistic fervor and pride. Dadap
was even commissioned to compose “Mama Sita March: Awit ng Pagkain” for the occasion.
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| The Reyes family gathers around a dinner table in an old photograph. |
Photographs from old family albums shown during the program
highlighted an outstanding Filipino mother who taught her children Filipino
values like love and nurture of family as well as care for fellow countrymen.
She cooked enthusiastically for her children savory native dishes. When Mama
Sita had the chance to travel abroad, she observed how overseas Filipinos missed cooking the familiar and flavorful recipes of
their homeland due to the difficulty of buying the needed ingredients.
Over the years, the family of Mama Sita has undertaken to
develop, launch and market successfully a whole range of mixes, sauces, condiments
and spices to facilitate the cooking of well-loved Filipino food especially
abroad. The list of products keeps building up. Mama Sita has emerged a brand name
associated with lutong Pinoy or
Filipino way of cooking.
A pair from Malolos, Bulacan – hometown of the Reyes clan –
stepped forward to engage in what seemed like balagtasan on the topic of Mama Sita as exemplary mother, cook and
Filipina. Before the night was over, 92-year-old writer Virginia R. Moreno waxed poetic about Filipina achiever Mama Sita’s success in promoting Philippine cuisine and good nutrition. Her
cookbooks, she pointed out, have found their way to famous national libraries in London and Paris.
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| Clara Lapus |
The Mama Sita Foundation led by Clara Lapus, the 4th
of 11 Reyes children. planned and made the memorable harana happen. The award-winning cinematographer Romy Vitug
documented the event.
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| Virginia R. Moreno |
Invitations to the
event suggested a Filipiniana-inspired dress code. The men wore their barongs and the women showed up in kimonas and even ternos. Two paper-mache
giants known as higantes welcomed guests to a merienda of pancit bihon and champorado. The chicharon and
chips dipped in vinegar of different kinds proved irresistible. Guests finally headed home humming harana songs in their minds.
