Santacruzan: Passion and Fashion

Santacruzan is Filipinized term for the way to the Holy Cross. It is one taste of the Filipino culture that anyone could see as part of the May flower festivals, at least in largely Catholicized places in the Philippines. Sagala is a more common term that refers to a parade of beauties. Hence, the term is interchangeably used with Santacruzan, because the stars in the commemorative event are bevvy of beauties, that local community has. But not everytime though.

The Santacruzan is a parochial affair. A Hermana Major is assigned in a community to make the necessary arrangements for the parade. This is usually a woman, of an older age, someone who has leadership potentials or at least influence in the community. Santacruzans are organized locally, as in a baranggay or a village. She also chooses who will be in the parade, and who would portray the most coveted Reyna Emperatriz and Reyna Elena titles.

It's not just a parade, there is a competitive aspect into it. The Reyna will have to dress the most beautiful gown she could have, find something from the baul, have one custom-made, buy from the ukay-ukay or rent from a gown collector. They just have to dress up gorgeously because everyone else in the community will lay their eyes on them.

The ladies dress up fashionably. Some others just dress up even though they end up to look like a fashion victim. So we see and hear people after the Sagala to be conjuring up comments, some good others bad. More often it becomes a fashion event rather than event that shows the passion of women and men to find the way to the Cross.

The historicity of the Santacruzan is associated with the representation of the Queen Rome, Constantine's mother, and her passion to find the original cross where Christ was nailed. It portray's Christianity's growth. Thus, it must present what Christ values the most - filial love, simplicity, charity, piety and fortitude in faith. Where are these now?

These queens go with a consorte or an escort. But sometimes you can find a lady with two escorts or an escort with two ladies. This is a confusion of modernity so to speak. To critical mind, it is understood to imply a message that it is alright to be not so filial. In life, monogamy is a virtue. Portraying such situations reflect postmodernity, worst a hedonistic lifestyle - that one can choose to have several partners or have two or more lovers at one time.

To shine at night, the ladies and even the men could not give an excuse to wearing make-up. To some ladies, make-up does the magic, but to others make-up makes them look "parang natutulog lang".

Citiwide, regional or national Sagala's are rare and they are organized for commercial purposes. The authentic Santacruzan or Sagala is what you can find in the local community streets. The ladies here dress up so fashionably, and sometimes exposing much of their skin. The preparations are too grand and expensive.

As a cultural artifact, the Santacruzan adds to the richness of the Filipino culture. As to its religious association, there are many things that we have to reexamine. How is fashion event shaping the passion of the Christians that view it? This I think will be more meaningful in holding this annual community event.