Some transitions

BENCHWARMER
Ramon Dacawi

ITOGON, Benguet -- They buried village patriarch Tawas Baniwas after traditional rites early last Wednesday afternoon in his home in Tuding, Itogon, Benguet. That’s where he grew up, steeped in the Kankana-ey culture that he and widow Jean (nee Bongawel) passed on to their eight children.

At the final rites, Michael, the eldest of the siblings and a retired from the U.S. Navy officer, spoke of how his father knitted the close family and clan fabric through his adherence to traditional Igorot values. Michael spoke flawlessly in the dialect, knowing fully well his own children, nephews and nieces understood .as well as the long line relatives and friends who came for the wake and burial.

Some years back, I had the honor of having Lakay Tawas sit beside me while witnessing a ritual at the home of his nephew, Wilson Tuling. We talked about Rey Tam and the rest of the disbanded stable of talented prizefighters of the golden years of pro boxing here spanning the ‘70s. .

As ring fans, we shared memories of Little Balsigan, Rocky Arsenio, Jimmy Boy, Johnny and George Tam. I drew from my own coverage of their fights and then tried to shift the conversation to his quiet support to the promotion of boxing here and to the stable boys even after they had faded out and shifted to less glamorous pursuits like vegetable farming.

He talked of Rey Tam like he were his own son. He had seen his rise as the best Igorot- Chinese mestizo prizefighter ever. Rey is a natural southpaw with that unique aggressive counter-punching style that won him the Oriental junior lightweight title with a drubbing of title-holder Apollo Yoshio of Japan. I saw only one solid punch from Yoshio on fight night, I told Lakay Tawas. He savored the memory, his face beaming.

Over the years, Tawas and his wife would visit their kids in the U.S. to celebrate the arrival and growing up of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I know the feeling as I am a spoiled grandpa, too, to two young boys I don’t have the luxury to be with as their parents have to raise them abroad where they work.

-between coddling and watching 17 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, old man Tawas would go fishing, something he wished he could do here. He learned how to smoke the ever-abundant catch and would end up distributing “tinapa” to neighbors like it were “watwat”, the traditional give-away meat during rituals he hosted back home.

Michael recalled how his dad insisted going to the horse races for lack of an Igorot boxer to support or a game fowl to handle. He would bring along to the derbies a grandson to teach him how to place his wagers. “Mangabak met piman no maminsan,” Michael said.

Lakay Tawas was 75. Aside from his wife Jean, he is survived by children Michael, Joy, Arthur, Jimmy, Genesis and Jeanalyn and 16 grand-children and 17 great-grandchildren. His two daughters – Edna and Christine - died earlier.
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This has been a season of wakes and funerals. My good friend Bartolome Cheng also passed on recently at 57. While on this mortal plane, he managed the Unique Printing Press that offered some of the lowest price quotations. Until now, his wife Nida is hard-pressed trying to collect unpaid job orders delivered years ago.

He changed my perspective about business being what it is that time I had him print tickets for a concert folksingers Conrad Marzan and Bubut Olarte were mounting for a seriously ill patient. “H’wag mo ng bayaran; para sa may sakit naman yan (You don’t have to pay for it; anyway, it’s for the sick)” he said while I was asking for the bill.

Later, I had another set of stubs printed, this time for another concert for another patient. As I expected, he said it was on him. I took my order and left, swearing never to have anymore tickets for a cause printed at Unique.
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Days back, I read the card of thanks on behalf of former Benguet Gov. Borromeo Melchor. I saw Gov. Bonjo’s brand of public service earlier, when he would readily offer trucks to deliver highly perishable relief goods to calamity devastated Central Luzon after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June, 1991. He was a life saver of “Operation Sayote”, the relief effort that eventually transported over 250 tons of goods, mostly highland vegetables, to the victims of the natural calamity.

For his quality work in delivering farm irrigation facilities as regional director of the National Irrigation Administration, farmers voted him director of the Benguet Electric Cooperative and then as governor.

On the same obituary section, I saw the card of thanks for former Mayor Mike Angel of Sablan, Benguet. I met him when fellow a fellow student activist borrowed his mimeographing machine for us to print our manifestos cursing feudalism, colonialism and imperialism. I guess that simple act of support to youth leadership and the freedom of expression gave reason for his arrest, detention and interrogation after martial law was declared.

Francis “Kiko” Bracamante was into the homestretch of campaigning for his friend, incoming city councilor Peter Fianza, when he succumbed to cardiac arrest last May 6 The former operator of that eatery behind the Tuba municipal hall had just arrived home from making the rounds when the fatal attack came. Fianza cancelled his campaign sorties to help in the funeral arrangements for a bosom buddy. Kiko must now be smiling up there over Peter’s landing fifth among the 12 winners who will compose the city legislature by July.

Hail and farewell, Lakay Tawas, Gov. Bonjo, Mayor Mike, Ading Bart. and Ading Kiko.(email:mondaxbench@yahoo.com for comments.)