How Dipolognons Party
By: Rheynolds Gaylan
 

Later in the day, at about 9 o’clock in the evening, several hundred Dipolognons gather in the vicinity of Mennen’s Gift Mart and almost occupying the entire street of Rizal Avenue for the 2^nd San Miguel Beer Street Party. This gathering is part of the annual Fiesta celebration of the Holy Rosary Cathedral of the Parish of Dipolog.

The party started with some colorful fireworks, which this writer later realized that it was kind of a preliminary stimulant to uplift the vivacity of the people. The organizers were successful in doing this as the crowd slowly moved in closer to congregate around the stage and at the same time enjoying the music as well as the good beer.
 

Activities like these bring out the best of Dipolognons in their effort to show how much they truly enjoy social gatherings. It is difficult, if not impossible, to truly define how Dipolognons party. All that can be done is to pick out some common occasions and probably describe their native behaviors in the process.

Dipolognons has very close family ties. That is why they have great respect towards each member of the family and they never neglect to invite every single relative in their family gatherings. Since nobody is left behind every occasion like birthdays, weddings, picnics and most of all the town fiesta is expected to be a large and important affair. It will also be obvious that you can expect the food to be sufficient, if not delicious, to please visitors who come and dine into their homes.

Many of the party and fiesta dishes that you’ll expect to be served by a typical Dipolognon will bare names like caldereta, embutido, pansit, adobo, relleno, morcon, paella, callos, etc. No Dipolognon occasion is complete without the famous lechon or roasted pig on a spit, aside from taking up most of the space in the table, it is the most favorite dish by guests and hosts alike. The succulent and crispy skin is eaten with a sweetened sauce of liver paste.

Dipolognons normally arrange the entire meal on the table when they eat, instead of handing out the dishes one by one. Some foods are being served even after it is piping hot as a result of this preferred condition. When its time to eat everybody is called in to gather near the table and the host may conduct a little prayer before eating. Dipolognons prefer to eat with their bare hands but in other occasions, some eat with the use of spoons and forks.

Probably the most significant gesture of a Dipolognon during parties is the sense of “pakikisama”. Pakikisama may be freely translated as the thorough implication of companionship. During the party, a Dipolognon stands out of the crowd by way of his dealings with the people around him. He can be most understanding, unselfishly helpful, and participates cheerfully in any conversation.

Such is the profile of how Dipolognons behave during parties. Like all the people the world over, he has imperfections but he, too, has his vigor and with these he uncovers the path that he travels to and through the society in which he exist. Undoubtedly, Dipolognons have a deep social concern with everything that happens around them – the novelty of how they carry their family’s honor and the variations of their actions towards other families and the happy occasions associated with it.

So be it a town fiesta, a cousin’s wedding, a family picnic, a birthday party, or any other celebration, surely, Dipolognons will manage to delight in enjoying the limelight – every second of it.