Reliving Memories Along Carantes Street

I don't know when people of Baguio City have become art lovers. I came back from working in Metro Manila for many years and then there are these lovely arts along the streets. One of them is this Filipino and ethnic-inspired painting. It is on the back wall of DBP Building in Baguio City. The building address is along Session Road and its back is along Carantes Street where the painting is.

The painting depicts games, of children and adults alike, in the early days. I can't help smiling looking and reminiscing at it. I even played one of the games.

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At first I thought to just consider this part of the painting but then the rest will give more life to the story so I expanded what I captured.

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This game is what we call palo sebo. It is a game of rubbing a bamboo pole with grease and is usually played during fiesta in the provinces. Either a small bag containing the prize or a small flag is tied to the top. Whoever reaches and gets what's on top wins the prize.

The game I knew about this is that the player just keeps climbing the pole to reach the top, which no one ever won the games I witnessed. With this painting, people help each other. How come no one ever thought of that during my time?

Notice the attire of the players? The ones below are wearing ethnic loincloth which I mentioned on my previous post. As the players go up, the attires change. I wonder, did the artist try to show evolution of garments?

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The next game on the painting is what we call kadang-kadang which is considered to be a traditional Filipino game. It is basically a race that is like walking on poles. The poles are usually made of bamboo stilt with a stepladder to serve as platform of the player's feet. The stepladders on this painting are too high. I played with wooden version with the stepladders just about 30cm from the foot of the poles.

There is another version of this using coconut husks as stepping platform and are tied with a rope which the players would hold on to instead of pole.

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The next scenes on the painting are not games but accents that make the games livelier.

This one seems to be courtship between a soldier who just came home to his beloved.

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This next scene is also not a game but can be a typical scenario during fiesta when there are so many people surrounding a show or a game. People find ways to witness the action, even climbing or hanging by a window and using a camera to zoom in the view.

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And if you're late for the show and your husband is too slow, just carry him and run! The happiness on the faces of the couple seem infectious. Yes, a woman can carry her man. Why not? 😄

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🌿🌞☘🌞🪴🌞☘🌞🌿

This as an entry to the CCC Street Art Contest #113 which is being hosted by @digi-me. Thank you!