Tagalog Class offers profound experience of joy and discovery of one’s roots and country
The ardent highlight was the stirring rendition of the Triumphal March from the opera “Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi. And so the first graduation exercises of Rizal Center’s Tagalog class concluded.
Verdi’s “Aida” is the traditional graduation march in the Philippines. Its brass section blasts with pride and glory and the violins temper with flowing melodies. Its grand majestic strains served as a fitting prelude to a fabulous Kamayan Dinner that formally closed the book on the Summer 2025 Tagalog Class.
With Aida graduation musical background provided by Circa Pintig and Rizal Center volunteer Mikael Silan, each graduate was awarded a certificate of completion by RC Executive Director Jerry Clarito, flanked by teachers Connie Triggiano and Sally Richmond.
(L-R) Sally Richmond, Jerry Clarito, Larry Leopoldo, and Connie Triggiano
(L-R) Sally Richmond, Jerry Clarito, Bailey Andras, and Connie Triggiano
The first graduates, all US-born, experienced a broadening of cultural horizons, moving closer to the Filipino milieu that their parents and generations of relatives lived and still do.
They showed determination in studying the rudiments of Tagalog and transforming them into phrases, expressions and finally sentences that make sense. They learned Balarila (grammar) and practical conversations: self-introductions, getting to know their classmates, expressing everyday activities in Tagalog, grasping the meaning of idioms, acquiring correct pronunciation and accent of words, picking up strange sounds and nuanced roles of “ng” and “mga,” and diligently following the oftentimes confusing conjugation of Tagalog verbs. They had fun pronouncing and understanding phrases like “Bababa ba?” (Is something going down?) and the challenging “dumadagundong,” “kagilagilalas” and “umaambon.” But they enjoyed exploring the warmth and comfort of the legendary Christmas in the Philippines, and discussing about Philippine history, heroes, local courtship traditions, romantic expressions, family titles, dances, living conditions, and food.
The Kamayan Dinner was hosted by students Larry and Ginger Leopoldo and a testament to Larry’s culinary skills, a favorite topic in Tagalog discussions. Kamayan is traditional Filipino style of eating, originated from how communal eating by time-constrained Filipino farmers was once held. Kamayan is still considered the Filipinos’ ultimate grand feast especially for large gatherings.
The table was first covered with swaths of fresh banana leaves where portions of each food type were neatly measured out. Dispensing with fork and spoons and using only one’s fingers to eat, Larry’s Kamayan feast in the class’ last day consisted of a variety of Filipino fare: lechon kawali, ampalaya with eggs, salted eggs with tomato, pancit, longganisa, lumpia shanghai, fried bangus, chunks of fresh watermelon and pineapple and the ubiquitous spicy vinegar for dipping.
The group enjoyed a spirited conversation throughout the meal. Voices in Tagalog and English, continuing from the huddle from the just-concluded graduation rites, ricocheted in the Kamayan. There was much laughter as the group extolled the delicious fare.
For these overseas Filipinos in Rizal Center’s last day of Tagalog class, it was a profound reflection, even for a moment, of the joy of discovering the essentials of family roots and country.
Enrollment is now open for the next Tagalog class that starts in September. For more information, call program facilitators –Connie 847-275-4139 or Sally 773-433-0053.
Connie Triggiano is currently Board Secretary of Circa-Pintig, a Chicago community theater organization. She works as Academic and English tutor assisting foreign students to pass IELTS, TOEFL, Celpic, ESL and other English exams to gain admission to universities in English speaking countries. She also trains greencard holders to pass US citizenship exams and interview. She worked for many years as Vice-President of Chicago-based Leo Burnett Advertising in its Manila office where she managed the advertising accounts of the country’s biggest brands: Procter & Gamble, Pepsi Cola International, BPI, Vicks, Wyeth and Cathay Pacific. She edited a travel newspaper in Singapore and taught college freshmen in a local university. Connie graduated with a BA degree, major in English, from the University of San Francisco in California while working as an information officer for a United Way agency. She took up MS in Advertising at the Asian Institute for the Development of Advertising, UST Graduate School.
Leave a Reply