“November 1- Majority of the Filipino population observe All Saint's Day (Araw ng mga Patay). During the Araw ng mga Patay Filipinos remember their dead, clean the graves, and decorate them with flowers. The Filipino Classifieds, in honor of this very important holiday has asked our kababayans in America to share how they remember their dead. Here is one of the most interesting ones…
Because I’m a musician (Vocalist/Songwriter/Guitarist), I always get invited to a big bash Musicians E-Group Halloween Music Jamming Party performing as one of the musician jammers( performing doing my own original songs, doing my rendition playing my guitar or w/the band) & also as one of the Judges who the best band is & individual musicians. We always have a blast with different kinds of performers! Considering that the majority attendees are Filipinos, we get to invite other nationalities too to join the fun & show them how we Filipinos party to the max! These coming parties in The Swiss Bar Grill, all of us are encouraged to wear costumes since there is a contest! I have been celebrating Halloween the American way ever since I got here in 1985.
When my sister opened her door for "trick or treat" on our first year, I was delighted to see a different costume & giveaway candies! To me it was fun, because, you get to be who you want to be during Halloween.
What I enjoy most, is the art of every costume the way it was made & the designs, colors, details of it, maybe because I’m an artist & came from a family of one whom my brother is a charcoal , pastel & oil painter that I admire.
I still remember, bringing my daughter to do trick or treating in every neighborhood we lived in the area, from Cupertino where we first moved to Brentwood where we previously finished high school. Now that she's a grown- up girl, she gets to join me perform where my gigs are. My family will be with me in this occasion together with all our fellow Pinoy musicians to celebrate this American tradition. The following day we plan to visit my dad’s resting place in Skylawn Memorial the following day to also not forget our own Filipino tradition to visit our dead. I’m hoping my mom feels better to join us there. We will end our weekend going to a nearby Pinoy Resto on Sunday on our way home going back to Elk Grove, Cali which is now our new residence.
Happy Halloween to you Mel & the rest of the crew of Filipino Classifieds! Ahooooooooooooo, Ahooooooo, Ahooo, ahoo, awwwwww!!!!!!!!
Juliet Argoncillo Suarez
Vocalist/Songwriter/Guitarist
Phone 925.813.2272
Email julietsuarez@comcast.net
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