45 YEARS IN THE MAKING
The first reunion of Class '72 of Hagonoy Institute was finally held in our house in 0793 M. Santos St. Sucol San Sebastian Hagonoy, Bulacan a few days before my wife and I returned to Palau after 22-day vacation from July 21-August 11, 2017.
My classmate Nicomedes Reyes Garcia, right, is the 'advanced party' for the other classmates of us that attended the reunion. My first grandson, Zach, joined the photo session. I prepared the keyboard that I donated to the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Halang, Hagonoy Bulacan locale for the occasion but I was able to play only 2 songs during the 2-hour reunion -- "Song For Anna" and "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
SRI LANKANS LIKE
FREDDIE AGUILAR'S SONG
"ANAK"
When I worked as musician in Bahrain (Jan. 1987-April 1989), I noticed that there are more Sri Lankans in Bahrain than Bangladeshis in Palau.
Being a musician, I know by heart the song of Freddie Aguilar "Anak", which was recorded in many other language (Japanese, English, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, etc.) When in Japan, Freddie sang the Japanese version of "Anak" which is "Kodomo" or child.
As what happened in other places where Freddie sang it in their native languages, foreigners prefer the original lyrics of the song which states: "Nang isilang ka sa mundong ito" (When you were born in this world) "Laking tuwa ng magulang mo" (How happy your parents are) "At ang kamay nila ang iyong ilaw" (And their hands are your light).
The Sri Lankan that likes this song said to me, "I like the Filipino song "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar because it mentions about our country." I asked in what way?
And he sang it--"Nang Sri Lanka sa mundong ito".
EVERY TIME I TELL THIS STORY TO A FRIEND/COLLEAGUE/FELLOW FILIPINO, IT ALWAYS ELICIT A SMILE/LAUGHTER FROM THEM.
During the rest day of 2018 World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, the 14 members of Palau Chess Team toured the city of Batumi in a rented Mercedes Benz van driven by a Georgian driver and his assistant.
The last part of the tour is where Palau Chess Federation President Eric Ksau Whipps and his wife Joy rode on a cable car and we proceed to the place where they will get off and walk about half kilometer to the parking area.
While waiting there, (Left to right) Tito Cabunagan, new Candidate Master (CM) Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr., Bobot Tan, Rustum Cabuso and Angelo Salvadora are talking in Tagalog when I took this photo. I thought this is the right time to tell them the "Anak" joke.
"When I was in Bahrain in 1987-1989, I noticed that there are more Sri Lankans there than Bangladeshis. Unlike in Palau, there are about 10 Sri Lankans and more or less 700 Bangladeshis in Palau.
One day, a Sri Lankan told me that he likes the song "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar. I said, "Oh yeah! You know him." He said yes and added that he likes the song "Anak" because it mentions their country in that song. I asked him how? And he sang "Nang Sri Lanka sa mundong ito".
THERE'S A LOUD LAUGHTER AMONG ALL OF THEM!!!
One of them teased Tito that I have also brought some jokes with me. Always during our gathering, like eating lunch after watching the Georgian dancers show with GM Eugene Torre and the Open and Women's Team of the Philippines, Tito is always the leading joker among us. It's the normal Tito, always down to earth and funny.
He added during my "Anak" joke that Jesus Christ is a Boholano, or a man from the province of Bohol in Philippines. He told the joke in Tagalog but when he mentioned the part that Jesus Christ is a Boholano, he spoke it in native Boholano dialect where only him could understand. The punchline is not effective.
Tito is one of the 4 judges in 2018 Palau Royal Resort's Christmas Party where the theme is "Wild Wild West" in the PRR Got Talent competition. My original partner with my group (Father and Son) Jay Orio, said he cannot perform on stage because he is shy. I replaced him with Gerry Medrano, Elizalde Madrinan and Troy Manatad. But they are also members of other groups doing dance numbers. They will not allow Eli and Troy to be with 2 groups so I asked the bartender Benny Billones and security personnel Rodney Yakuchil to perform with me with comedy skit and one of them is the joke about "Anak".
Tito knows already that joke and we practice only one time at Conference Room on the eve of the Christmas Party. We just received a consolation prize of $50.00 where I gave Benny and Rodney $15.00 each and for me--$20.00.
***While in Bahrain playing Greek music with bouzouki players Antonis Sergio, Akis and Helen and later Mavroudis, I replaced the part-time keyboard player whom I thought was an Indian keyboard player. Through Facebook, I was able to have communication with his son Mario Ranasuriya and he gave me the Facebook account of Antonis, who is using Antonis Bouzouki.
I found out lately from Mario (April 11, 2020) that his dad Mahendra and him are Sri Lankans so I am sending him this link for sharing the joy/fun of Freddie Aguilar's song "Anak".
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
December 29, 2002 -- October 15, 2017
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
Soon to be published as a book
Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 25, 2013 -- October 15, 2017
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- October 15, 2017
This black and white flyer of Khayam Taverna (Greek Restaurant) in Bahrain features its 3 resident musicians -- -- Akis, bouzuki player, Helen -- singer and Roberto Hernandez, keyboard player in 1988.
(Flyer designed by Michael Stankiewicz)
PLAYING GREEK MUSIC IN BAHRAIN
WHEN I accepted an offer to play keyboard with a Greek (actually Cypriot) bouzuki player in January of 1987, I only know one Greek song – Never On Sunday. I didn’t anticipate that we will be playing 90% Greek music.
During my first week, I sat near the stage where I am studying the style of playing/accompanying of an Indian keyboard player (part-time) playing with Antonis Sergio, a good-looking, gigolo -type Cypriot musician.
The Indian keyboard player uses his left hand as ‘bass’ and the right hand for chords and additional accompaniment. For one week, I listened to cassette tape music that they are playing every night. At first, it sounds all the same to me. That’s the biggest challenge in my musical career.
Antonis has his own rhythm box that has a set-up for the most complicated beat that I encountered, the 9/8 beat. In my more than a year partnership with Antonis, I can’t play the 9/8 beat without stomping my left foot just to get the feel of the beat.
My first two weeks with Antonis is the most difficult part. But after 3 months, I can sing Greek songs which became the reason for Antonis to get lazy. Usually our playing schedule is I play solo instrumental music from 8:00 – 8:45 pm and then 15 minutes break. We play together for 45 minutes starting at 9pm and 15 minutes break up to 12:45. On Thursday evening, it's up to 2:45 am especially if there are lots of guests because Friday is rest day in Bahrain and other Arab countries.
When I can sing and play some Greek songs, Antonis break became 30 minutes as he lets me play extra 15 minutes alone before he joins me for 30 minutes. It keeps going on for a while until Antonis contract has expired and he was replaced by Cypriot couple Akis and Helen.
This time I don’t have to sing because Helen did the singing most of the time. I remember one time when they are arguing about the way Helen is singing without much expression. Akis likes Helen to sing all out in every song which is impossible to do if she is singing about 20 songs a night.
Helen never sings standing. She is always sitting while singing which is not a good thing to see a performer sitting while singing. It’s okay if she’s playing a piano but she’s not.
My partnership with the couple lasted only a few months and they were replaced this time by Mavroudis, a very sentimental guy who always misses his baby girl. He treated me once to a Dairy Queen food chain and he’s crying in front of me because he misses his wife and daughter.
A few months before the end of my 2-year contract, I’m playing by myself as Mavroudis can’t handle being away from his loved ones. My contract was extended for another 3 months before I went back for good to Philippines in April 1989.
One of my funny memories with Antonis was when Mr. Abdullah requested a song to him “Zorba, the Greek”, which he knows very well and we’re playing it every night. He said to Mr. Abdullah, “I don’t think I know the song.” It’s just a way of Antonis to make Mr. Abdullah do something so that he will remember the song.
Mr. Abdullah then would ask a waitress to change his 20 Bahrain dinars into single ones. He will ask her to staple 10 single Bahrain dinars to make it like a “dinar lei”. He will then put on our neck 10 dinar lei each and presto, Antonis remember the “Zorba, the Greek” right away!!!
It is also in Bahrain that I met my high school classmate (1973) Remedios Bautista Roy. At first, she is not sure that it’s me. She asked the waitress if the name of the keyboard player is Roberto. When she said yes, she asked her again, “is his surname Hernandez?” When it’s confirmed, I sat with her and her Lebanese employer. They are just passing by in Bahrain for a week. We haven’t seen each other since graduation—15 years.
During that week, she borrowed $500.00 from me which she was able to pay fully in pesos while we are staying in Philippines in 1989. During her final payment, she went to our house in Hagonoy, Bulacan and gave us jackets that they are making in the factory, as a show of gratitude.
I was able to teach some students in Bahrain as part-time job. I taught Pakinee Shuler, a former Miss Thailand who is married to an American banker. Also I taught 3 Taiwanese girls in which the youngest one, 8 years old, is doing better when she’s eating something while I’m teaching her!
When I’m attending church service there during summer, the mass is shortened by 30 minutes because it’s too hot. It’s the same thing during winter where it’s too cold.
Playing the keyboard by using my left hand as bass was the best thing that I’ve learned in Bahrain which I was able to apply that technique when I come to Palau in 1992.
A 3-member band (lead guitarist, drummer and keyboard player) became and sounds like a complete band because of that technique when I played with Wilson Prima and Willy dela Cruz at Image Restaurant in July 31, 1992 till 1994.
Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 8-9
Volume 21
Issue 54
August 09, 2012
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