SAMPLE RITUAL CELEBRATION

(Based on Students’ Submission 2 years ago) (Group of eight students)

Theme: Celebration of Life and Love

Objects (Mostly taken from what they shared in SEE part Topic 1)

1. White cloth or blanket ---signifies life

2. Family picture – most important for me
3. Key chain – gift of a special friend
4. Ring – passed on by my mother
5. Necklace – given by father
6. Bracelet – gift from sister during SHS Graduation
7. Bond paper rolled like a diploma – symbol of SHS graduation
8. Medal – Salutatorian in SHS

Steps of the Ritual:

1. Students enter to the center part of the room coming from outside the door in a straight
line.
2. As the walk towards the center each student perform an outward downward motion by
walking on tiptoe/ down/tiptoe/down
3. At the center they form a circle and continue with their upward/downward motion for 5
times.
4. Then the students face each other and hold a tip/part of the white cloth (kumot). Attached
to the kumot/white cloth are all the items listed above
5. Then, they start to raise their hands with the cloth up / down/ up/ down.
6. Every time the cloth is raised up they all shout: “ YES”
7. They continue doing up/ down/ up/down while moving clockwise/ counterclockwise for five
times.
8. Then, they stop moving but keep their hands with the cloth upwards for 10 seconds.
9. Then they start moving again in circles, in tiptoe/down/tiptoe/ down with the cloth raised
up.
10. Then they break the circle and stop to move in a straight line towards the door.

Interpretation:

1. The white cloth signifies life.

2. The items on the cloth signify experiences in life: Pleasant, unpleasant, joyful, etc.
3. The line formation signifies our entry to life.
4. The upward/downward movement reflect the ups and down of life
 5. The moving-circle signifies the movement of life and love in the world Sometimes smooth,
sometimes rough: full of contradiction and conflicts.
6. The continues-movement of the circle also means that no matter what, life goes on.
7. The raising of the cloth and the shouting of “YES” means that no matter what happens we have
to give our yes to life and offer it to God.
8. The straight line going out means when the time comes whether we like it or not, we have to go.

NOTE:
1. Two years ago, students were also required to perform the Ritual and present it.
2. The students perform the ritual using background music from the “Kalinga” Area of Northern
Philippines