The Tambora Festival of Currimao

By Elizabeth M. Raquel

NCCA-NCLA Coordinator for Northern Luzon

After eight years, Tambora Festival reached its peak when the people of Currimao, Ilocos Norte endorsed their full support. The people realized how important and significant the newly founded festival is thus its continuance has been pushed through without fail.

Today and in the years to come, Tambora Festival will become a part of the lives of the people of Currimao more so to the initiator of the festival, Currimao Vice Mayor Rosario Chua Go, who is keen on the renaissance of culture and folk arts which are embedded in the festival. Seeing the all-out support of public and private sectors as well as the barangays, the vice mayor gave the go signal that Tambora Festival would become a regular festival of Currimao.

With the support of the local government unit of Currimao, Tambora Festival empowered its growth through the Department of Education-Currimao district, the church and other denominations, the barangays, and the civil society organizations. These entities moving as one empowered it into an attractive and eye-catching festival of which today, Tambora Festival has made this coastal town of Ilocos Norte famous here and abroad.

The woman behind it

It is an accepted fact that most women possessed such great skill and interest in culture and the arts. Rep. Imelda Romualdez Marcos (Ilocos Norte, second district), former First Lady of the Philippines is one of them. Like her, the first woman municipal executive in the person of Go could be matched to the former First Lady. She became an advocate of cultural renaissance during her watch as Mayor of Currimao for nine years. She created through her own initiative the Tambora Festival, the Dinaklisan Festival and the Tuno Festival that placed Currimao as one of the nerve centers of colorful festivals in the province.

(Back row from left) Currimao councilors James Gavino, Ricardo Pascua, Isabelo Aglipay III, and Richard Racuya, (front row from left) Currimao councilors Loreto Vidad and Kent Raguindin, Currimao Vice Mayor Rosario C. Go, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos, Sen. Bongbong R. Marcos Jr., Currimao Mayor Gladys Go Cue, Currimao councilors Joselito Ragonjan and Jaime Flores. (Photo courtesy of Ely Raquel)

Today, there’s a lot admiration for her laudable project by the people. Aside from her culturally inclined self, she is most remembered as the woman who has stirred the tremendous growth and development of Currimao. The quest for progress was never doubted because she has in her mind the determination plus the energy to translate what she has in her mind.

Behind these stupendous forces, she had never neglected the development of the culture and folk traditions which were never restored and developed before the town came to existence. Side by side with the equally progressing socio-economic development including culture and the arts under her watch, Currimao has become a tourist destination up to now.

Present administration

The Go clan established its supremacy in ruling and developing Currimao that was started by the late patriarch of the family, Mayor Ernesto G. Go. When the son, Mayor Wilbur C. Go took the baton of leadership from his father, he turned the wheel of progress for the town. Unfortunately, he was assassinated in 1998 that turned the town gloomy and in despair. But the assassination eventually made the Go family stronger in their political supremacy of the town. So, when the time of local election came after the tragedy, Rosario C. Go, widow of the late Currimao Mayor Ernesto G. Go and mother of the slain mayor boldly and bravely entered the political arena declaring herself available to be mayor of Currimao. And the people upheld her overwhelmingly because they believed that she could be able to push through a great change and transformation which her husband and her son started. The people did not fail in their expectation.

After years in power, then-Mayor Rosario C. Go yielded a tremendous social, economic, political, educational, cultural and infrastructure developments of the town. She remained in power for nine years until her daughter, Gladys Go Cue succeeded her in the 2010 election.

The Go factor remain high

“Like Mother, like Daughter” was the popular description to the mother and daughter tandem leading Currimao to progress and prosperity. They also gave emphasis on festivals. They believed that festivals of songs and dances reduced anxiety and worries but on top of this, it elevates the town to the highest level of entertainments.

The Tambora Festival remained the happiest festival because it coincides with the Christmas celebration and the people are in their highest spirit of celebrating the Birth of Jesus and the Tambora at the same time. People from all walks-of-life had to go at the Town Plaza to witness the dance parade and other forms of entertainment. It is fortunate enough that not only the town’s people were watching the celebration but visitors and tourists as well as to cheer the flamboyant dancers wearing bright and colorful costumes.

A visitor commented after the show, “It’s an awesome display of extravagance of songs and dances.”       

A balikbayan of the town exclaimed,” I like it! And I enjoyed very much.” Another balikbayan said that Tambora is a replica of the Hula Dance Festival in Hawaii.

(From left) Currimao councilor Ricardo Pascua, Currimao Mayor Gladys Go Cue, Margarita Allado of Brgy Pias Norte, Severino Dadoy, and Guillermo Reynon. (Photo courtesy of Ely Raquel)

The recently concluded Tambora Festival and the spectacular presentation of songs and dances were made possible through the support of the Lady Mayor of Currimao, Gladys Go Cue. She hired choreographers to provide technical assistance and direct the show.

Site of Tuno Festival of Currimao, Ilocos Norte. (Photo courtesy of Ely Raquel)

The lady mayor of Currimao after the success of Tambora vowed to make it more flamboyant in the succeeding years so that more tourists will come to Currimao and enjoy the festival.