Reviving the Crisotan
By Denesse Handumon
Originally printed in the Aslag: Sining 2009 Edition
Being in high school meant laboriously spending hours putting up with Balagtas’ Florante at Laura and the undying Filipino classic, Ibong Adarna. Both books are complete with the timeless and most of the time, supernatural struggle for love and the eternal battle between good and evil. Amazingly, both books have followed the proper measurement and rhyme in telling these stories in poetry. It’s actually commonplace to read poems of love and war but has it occurred to you that debating about salient topics could be also in the form of poetry? Most of us know Balagtasan, an argumentative verse usually recited during town fiestas.
The ingenious Kapampangans made their own version of the Balagtasan two years after it was conceived. As Robby Tantingco puts it, “The Kapampangans were so at home with poetry that they even debated in verse.” They named this verbal joust, Crisotan in honor of Juan Crisosotomo Soto. The term was actually coined by Amado Yuzon, the founder of Aguman Crisot who was also hailed Ari ning Crisotan from 1930 until 1979. The first ever Crisotan was held, not in Pampanga, but rather in Sta. Cruz, Manila where Yuzon himself moderated between Lino Dizon and Nicasio Dungo.
Interestingly, the Crisotan though extemporaneous as it may appear, is actually a well-rehearsed debate. It is usually participated by three individuals: the two opposing debaters and a moderator. The entire debate is composed of eight rounds. Each round contains two stanzas each with eight rhymed lines which may be composed of twelve or sixteen syllables. Debate topics range from the importance of gold or steel to the issue of from who does a student learn better, from a strict or a kind mentor and even to the still relevant issue of the appropriateness of making gambling legal.
Sadly, The Crisotan like many other Filipino traditions is slowly dying. The poets who once graced town fiestas with their passionate debates are now in the twilight years of their lives and the advent of the modern era has made the young Kapampangans forget about this impressive tradition. The UP Aguman recognized this and decided to include the Crisotan as one its events in the annual Sining competition. In doing such, it has helped in bringing the Crisotan back to the consciousness of the young generation of the Kapampangans, hopefully igniting their interest in this tradition which we can proudly say is genuinely Kapampangan.
ABOVE: Crisotan 2009. The contestants present the Crisotan piece
"Kaninu ing Parsala" by Rafael Maniago during Sining 2009 Day 1.
Being in high school meant laboriously spending hours putting up with Balagtas’ Florante at Laura and the undying Filipino classic, Ibong Adarna. Both books are complete with the timeless and most of the time, supernatural struggle for love and the eternal battle between good and evil. Amazingly, both books have followed the proper measurement and rhyme in telling these stories in poetry. It’s actually commonplace to read poems of love and war but has it occurred to you that debating about salient topics could be also in the form of poetry? Most of us know Balagtasan, an argumentative verse usually recited during town fiestas.
The ingenious Kapampangans made their own version of the Balagtasan two years after it was conceived. As Robby Tantingco puts it, “The Kapampangans were so at home with poetry that they even debated in verse.” They named this verbal joust, Crisotan in honor of Juan Crisosotomo Soto. The term was actually coined by Amado Yuzon, the founder of Aguman Crisot who was also hailed Ari ning Crisotan from 1930 until 1979. The first ever Crisotan was held, not in Pampanga, but rather in Sta. Cruz, Manila where Yuzon himself moderated between Lino Dizon and Nicasio Dungo.
Interestingly, the Crisotan though extemporaneous as it may appear, is actually a well-rehearsed debate. It is usually participated by three individuals: the two opposing debaters and a moderator. The entire debate is composed of eight rounds. Each round contains two stanzas each with eight rhymed lines which may be composed of twelve or sixteen syllables. Debate topics range from the importance of gold or steel to the issue of from who does a student learn better, from a strict or a kind mentor and even to the still relevant issue of the appropriateness of making gambling legal.
Sadly, The Crisotan like many other Filipino traditions is slowly dying. The poets who once graced town fiestas with their passionate debates are now in the twilight years of their lives and the advent of the modern era has made the young Kapampangans forget about this impressive tradition. The UP Aguman recognized this and decided to include the Crisotan as one its events in the annual Sining competition. In doing such, it has helped in bringing the Crisotan back to the consciousness of the young generation of the Kapampangans, hopefully igniting their interest in this tradition which we can proudly say is genuinely Kapampangan.
ABOVE: Crisotan 2009. The contestants present the Crisotan piece
"Kaninu ing Parsala" by Rafael Maniago during Sining 2009 Day 1.
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