Walang Hanggang Paalam (Never Ending Farewell)

 
By Lourdes Dueñas-Blinco
Adelaide-Australia
November 13, 2018
 


Adelaide-November 3: This Joey Ayala classic has haunted me ever since I got introduced to it during the 1988 Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA) dance and theatre movement workshop I attended that summer. It followed me through the years as I continued to meet and then say goodbye to many people and different stages of my life.



Fast forward to my Australian adventure and I had the song on CD packed with me. Technology marched on. Joey and his Walang Hanggang Paalam moved on to my Ipod playlist. But then, every time I heard it, I would find myself stopping whatever I was doing and begin moving to the song.



Now, in my Philippine past life as a stage director and choral & poem recitation/declamation/oration coach, I had visualised a lot of choreography and had students perform them. On one occasion, I even dreamed about hand movements for a choral recitation I was directing. I reckon Walang Hanggang Paalam was subconsciously prodding me to go back to that lost chapter when thinking of stage movements was my breakfast, lunch and dinner. And this year, the opportunity presented itself!

 

To celebrate Ethnic Radyo Pilipino’s 40th anniversary last September, I was again tasked to conceptualise the show. Walang Hanggang Paalam became our opening number to start telling the story of Ethnic Radyo Pilipino, Inc. where I have been a volunteer broadcaster since 2010. Walang Hanggang Paalam was the perfect song to represent the pain of leaving one’s homeland and migrating to another country. Inang Bayan (Motherland) and Juan de la Cruz (Filipino citizen) endlessly saying goodbye to each other. No one to do it so it had to be me if I wanted my imagination to finally see reality. Moreover, a partner in creative crime and a kindred soul, Ben Hur Winter, stepped in to help stitch the movement drama together. The planets had aligned and they didn’t stop there.

 Little did I know that fate was cooking something more. On the first week of November, the singer and songwriter himself flew to Adelaide as one of the featured artists in the OzAsia Festival outdoor concert series. Needless to say, I was so excited to see the singer behind my favourite song. When we arrived at the Lucky Dumpling Market concert area by the River Torrens, Joey and his band were already preparing on stage.We waved our little Philippine flags to get their attention and when they did, Celia Guillermo, ERPI president, approached Joey and shamelessly asked him if Ben Hur and I could perform our movement drama when he sings Walang Hanggang Paalam. No worries, he instantly and gladly said yes. So was this why this heart-rending song haunted me for three decades? O-M-G. Our first attempt on Saturday, November 3, was a surprise as I personally didn’t expect that Joey Ayala would agree to have us perform with him. I was thrilled, nervous and unprepared. Forgot some steps since we didn’t have time to review. But dang! It was the Joey Ayala singing live! Hah!



 

We came back to watch him on Sunday night despite the rain (of all days in spring!). I would have been contented to watch and listen to him once more. Then came the time for his signature song. He called for the dancers to do it again! I was reluctant. I was already happy with Saturday but who was I to resist such rare offering from the Universe? So off to the front again, under the rain! I could feel Joey’s magnificent voice and magical guitar strings clutching my heart while the wet, soggy grass clung to my trembling feet trying very hard not to slip or forget the steps again. I did not. Before I knew it, the song I love so much was over and then, Joey was bidding us farewell. Paalam na naman.



Walang Hanggang Paalam . Who would have thought? But then another song says, “A dream is a wish your heart makes”. Now I’m wishing I was a trained dancer...

For the video of our second performance, you may go to:

Joey Ayala : Walang Hanggang Paalam

youtu.be/tmUCBxYoRmc