The Battle of Dona Maria

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The Battle of Doña Maria
By Zack – July 13, 2009

Two weeks ago, we celebrated Independence Day with a simple backyard barbecue. When evening came, we could see the fireworks from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo flickering in the distance. The show wasn’t grand from where we stood, but it was good enough for me—it sparked memories of a different kind of fireworks from my childhood.

Growing up on Doña Maria Street in Santol, we didn’t have dazzling fireworks. What we had were paputok (firecrackers) to welcome the New Year—and, of course, our homemade bamboo cannons. We used kerosene as the charge: a little fuel at the base, heated with a candle through a small hole. Once the gas mixed with oxygen, all it took was a flame, and BOOM!—a thunderous explosion echoed through the street. For added excitement, we launched empty Carnation milk cans as projectiles.

One afternoon, just before New Year’s Day, the neighborhood boys gathered for our version of war. We split into two groups, each manning a bamboo cannon. I was the cannoneer for my team, straddling the long bamboo tube, loading it with a milk can, and aiming it toward the “enemy” about fifty yards away.

The air filled with smoke and laughter as we fired volleys every half minute. Then—bang!—a shot from the other side rang out. I looked up just as a milk can struck me squarely between the eyes. A perfect hit. Blood streamed down my face, and for a moment, the battle felt all too real.

Fortunately, our neighbor, a nurse, came to my rescue. She patched me up quickly: just a half-inch cut on the bridge of my nose. A dab of Mercurochrome, a bandage, and I was back in action—though the battle had officially ended.

And that was the legendary “Battle of Doña Maria.” A childhood war fought not with fear, but with laughter, courage, and the clanging echo of milk cans.


Related Post: Happy New Year: Philippine Style

LUCENA CITY--A retired band member in this city has fashioned a cannon out of a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe, turning it into a hot-selling noisemaker to welcome the New Year.

John Almario, 37, got the idea from the "boga" cannon invented by the Caviteños.

He bought a red PVC "bazooka" in Cavite last year, tinkered with its parts and mechanisms, added some innovations and came up with his own design.

Comments

Linda G said…
Mercurechrome----now that's a word from the past. I can almost smell it. We would run when Mom got the little glass bottle out.
October 16, 2009 at 6:24 PM
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