Dragon Boat
AS THE DRAGON BOATING SEASON ROARS IN, NON-SWIMMER AND ROWING NOVICE CLARENCE MANICAD HOPS ONBOARD TO SEE HOW HE FARES
awakening the dragon
Waking up dragons is not something to be taken lightly, I mean they’re not exactly friendly. However, as that was the original intention of the popular sport of dragon boating, I had no choice but to get a head start and take off at 4am while (hopefully) dragons were still in deep slumber.
Sunrise met me on the way to Lakeshore, Pampanga where the Second Manila Dragons Cup was to be held later in the day. I first heard of the Philippine Dragon Boat Men’s Team when they won at the eighth IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championship in Australia late last year. At first teased as “hobbits”, they ended up bagging the gold in the 200m race, silver in the 500m race, and bronzes in the 1000m and 2000m events. They even broke a world record. Who says hobbits can’t be heroes? And who wouldn’t want to meet a boatload?
At the tranquil Lakeshore, four dragon boats were moored at the dock, their intricate golden heads and tails impeccable and proud. A barrel-shaped drum sat near the head of the boat, looking much like the mythical creature’s heart. Members of the famed team were busy at the dock. Mostly military men, they were tall and rather intimidating, but they were not competing today, as they were officiating the event. It was to be a competition among several local dragon boat associations – a day for the glory of the sport.
The origin of dragon boating is attributed to the legend of a famous Chinese patriotic poet, Qu Yuan, who, in protest at widespread corruption, decided to drown himself in the Miluo River. Boats raced to save him and parcels of sticky rice were thrown in to distract the dragons from eating Yuan. Today the race is an international sport and a popular social event around Asia, Australia and the USA. As a sport, it’s one of the most watchable, with colorful uniforms, frothing water and the magnificent boats plowing through the waves.
I watched the first teams load the boats. With a man-made lake before them and a faux lighthouse behind, it was a slightly surreal setting for such old, organic vessels. At the strike of the drum, each member struck a pose as though their paddles were arrows they were aiming at the water. With another beat and what seemed like a primeval call from the drummer, the 18 paddlers dug into the water with a ferocity that didn’t register on their stoic faces; and the dragons glided at a speed that left a dent on the flat waters behind them.
It’s a good thing there was no betting on this. The outcome of the preliminary races weren’t determined by how buff and young the paddlers were. From college kids who would break dance at a drop of a coin, to military men who would make you step aside every time they walked by; from speed-demon fishermen from Camarines Sur, to women who usually spend their days in the office; these sports enthusiasts defy all stereotypes and the races were won by all kinds of rowers.
The sounds bring spectators of all ages back to ancient times. Drum beats and mysterious calls from the drummer are answered by uniform grunts from the paddlers. The steerer, standing at the end of the boat sometimes leans forward as though pulling at the dragon’s tail, urging it to move faster still. Sport or pageant? Competition or festival? Who cares? By the time they dotted the dragon’s eyes in a centuries-old ceremony, I decided I must give this a go.
Two days later, I awoke for another early start to head to Manila Bay. I was supposed to train with the men’s team but I was greeted by women in tight suits who were every bit as intimidating. The coach, Annabelle Tario, explained that each training session was a serious business and the Philippine Women’s
Dragon Boat team has had its share of triumphs and medals.
They have big name sponsors that include the Philex Mining Corporation, Spyder Shades, Crocs and the San Miguel Corporation. I told the coach to be as hard on me as she would be her team members. She nodded but “You don’t know what you’re getting into…” was written all over her face.
“Sir, how can I become a writer?” one of the team members asked in jest. I threw the question back at her and asked “How can I become a dragon boat racer?”
In earlier days, paddlers who fell off the boat were left unaided, as sort of human sacrifices. I was not about to take any chances. “Can I put on a life vest?” I asked. “We don’t have a vest to hand,” someone apologized. But I surprised them when I pulled out a vest from my backpack. Perhaps I should have asked: “Is there room for a chicken in the dragon boat?”
Coach Annabelle turned me over to the steerer, Ali Orola to teach me how to paddle. Going down to the boat was already a challenge. “Where are the dragon’s head and tail?” I asked Ali. She said they don’t attach them during trainings. She asked me to sit near the center and immediately demonstrated how to hold the paddle. I got the relax position down pat, but that was just about it. “You have to sit closer to the edge,” she said. I moved slightly but the boat tilted and I hesitated. She assured me it won’t turn over. I moved again and cried out: “Oh yes, it will.”
“No, it won’t.”
“Yes, it will!”
She called for a team member to join us to balance me out. Soon, I was cruising within the breakwater area. Hey, it wasn’t so hard! Ali kept reminding me to keep my pushing hand just above eye level. I couldn’t get it, but at least we were moving. I paddled harder. “Now you’re loading,” the team member who balanced the boat, said. “You’re not talking about cell phones, are you?” I asked. They have all these terms: “Load up”, “Power 70 per cent”, “Power up”, which sounded like a foreign language to me.
They directed me back to the dock and the rest of the team and coach Annabelle joined us. Before I could employ some delaying tactics, Annabelle called us into position and finally, I got to do that dramatic pose and then we paddled out of the breakwaters. Terns resting on buoy ropes scattered. Many fish, small silver ones, started jumping out of the water.
“OK, harder, now!” the coach shouted, and I thought: “Can it get harder than this?” “Power up 80 per cent!” I was at a loss as to how one could quantify effort like that.
To be fair, there were moments I actually felt I was one with them. Fleeting moments. Then again, I kept hitting the paddle of the lady in front of me, which was pretty much the equivalent of stepping on your dance partner’s toes. By the time we were in the open sea, I couldn’t keep up and I had to stop. And that was when I saw how beautiful the bay was at that time of the day. Ships and yachts cruised by. The sky was downcast, the water warm and its sloshing sound was soothing and Roxas Boulevard was calm, almost serene. But the real sight was the team, paddling in unison, their coach standing precariously in front, steadying herself as she balanced between leadership and camaraderie.
When we paused and I was asked by the photographer to stand so that he could see me, the ladies started to hum a striptease tune and to rock the boat. “Hey, don’t! Don’t!” I was faking real fear and they laughed.
On the whole, we paddled for more than 5km in three hours! On the last stretch, coach Annabelle asked them to assume the kneeling position and I had to sit it out.
They put on their knee pads, stood up, and knelt on one leg, securing themselves on the benches and on the indents inside the boat. And then they went on to powerhouse mode. I nearly slipped off my seat. I held on to the boat and still, I was slipping! I had to hold tight. They took my breath away. Waking up sleeping dragons? I may never become magnificent, but at least I got to see it up close that day.
CATCH A RACE
• Boracy International Dragonboat Festival (Summer Sea Sports Festival), takes place from 1-3 May
• The official site of our national team: www.pdbf.com
HOW TO GET THERE
Fly to Caticlan on Cebu Pacific eight times a day from Manila. Fly to Kalibo three times a day from Manila.
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