MARACAS: a remnant of the past

You heard it right. What was once lost is now found and it could be the other way around; what was now found will be lost.

This might confuse you a little but I bet my story will entail a lot of secrets. Secrets meant to be untold but heck, I'll be telling it to you anyways; and Secrets that are long been forgotten.

COINING OF THE PLACE

It sounds funny because our place here in Maracas, Lahug Cebu City is quite contrary to what the word Maracas really means.

In the dictionary, Maracas is defined as a gourd- shaped rattle instrument filled with seeds or pebbles and used as a rhythym acompaniment.

But our place was never coined Maracas because residents here were fond of the instrument maracas.

I was told by my grandparents that long time ago in our place, there's a famous bar. An entertainment bar to be exact. They would go here for amusement, for dancing ballroom and of course, treating themselves with an oldie favorite, the "tuba".

The bar was known as "Maracas". But to some extent, "Maracas" didn't last long. Economical crisis was probably the main reason why it didn' flourished.

Nevertheless, the residents, desperate to bring back or at least pay tribute to the bar, named our place, "Maracas".

AVANTE-GARDE

At this times, only few people are knowledgeable on the history of our place. Those people who are eager and curious about certain things in the past were surely the ones who know facts about it.

My grandparents presently resides in the remnants of the "Maracas" building. But they renovated almost all parts and managed to create a home.

The comfort room even has a date as to when the "Maracas" bar was built. It was dated April 1933 more or less. That's very old enough!

REMNANT OF THE PAST

So way back 1933, a name had already been reserved for our place. Residents here might not realize the worth but at least few knows. (Including me)

I don't know whether in the years 2100, people might think of renaming our place. Who knows? At least the past had brought something for us.

Long ago, the "Maracas" bar might have served as a happy haven for all tired people and a place of merriment, a place where they enjoyed their "tuba" drinking.

Now, modernization itself changed the people. Bars were turned into Restaurants, hotels, Schools, Department stores and a night-out haven.

There's a big difference. What I just do pray is that people will not forget the simplicity of life.The "Maracas" bar only tells us that above anything, a good home is still the best.