Yesterday was April Fool’s

Historically, the first of April is associated with two things. In 1901, General Emilio Aguinaldo took his oath of allegiance to the government of the United States on April Fool’s Day. Second, by sheer coincidence, various important past newspapers were established on that day. First was La Opinion, a daily Spanish paper edited by Carlos Peñalosa that began in 1887. Then in 1902, El Mercantil edited by Jose Maria Romero started operation. Finally, The Tribune, the English sister publication of the Spanish La Vanguardia and Tagalog Taliba completed the triumvirate that became known as the TVT.

Now April 1st is best recalled as April Fool’s Day in many parts of the world. It goes by different names. Sometimes the victim is called "Fourth month dunce". In France, they are referred to as "April fish"; in Scotland they are called "April gowk". The so-called "Feast of Fools" extends way back to the Roman times and it may be by mere coincidence or may be related, but the fact remains that the Hindus have a similar celebration on March 31st called "Huli Festival". In Tagalog, huli means "to catch" and that is the purpose of the Hindu Huli festival – to catch a fool.

Unlike some American practices like Valentine’s Day and Halloween, April Fool’s has not been absorbed by Filipinos. This is probably because we have our own version of a Fool’s Day when we commemorate "The Feast of the Holy Innocents" as part of our Twelve Days of Christmas celebration. It is observed exactly like April Fool’s Day. We have always believed that Holy Innocents’ Day should be dedicated to our street children for they are the Holy Innocents of our times. In Christ’s time, the Holy Innocents were the slain infants that King Herod had when he heard of the birth of Christ. So the Holy Innocents were not only the first Christian martyrs, they also died in place of Christ. Their feast is our Fool’s Day since the Spanish times.

The only way that April Fool’s can become a meaningful celebration in the Philippines is if we make it either the official national election day or the day when the annual session of both houses of Congress starts. We would like to end this column by quoting a classic poem on April Fool:

"When Uncle Robert got his mail

That First-of-April morning

(Now, absent-minded people all,

Just read and take a warning),

"Among the business bills and slips,

And cards of invitation,

And friendly notes, he found, at last,

One queer communication.

"It took but little time to read –

A moment but to con it:

The two words ‘April Fool!’ were all

That could be found upon it.

"Then Uncle Robert laughed and said:

‘I’ve heard of funny blunders

In superscription and address,

Ang many puzzling wonders,

‘And seen epistles left unsigned.

This goes them all one better:

For here’s a man who signed his name

And forgot to write the letter!’– Abby F.C. Bates"