April 9, 2009

Keeping the flame alive

In the Philippines, April 9 is Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), a holiday meant to commemorate and celebrate the bravery and heroism of Filipino soldiers during WWII, especially in the battles of Bataan and Corregidor. The surrender of the starving and emaciated Filipino and American soldiers in Bataan did not mark the end of their suffering—the Japanese forced them to walk 97 kilometers (80 miles) to their prisons in what is now called the Bataan Death March. This bronze flame is the Ateneo Heroes Memorial, the university's small way of remembering its alumni who fought during the war. It stands in front of the Church of the Gesù and is dedicated to Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero and Ateneo alumnus.

Ateneo Heroes Memorial

19 comments:

  1. Cezar and LéiaApril 9, 2009 at 8:41 PM

    Great post Hilda!
    Beautiful angle in this picture!
    Léia

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  2. OlivierApril 9, 2009 at 8:52 PM

    cette flamme est un bel hommage pour ces hommes qui ont fait l'histoire de ton pays

    this flame is a beautiful tribute to those men who made history in your country

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  3. LoisApril 9, 2009 at 9:34 PM

    That is a beautiful and touching memorial Hilda! You took this picture at such a pretty angle.

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  4. JamesApril 9, 2009 at 10:46 PM

    Beautiful photo of a great memorial.
    *Salute* to the fallen and to those who overcame.

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  5. pennyApril 10, 2009 at 2:09 AM

    This sculpture is a fitting tribute to all who gave so much. Thank you for sharing, Hilda,

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  6. Juergen KuehnApril 10, 2009 at 2:13 AM

    Thank you for the case history along your photo. I like the angle against the clouded blue sky.

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  7. HalcyonApril 10, 2009 at 2:45 AM

    A very nice tribute!

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  8. AnonymousApril 10, 2009 at 4:25 AM

    ooh, I like this sculpture very much!

    I'm away over the Easter weekend - hope you have a very happy and blessed Easter Hilda.

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  9. marleyApril 10, 2009 at 5:26 AM

    Nic feature. You can really tell it is representing flames.

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  10. LowellApril 10, 2009 at 7:01 AM

    Lovely memorial. I'm afraid in our system of education we do not allow enough time to deal with things like the Bataan March in detail...

    I taught American history and there was never enough time to cover what I thought was absolutely crucial...

    So, it seems whole generations are growing ignorant of the sacrifices and bravery of their ancestors, which is a shame.

    Hopefully, monuments like this may help bridge the gap by prodding folks to ask questions.

    Your composition is very dramatic and effective, Hilda.

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  11. VPApril 10, 2009 at 7:21 AM

    Maybe I am older and have a passion for history, but the story of your post is quite familiar to me. Be sure that someone, somewhere knows and appreciates the sacrifices of these brave soldiers.
    Thank you for this post, I didn't know of this deserved memorial which you caught so effectively.

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  12. Steve HarrisApril 10, 2009 at 11:33 AM

    This is a great picture. I really like the contrast of the dark sculpture and the sky. Very nice!

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  13. crosslinksApril 10, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    great shot...seems the monument is 'burning'

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  14. MeApril 10, 2009 at 5:47 PM

    thanks for sharing a part of your country's history with us!

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  15. UnknownApril 10, 2009 at 7:18 PM

    Great shot!

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  16. lv2scpbkApril 10, 2009 at 9:47 PM

    Beautiful skywatch photo.

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  17. GeorgeApril 10, 2009 at 10:24 PM

    I like the perspective of your photo of the bronze flame. I think it's a wonderful memorial to those brave men.

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  18. EG CameraGirlApril 11, 2009 at 5:11 PM

    I like the angle you chose to take this photo from. It's a great sculpture to remind us of the supreme sacrifice war demands of us.

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  19. AnonymousApril 13, 2009 at 4:12 AM

    Easter happy holidays.

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Thanks for visiting and letting me know!