Resilience of Humanity and of Those Who Come From Away
Resilience of Humanity and of Those Who Come From Away
Feature art by Abigail Manaluz
We have all heard people say that the world changed after 9/11. A nation devastated by a tragedy that claimed thousands of lives. The resilience of the people who fought to rise above was truly inspiring. The first responders who sacrificed their own lives to rescue another. The beauty of humankind is found in compassion, and Come From Away displayed this wonderful act of goodness.
All flights going to the United States had no choice but to land somewhere else in the aftermath of 9/11. Gander, Newfoundland found themselves with 38 planes in their measly airport with over 6,500 people, including passengers and flight crew. Being a small town, this became a huge dilemma for them. How can they provide care and shelter for these terrified foreigners? How will they be able to feed all of these people, knowing that their population was only under 10,000 during that time?
Despite coming from someplace else, folks of Newfoundland welcomed them with open arms. They opened their gyms and ice skating rinks for these people. Some even welcomed these stranded people into their homes. Supplies rationed just so everyone can meet their basic necessities. The locals eventually came to embrace these strangers and soon, a community was formed, with some passengers even helping out in preparing food for everyone.
Nothing was ever the same after 9/11. Most people lost a loved one. However, despite the awful and devastating aftermath, there is kindness in humanity. Connections were made that remain unbroken even today. The memory of the tragedy cannot be erased from their minds, but thanks to these people who selflessly gave their time and effort to help them heal past from this and move forward to their lives.
Watching GMG Productions’ production of Come From Away gave me chills and felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions. It was the right decision to mount this production with such talented people who dedicated their time into getting to know their characters, even talking to the real life inspirations of the characters in the musical. They are aptly called the “Avengers of Philippine musical theater” for a reason. As someone who witnessed the proshot of the original Broadway production, I can state with confidence that the Filipino cast's performances are on par with those of the original’s as they give justice to their roles.
Watching the musical in the theater, I connected with these characters and their stories. I was born almost a year after 9/11 and while I don’t have any emotional link to that devastating event, I know tragedy all too well as a Filipino. The Philippines was the perfect place to stage this musical because we Filipinos are no strangers to tragedies. Moreover, resiliency and hospitality are inherent traits to Filipinos, having been stricken by numerous typhoons and calamities every year. We have no choice but to be strong and help those who are in need. The evacuation centers in the musical reminded me of the ones in the communities during typhoon season, with people sleeping in covered courts, wondering if their house is still intact.
The one thing that I envy in the story of Come From Away was how coordinated the folks of Gander were during the time, despite having no idea what to do with over 6,000 people. The mayor was doing everything in his power to give aid, even ending a feud briefly with someone regarding school buses. I wish it were like that here in our country. Instead, we are stuck with inert politicians who do less than the bare minimum for those affected by tragedies. When help is needed, it’s always too late, and we are left to rely on the compassion of common folks.
Hopefully, this is something we can learn from the musical; not just the extent of goodness of humanity that we must practice and celebrate every day, but also the good that comes from decent governance that makes people feel safe in a place that they consider nowhere. After all, community is what keeps all of us afloat, and we should invest in keeping it alive and flourishing.
