STUFF THAT MAKE NO SENSE

Pinyahan – celebrated in Daet, Camarines Norte on June 15-24

The Pinyahan is the Pineapple Festival of the people of Camarines Norte. Obviously, the
favorite fruit is the mouth-watering pineapple. During the Pinyahan, there will be a street
presentation of the pineapple, along with art exhibits, sports competition, and cultural
dances.

Paalay Festival
Date: May
The traditional celebration of the month of flowers in May is celebrated by
processions of little girls, offering flowers-locally called the "Paalay". Another activity
held is the "Salapang" a practice among townsfolk wherein local officials and their
wives offer foods to the people who joined the procession.

San Isidro/Carabao Festival

Date: May 15
Farmers pay tribute to the carabao during the feast day of San Isidro Labrador, their
patron saint. On this day, before all the festivities begin, the carabaos are shaved,
leaving aesthetic patterns on their back. They are bathed and scrubbed till they
glow, theirs toes manicured, their tail combed, plaited and beribboned, and they are
crown
With colorful flowers and buntings. A mass is held followed by a procession that ends
at the town square where prizes are awarded to the strongest, healthiest, longest-
horned, most beautiful and best-trained carabaos. The climax of the day's activities
occur when the carabaos race each other across the ricefields.

Higantes Festival
Date: November 22 and 23
This is also a thanksgiving festival in honor of San Clemente, the patron saint
of the fishermen. On the actual feast day, the image of San Clemente is
carried on a barge on the lake with a fluvial procession participated in by
most of the residents of the town. Little children of every barangay called
"parehadoras" are dressed in colorful costumes bearing boat paddles and
bakya. Then the townfolk and the "higantes" (giants) accompany the image
back to the church through a joyful parade with a brass band and
"parehadoras."

RELIGIOUS

Moriones – celebrated in Marinduque on February 13-20

During the Holy Week, a significant Christian event, the people of Marinduque participate in the
ritualistic fiesta called the Moriones. They wore warrior costumes, which are reminiscent of the
Roman times when Jesus Christ was captured and sentenced to be crucified. The focal point of
the Moriones is the conversion of the Roman centurion, Longuinus, when he pierced the side of
Jesus. And this was followed by Longuinus’ beheading, because of his declared faith.

Pahiyas – celebrated in Lucban, Quezon on May 11-15

During summer, the town of Lucban, Quezon, celebrates so that they will have a
bountiful harvest. Thus, they serve the kiping and other rice-based delicacies, such as
suman. The kiping is a colored and almost transparent rice tortilla. Guests of the town are
invited to taste and have their fill of all the foods that are available to everyone.
(patron saint of farmers)

Santacruzan – celebrated nationwide in the month of May

The Santacruzan or Flores de Mayo is probably the most popular festival in the country.
It is celebrated in almost all towns in the Philippines. It is celebrated to enact the time
when Queen Helena and Constantine searched and found the Cross of Jesus Christ—thus
the name “Santacruzan”. The main event of Flores de Mayo is a parade of the town’s
most beautiful ladies. And the loveliest among these women is usually the “Reyna Elena”
(“reyna” means “queen”).

Sandugo – celebrated in Tagbilaran City on July 1-2

The “Sandugo” means “Blood Compact”, an ancient ritual of honorably sealing an
agreement in which the leaders of the two parties pour some blood on one cup,
symbolically stating that the parties are now of one blood, and have one goal. In
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, the historic blood compact of a Bohol chieftain and a Spanish
conquistador is commemorated in the Sandugo Festival. During this fiesta, there are
carnivals, street dancing, martial arts competitions, and a beauty pageant.

Cenaculo
Date: Holy Week
A re-enactment of the Passion of Christ which starts on the night of Palm
Sunday (Palaspas) up to the night of Easter Sunday (Salubong). The
Cenaculo, is conducted in the Plaza square on public theaters constructed for
purposes, with the participation of village thespians with perpetual vows.
They render their services for fee.

Penitencia
Date: Good Friday
Rituals in observance of the suffering, passion, and death of Jesus Christ are
observed with steadfast intensity throughout the province, specially in Cainta,
sometimes with the actual enactments of the stations of the cross and
mailing. From early morning until noontime each Good Friday, members of
non-sectarian "cenaculo" companies, walk throughout the main streets of
Cainta, usually in the company of penitents.

Pabasa
Date: Holy Week
This is a Holy Week practice which includes religious singing of the Passion of
Christ. Salagat and other native dishes/delicacies are served during the
activity.

Giwang-Giwang
Date: Good Friday
It is a play executive every Good Friday by replaying the funeral of Jesus
Christ through a procession.

The Subok
Date: Good Friday
A group of men, after feasting and overnight meditation, gather around the
church to wait for the flowerdecked carroza of the Santo Sepulcre, a wooden
statue of the dead Christ. They rush forward to insert various objects in the
folds of the robes, under the feet, in the hollows of the hands. The image is
then loaded with handkerchiefs, bronze medals and pieces of paper inscribed
with Latin phrases. The float is encircled by the men with linden hands. After
the procession, these men retrieve the objects from the image. Now it is the
time for the "subok"-the testing of the talismans by using whips, revolvers,
knives and machetes (bolo) throughout the afternoon and evening, or till
Saturday. Each one tests the effectivity of his talisman by requesting another
man to shoot , whip or stab him.

Salubong Festival
Date: Sabado de Gloria/Easter Sunday
Black Saturday is highlighted by a 3-hour presentation at the patio of the
church wherein high-tech stage decorations and sound system are used.
Trained production staff assist in the presentation of the "Vigilia ng Muling
Pagkabuhay." Easter Sunday Celebration is held in a place called Galilea
where the reunion of the Risen Christ with the Virgin Mary is re-enacted. It is
facilitated by the removal from Mary's head of the mourning veil by a young
girl inside an inverted giant paper flower suspended from bamboo trellis. The
petals are mechanically opened by giant toy birds toy birds to reveal the girl
inside. It is then followed by a religious dancing of young ladies called
Kapitana and Tenyenta, to the tune of "Bati"

Santakrusan Festival
Date: May
This evening parade is usually graced by the town's crop of beauties
portraying the Marian Litany of Titles and assorted biblical characters, dressed
in the fairytale clothes and escorted by good-looking bachelors. Under flower-
decked arches held by aides, they walk down the towns thoroughfares like
kings and queens of yore.

Flores de Mayo Festival

Date: May
The Flores de Mayo or Flowers of May is an offering to the blessed Virgin
Mary. On the first day of May, a procession is held where little girls are
dressed immaculate white finery and carry flowers (mainly sampaguita) as an
offering to the Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A mass is held everyday and
devotees offer flowers up to the end of the month.
 1. HOLY WEEK Being the only Christian nation in Asia, the Philippines naturally
celebrates the passion and death of Jesus Christ in a grand manner. Here are the
major celebrations related to the Holy Week:

o Senaculos or passion plays used to be performed in many small towns and

villages in the provinces.
o Salubong is the reenactment of the meeting between the Risen Christ and
His sorrowful mother (Mary). It is staged on Easter morning in front of
churches.
o Moriones Festival is a unique Lenten spectacle, held in Marinduque, an
island at the southern end of Luzon.Morion means mask or visor, which is
the top part of the medieval Roman armor, covering the face. It is this
mask, carved from dapdap wood, that is the focal point of the Moriones
celebration. The Moriones are the masked and costumed penitents who
roam the streets during the Holy Week in the guise of barbaric Roman
soldiers. The costumed ritual is a reenactment of the Legend of Longinus,
the Roman centurion who drove his spear into the side of Jesus Christ, as
He hung from the cross. The climax of the festival is the pugutan or
beheading ceremony, held at noon of Easter Sunday.

BEFORE COLONIZATION

Kadayawan – celebrated in Davao City on August 20-24

The Kadayawan Festival in Davao is meant to celebrate the many blessings that Mother
Nature has endowed on this region. It is a whole week of celebration that involves
exhibits, pageants, contests, and of course, a grand parade of floats. The three most
celebrated blessings in Davao are the tallest mountain in the country, which is Mt. Apo,
the most precious orchid in the Southeast region, which is the Waling-waling, and the
fruit of the gods, which is the Durian.

This is the Ati-Atihan, the celebrated Filipino Mardi Gras that marks both
thanksgiving and the anniversary of the purchase of the island Panay by
Malaysian immigrants from the indigenous Ati tribespeople . Every year,
hundreds of thousands of revellers flock to help throw one of the planet's most
exhilarating street parties, and find themselves being smeared with mud for their trouble.
Strangers rush up, black goo in hand, and provide an impromptu makeover, leaving some
with Adam Ant stripes and others with new identities. All in the name of Ati-Atihan:
"making like the Ati".
New Orleans is not the only home of Mardi Gras, there are four of them right
here in the Philippines, with our own unique styles and ethnic origins. You
can have your fill of Mardi Gras sights and sounds in four festivals held in the
Southern part of the country ---the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan celebrated
every January 14 to 16; Iloilo's Dinagyang from January 17 to 23; the
Sinulog of Cebu City every January 23; and the Masskara Festival of
Bacolod City every October 19

Pre-Spanish and the First Wave of Spaniards

Historians have renowned that before the first Spaniards came to Cebu, the Sinulog was already danced by
the natives in respect of their wooden god called anitos. Then, on April 7, 1521, the Portuguese navigator,
Fernando

1. TENGAO or rest day is celebrated in June or July among the wealthy people of the
Bontocs, Ifugaos, and Kalingas. Tengao or rest period is proclaimed by the Council of
Elders. During this period, Caaos or feasts are held and everyone must observe the
rest period.

2. FAGFAGTO This is a ritual enacted annually by the Bontocs in Mountain Province.

It is connected with the annual planting and harvesting of camote crop.Fagfagto is a
mock battle where stones and rocks are hurled at each other by two opposing groups.
The ritual is celebrated by the Bontocs because they believe that the warrior who
sustains plenty of wounds as a result of rock hurling will reap plenty of camotes in the
next harvest and that the bigger the wounds or bumps on the head, the bigger the
camote crop will be.

3. CARABAO FESTIVAL -- This is held on the feast day of San Isidro on May 15th in
the farming towns of San Isidro (Nueva Ecija); Pulilan (Bulacan); and Angono
(Rizal). On this day, the three towns pay homage to the beast of burden which is the
farmers best friend the lowly carabao. Early in the morning of May 15th, each farmer
assembles his carefully groomed and gaily dressed carabao at the church yard, where
the priest comes to bless them, sprinkling them with holy water. After this ceremony,
the beasts of burden are lined up to parade around the town. The climax of the days
activities arrives when the carabaos line up and prepare to race against each other
across the fields. A signal goes up and the thunderous hooves stampede toward the
finish line. At the finish line, the bulky beasts thunder to a halt and kneel as if in
prayer. The priest then comes out and once more blesses them.
Originally, the Obando Fertility
Rites, known as Kasilonawan, was celebrated even before the Spanish Colonial
Period (pre-1500 AD). During those times, women who cannot bear a child were
considered a part of the lowest class of society (caste system). Thus, this
ritual was taken seriously to elevate their social status because aside from
bearing a child, fertility can also signify wealth or abundance of any kind.
The ritual was observed in a forest with a phallic symbol made in earthly
material and placed in the middle of the area. Although Pagan in belief, the
Franciscan missionaries built Churches to propagate Christianity and introduced
the three saints to substitute the traditional Pagan gods.

The fertility festival was cut due

to the World War 2 where the town was ruined. Upon rehabilitation, the
archbishop of Manila
and the Obando parish priest forbad the people to practice the festival due to
its pagan roots but in spite of this, it was still done but discreetly. It was
in 1972 when Rev. Fr. Rome R. Fernandez and the Commission on Culture of Obando
revived the tradition.

Streamers are put up and the church is prepared for the occasion where the
three patron saints are put in a moving stage and is toured within the area.
Food and goods are sold on the streets and events are held. Every household
prepares a lot of food for their guests and relatives who will be coming from
all over. There are also street performers who will go door to door to show the
people what they can do such as music parade or showcase their fire blower.
The festival lasts for three days.
Streamers are put up and the Church is prepared for the occasion where the carrozzas of the three Patron
Saints are
toured within the area. Food and goods are sold on the streets and events are
held. Every household prepares a lot of food for their guests and relatives who
will be coming from all over. There are also street performers who will go door
to door to show the people what they can do such as music parade or showcase
their fire blower.