The Kasadyahan Festival 2012, composed of nine groups, brought its audience to a cultural journey to the different parts of Western Visayas.
Among the nine competing groups in this year’s Kasadyahan, the Salakayan Miagao: Ipadayaw group stood out as champions. The Salakayan portrayed how the people of Miag-ao fought for their faith. The participants showed variety of emotions, one of which are the wailing young women.
The Mandaragat of San Jose, Antique followed as first runner-up. This group showed that they enjoyed their performance even under the scorching heat of the sun.
The Hubon Sinulog Sang Oracon of Sibunag Guimaras and Sinadya sa Halaran Festival of Roxas City placed second and third runners-up, respectively.
Meanwhile, Tribu Maragtas composed of students of West Visayas State University ended up as 4th runner-up.
In just a day, the audience witnessed a glimpse to different festivals in the Western Visayas region. Other participants in the Kasadyahan included Sigabong Sang Mga Kanyon of Bago City, Hugyaw Kansilay of Silay City, Palayag Sang Buenavista of Guimaras, Tribu Panguyang of Tibiao, Antique.
The Kasadyahan Festival 2012 was one of the highlights of the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo.
Every 9th of January, millions of devotees flocked Quiapo to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene. The translacion dates back four centuries ago when the image of the Nazarene was brought to the Philippines from Mexico. The Nazarene, which turned black after a fire, is believed to be miraculous.The unwavering faith of the devotees is always inspiring. From Quirino Grandstand, they will walk barefoot all the way to Quiapo.
Route from Quirino Grandstand (Rizal Park), right Katigbak Drive thru P. Burgos
Turn Left Taft Ave(P.Burgos) thru McArthur Bridge, right Palanca, thru under Quezon Bridge
Left Quezon Blvd, right Arlegui, right Fratenal, right Vergara. left Duque de Alba, left Castillejos, left Farneclo, right Arlegui, left Nepomuceno, left Aguila, right Carcer
Right Hidalgo thru Plaza del Carmen, left Bilibid Viejo thru Puyat, left Guzman. right Hidlago.
Left Barbosa, right Globo de Oro thru under Quezon Bridge, right Palanca, right Villalobos thru Palza Miranda to Quiapo Chruch.
Here are some tips when participating in this religious feast:
1. MOBILE PHONE. As much as possible, don’t bring a mobile phone. Yes, it’s very important but then again, there’s always the risk of losing it. This is possible especially if you see yourself in the middle of the sea of people. But if you insist, put it in your front pocket or if you’re wearing a jacket with a secret pocket, then put it in there.
2. CASH. Don’t bring your wallet. Just bring enough cash for your return fare to wherever you’re going and for food.
3. WATER. Yes, it’s essential to bring a bottle of water to prevent dehydration. Expect to sweat a lot. Or if you’re lazy to bring a bottle of water, there are numerous vendors who follow the procession as well. Bring a sandwich or an energy bar too.
4. CAMERA. If your purpose is to shoot the procession, be at the venues early. Early means around 3:00 AM. Usually, a mass is held at the Quirino Grandstand at around 6AM.
You can find a statue in the middle of the Quirino Grandstand, where you can climb and shoot at a wide angle showing devotees waving their white hankies.
If you’re satisfied with your shots, head on to Quiapo ahead of the devotees. Find a building that will allow you to climb to the top. During our Black Nazarene experience in 2009 and 2010, we got to the 2nd floor of a building across Plaza Fair to shoot the aerial view of the devotees
If you want to feel the action, then shoot on the ground. But again, there’s the risk. Don’t do this if you have a lot of lenses with you. You might be trapped in a stampede. Stampede incidents had happened in the past years.
You will find a lot of interesting subjects for photography in Quiapo. It’s so fun!
Here’s another interesting subject. Maybe you can find him at the Plaza Miranda.
5. TRAFFIC. For motorists, check out the rerouting of vehicles as issued by the Manila Metropolitan Development Authority.
The cool breeze of the night tickled me to sleep like a baby making me feel at home at the tribal house of the T’bolis of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The moon then bade farewell. The sun’s rays woke me up hugging me with its warmth. I peeked through the window and I saw serenity.
The Cultureight adventurers got up and fixed the pillows and blankets that were lent to us during the night.
The Teacher
Oyog “Maria” Todi, our host, greeted us with a warm smile. Maria is a mom, a teacher, and a leader in her community. She passes the traditions that she inherited from their ancestors through the School of Living Traditions.
I was overjoyed when the kids performed their unique dances to the beat of the t’nonggong and the rhythm of the hegelung. Thank God that their rich culture is still alive even in this age of digitization. Here’s a video which I took and reported as a feature on Inquirer.net back in 2009:
The Living Treasure
Aside from Maria, we met another T’boli whose life was dedicated in weaving dreams resulting to exotic designs of the T’nalak (T’boli cloth). Lang Dulay earned the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasure Award) in 1998 due to her unwavering service to her community.
We felt privileged to meet her in her hut where her students were weaving. Biologically, she’s old but her dedication makes her young. I asked her a few questions which her grandson translated. She spoke firmly and clearly in her native tongue. It may be foreign to me but I saw her sincerity. Here’s a transcript of my chat with her:
Trip@dora:Gaano kahalaga ang T’nalak sa buhay po ninyo? (How significant is T’nalak weaving in your life?)
Lang Dulay (as translated by her grandson): Walang saysay ang buhay ng isang babaeng T’boli kung hindi sila gumawa ng T’nalak mula noon hanggang ngayon. (Life has no meaning for a T’boli woman if she’s not weaving T’nalak. T’nalak weaving gives meaning to her life since then until now).
Her answer was short yet powerful. Indeed, their lives were weaved in preserving their culture and arts.
The Last Princess
What goes around, comes around. The good you do comes back to you. And this was what happened to Boi (Princess) Diwa Ofong, the T’boli princess who lives in Brgy. Lamdalag, Lake Sebu.
Despite being bedridden, the princess was still in her regal form adorned with gold trinkets. Her bed with canopy showed her royalty. She’s under the care of the 67 year-old Dway Lumen.
“She and the other people around me take care of me because of what I’ve done when I was still strong,” said the 76 year-old Boi Diwa as translated by Myrna Pula, the T’boli cluster head of the NCCA who assisted us.
We were surprised when Pula disclosed that Dway Lumen was the second wife of the Datu. It’s not telenovela but real life: The second wife takes care of the first wife. Wow! How selfless. Boundaries were broken. Boi Diwa didn’t say, “Ako legal wife!”
Pula related to us that Boi Diwa is a heroine of women and a champion of peace.
“She used to be a peacemaker and a community advisor when she was still strong. She settled disputes in the community,” shared Pula.
Lake Sebu was so rich not only with its natural resources but also with its culture. The stories of these women were inspiring. My immersion with the T’bolis totally changed my perspective about Mindanao as a war-torn area as mistakenly mentioned by some journalists in the media. Generalizing the whole island was so wrong.
Serenity lives in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, the home of the peace-loving T’bolis.
***
This is my entry to the 13th Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival this November, entitled, “Mindanao Bliss” and hosted by Olan Emboscado of TheTravelTeller.
Special thanks to Ms. Charisse Aquino Tugade of Cultureight.com for inviting us to experience a different side of Mindanao.
In the Philippines, the jeepney is considered as the king of the road. But in Vietnam, the two-wheeled outnumbers the four-wheeled vehicle. Motorcycles rule the streets.
Prior to our arrival, I’ve anticipated the numerous motorcycles on the road as other blogs told. Seeing them for real was surreal.
Most Vietnamese prefer owning a motorbike rather than a car due to limited space in their homes. Only big hotels or companies have car parks.
Price is also a factor. Our tour guide related that one can buy the cheapest motorbike at $250 (Php 10,500) or VND5 million. He also said that, one can tell whether a Vietnamese is rich or poor just by looking at the motorbike.
Since majority of the residents own a motorbike, they rarely use public transportation. Public buses are few. We didn’t even experience riding one since we just explored Ho Chi Minh City by foot. That’s where the excitement was—Street Crossing.
It was like saying hello to death with one wrong step. I think I’d die if I weren’t with my folks. I would not have anyone to hold onto. I had to squeeze Mama or Papa’s arm whenever we’re crossing the streets. Death defying! In every direction, in a blink of an eye, motorcycles were everywhere.
Nonetheless, crossing the street and observing the motorcycles are a must-do/ must-experience when in Vietnam. Why? It’s free. And what do you get by observing them? You’d get to know their lifestyle and culture.
One example was a woman driving a motorbike in skirt and in heels. Too bad, my camera didn’t capture the shot. But what did it tell me: Women empowerment. Equality. Some may raise an eyebrow. Meanings and contexts are subjective. And for me, that’s how I see it.
Here are other photos that show how Vietnamese rely on their motorbikes:
It’s simply amazing how they can carry the sacks without dropping them.
Waiting for their turn.
Crackers, anyone?
Be Vegan. A Xe Loi or a Motorcart carries sacks of vegetables.
I almost forgot but remembered after publishing this: Of course, I didn’t let the chance pass to experience riding a motorbike in Vietnam. It was an exhilarating ride from Can Tho City to our homestay in Cai Rang Village. I’d reserve that story for another post.
Travel Notes:
To cross successfully, you have to walk straight. Don’t stop in the middle of the road even if they’re coming to your direction. The drivers will be the one to avoid you. Or if you still have the fears, you can ask the guards to guide you.
Best Spot: Sit in the park near Ben Thanh Market. The rotonda is a very busy area especially in the afternoon.
Hire a motorbike: You can experience riding a motorbike too. In Ho Chi Minh City, there are motorbikes for rent. You can ask help from your hostel/ hotel’s receptionist.
Smiling faces that would greet you like you’re friends, striking colors that would brighten up your day, groovy music that would make you dance, food that would make you salivate (chicken inasal, napoleones, and the cakes of Calea’s) —these are just some of the reasons that would make you visit the City of Smiles—Bacolod City.
That’s what made me come to Bacolod last year. But this year, I’m back home reminiscing and missing the festival. I would love to return to Bacolod. It’s one of the cities where you’d like to walk around, eat, walk, and eat again. hahaha. Bacolod is a food haven. I’ve yet to post the restaurants where I ate last year.
But for now, check out my shots of the colorful MassKara Festival in 2010.
Here’s a short background about the festival:
MassKara is a fusion of two words: Mass (which means multitude or many) and Kara (a Spanish word for “face”). Hence, MassKara means a mass or multitude of smiling faces.
And why the smiling masks?
“As a people, we have this fantastic ability to hide our feelings. We can smile through adversity,” said festival director Eli Tajanlangit.
Unlike other Philippine festivals, the MassKara festival is celebrated not because of religion or legend. Tajanlangit related that the festival was born because of a depression that befell the sugar industry in the 1980s.
“Looking back at how it started, we celebrate (the festival) as a collective declaration of hope against all odds. MassKara is very Bacolod because for no reason, we celebrate, we party. That’s us as a people. Whatever happens, we will survive as a people,” said Tajanlangit, who has organized the yearly festival since 2004.
I was overjoyed when the kids performed their unique dances to the beat of the t’nonggong and the rhythm of the hegelung. Thank God that their rich culture is still alive even in this age of digitization. Here’s a video which I took and reported as a feature on Inquirer.net back in 2009:
We felt privileged to meet her in her hut where her students were weaving. Biologically, she’s old but her dedication makes her young. I asked her a few questions which her grandson translated. She spoke firmly and clearly in her native tongue. It may be foreign to me but I saw her sincerity. Here’s a transcript of my chat with her:
