CREATING CULTURAL FESTIVALS AND THE

FILIPINO COMMUNITY

NILO C. AGUSTINTOURISM CONSULTANT

CENTRAL LUZON TOURISM CAPABILITY BUILDING

SEMINAR-WORKSHOP

Angeles City

March 1, 2013

PHILIPPINE CULTUREPHILIPPINE CULTUREThe Mirror of the Filipino SoulThe Mirror of the Filipino Soul

that paints a good image of Philippine Tourismthat paints a good image of Philippine Tourism

A.A. What makes us unique and interesting as an Asian destinationWhat makes us unique and interesting as an Asian destination

B.B. What gives us an edge over some competitors in the Asian regionWhat gives us an edge over some competitors in the Asian region

C.C. What differentiates us from other races in AsiaWhat differentiates us from other races in Asia

Ancient burial rite of early Filipinos

WHAT MAKE UP OUR COLLECTIVE WHAT MAKE UP OUR COLLECTIVE CULTURAL LEGACY?CULTURAL LEGACY?

A.A. Rituals and FestivalsRituals and Festivals

1. Northern upland rituals- Cañao, Gotad, etc.

2. Lowland religious fiestas- fertility rites, fluvial parades, farmers’ fiestas, fishing rituals

3. Southern indigenous celebrations- Muslim rites, other tribal festivals

4. Tourism-inspired festivals

Cañao Mountain Province

Obando Fertility Dance Bangus Festival

Bulol

Obando Fertility Dance

Badjao Tribal Dance

B.B. Museums and MonumentsMuseums and Monuments

1. National Museums and other specialized museums in Metro Manila- Ayala Museum, Lopez Museum, Metropolitan

Museum, Veterans Museum, etc,2. Provincial Museums- Iloko Museum, Baguio Museum, Museo Iloilo

3. Monuments- Rizal Monument at the Luneta, Andres Bonifacio Monument in Kalookan, Queen Isabella Monument in Intramuros, etc.

Queen Isabella Monument

National Museum

Dr. Jose Rizal MonumentAndres Bonifacio Monument

C.C. Filipino DwellingsFilipino Dwellings

1. Old bahay na bato in major towns and cities all over the country

but particularly in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Malolos and San Miguel in Bulacan, Taal Batangas, Quiapo in Manila, the Aguinaldo Shrine

in Kawit, Cavite and the Rizal Shrine in Calamba, Laguna.

Vigan Old colonial houseCarcar, Cebu

Old house San Miguel, Bulacan

Dr. Jose Rizal House

2. Torogan houses in Lanao

3. Ifugao houses in Benguet and Mountain Province

4. Typical Tagalog bahay kubo

Bahay Kubo Ifugao House Torogan

D. D. Arts and LettersArts and Letters

1. Masterpieces by our outstanding visual artists like Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos Francisco, Hernando Ocampo, Ben Cab, Jose Joya,

etc.

2. Sculptures by renowned sculptors like Guillermo Tolentino, Napoleon Abueva, Eduardo Castrillo, etc.

Mother and ChildNapoleon Abueva

Coming home from the farmFernando Amorsolo

First Mass in the PhilippinesCarlos Francisco

SpolariumJuan Luna

3. Literary Forms- great novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal, awit and corridos by Francisco Balagtas, poems by Crissot of Pampanga, seditions plays (zarzuela) by Severino Reyes and Bonifacio Ilagan

4. Komedya, moro-moro and sarswela, religious senakulo balagtasan, duplo and crissotan, inspiring, cultural-based Filipino movies of the 30’s up to the present

E.E. Baroque and Gothic ChurchesBaroque and Gothic Churches

1. Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, Miag-ao Church in Iloilo, Betis Church in Pampanga, San Agustin Church in Intramuros, San Sebastian Church in Manila

Miag-ao Church Betis Church

San Agustin ChurchSan Sebastian Church

F. LifewaysF. Lifeways

1. Cuisine – Malay-based food such as sinigang and inihaw, Chinese-influenced dishes such as pansit and bachoy,

Spanish food such as bringhe (paella), turrones, pastilles, American-style food like sandwiches with Filipino fillings

2. Entertainment- tertulia, folk games

3. Body adornments- jewelry, hats, costumes

G. Heritage SitesG. Heritage Sites

1. Cordillera Rice Terraces (Banaue, Batad)

2. Intramuros in Manila

3. Vigan in Ilocos Sur

Vigan

Rice Terraces

Intramuros

HOW FAR HAVE CULTURAL FESTIVALS GONE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

• In terms of number, the Philippines beats any country in the world! It celebrates more than 1,000 festivals in a year!

• Nowadays, the tourism factor is the number one reason for holding a festival, seconded by religion or tradition, the rest is because of trade and agricultural promotion

• Many festivals have become big income earners

like Panagbenga, or Ati-atihan or MassKara

• Cultural festivals however are a big vehicle to promote the legendary Filipino hospitality and is also an avenue to promote closer kinships and family ties

CULTURAL FESTIVALS Celebration of the present

PHILIPPINE FESTIVAL

• A good showcase of Filipino arts and culture• A perfect example of typical Filipino

communal efforts • Largely but not exclusively associated with

the Catholic Religion• An acknowledged national traditional cultural

institution

A BIT OF HISTORY

• Pre-Islamic Maranaw held festive celebrations with much noise like people shouting, cannons booming, beating of agongs.

• During the pre-Hispanic period, early Filipinos held rituals that lasted for 9 days and was called “kasilonawan” in Luzon and “pandot” in the Visayas.

• The Spanish missionaries replaced these rituals with “Christian fiestas” that have existed up to now.

• This was done to convert the Filipinos to the Catholic faith but the conversion was done through an impressive image of the grandeur and splendor of the altar elements (santos, guilded retablos) and the colorful liturgy (processions and rituals) of the Catholic Church.

In the 1950s, there was an attempt by the Philippine Legislature with the prodding of then Sen. Raul Manglapus to outlaw fiestas because of their extravagance. That legislative project failed totally.

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALSRELIGIOUS FESTIVALS

Feast of the Nazarene – Quiapo, Manila

Ati-Atihan – Kalibo Aklan

Dinagyang – Iloilo

Sinulog – Cebu

Pahiyas – Lucban

Obando Fertility Rites – Bulacan

Penafrancia – Bicol

Moriones - Marinduque

Caracol - Cavite

E’dl Fitir - Islamic

CULTURAL FESTIVALS

Panagbenga – Baguio City

Viva Vigan – Vigan

Giant Lantern – Pampanga

Pamulinawen– Laoag City

Masskara – Bacolod City

Sandugo – Bohol

Kaamulan – Bukidnon

Lanzones – Camiguin

Kadayawan -- Davao City

PERSPECTIVE

It is important that the dignity, integrity and purity of Filipino arts and culture are maintained and protected.

The objectives of cultural workers need to be very clear especially in relation to politics and economy.

THREE FOLDS OF SOCIETY

POLITICS

CULTUREECONOMY

THREE FOLDS OF SOCIETY RELATIVE TO PHILIPPINE FESTIVALS

ECONOMYIncome generating

POLITICSMore votes

CULTUREWin a “prize”Bastardized culture

HOW SHOULD IT BE?

• ECONOMY Create jobs Generate revenue

• POLITICSInstill sense of pride of placeUnite constituency

• KULTURAPromote, preserve and hand-over customs, mores and traditions

SOCIO-CULTURAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Utmost respect for the arts and culture that are deeply rooted in the very being, life and history of the community that owns them

• Full protection of culture and the arts against commercialism, bastardization and politics

• Continuing preservation of the integrity, dignity and purity of culture and the arts

WHAT MUST BE DONE?A. Cultural Research

Local historians and local cultural leaders, through the help ofinstitutions like NCCA, CCP, UP and local centers of cultural studies, will be tapped to assist in a thorough research on culture, history, traditions and arts as a root or basis of a festival

B. Clinics and Workshops Experts guide local artistic directors and choreographers on the correct music, dance steps, costumes and props in developing street dance festivals

WHAT MUST BE DONE?

C. Culture of Pinoy Tourism Barangays are trained to be the preservers of cultural heritage and traditions, the protectors of the environment and the promoters of local tourism

D. Consultative Program on Creative Marketing

The LGUs are trained to be marketing experts in

their own right

WHAT MUST BE DONE?

E. Consultative Tourism Planning Program for the LGUs

Centered on Filipino culture as the overriding theme of the local tourism industry, LGUs will be taught to develop:

- “culturalized” homestay facilities- “culturalized” tourist services standards

WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO SEE?WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO SEE?

A. Filipinos appreciating their own arts and culture

B. The community becoming the vanguard and protector of their local cultural traditions, heritage sites and their surroundings

C. The real Filipino culture is being promoted for tourism

D. The program, once completed, will make the entire country a CERTIFIED: PROUDLY PINOY DESTINATION!

THANK YOUTHANK YOUandand

MABUHAY!MABUHAY!