It’s my second time to visit the province of Bulacan, first time in the Municipality of Pulilan. My first visit in Bulacan happened 20 years ago, we visited the (then) Bulacan College of Arts & Trade (now Bulacan State University) in Malolos, Bulacan.
I returned to this culture rich province through the invitation of my friend (and former co-worker in Saudi Arabia) Matt, it’s the Town Fiesta & he promised me a good show, the show to which the main attraction are the carabaos.
This yearly festival is being held to honor the Town’s patron saint San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Worker), the rite includes the kneeling of the water buffaloes (local dialect kalabaw) in front of the church. Although these religious carabaos are the highlight of the event, there are other things that are equally entertaining, the marching bands opened up the ceremony.
The audience were treated with the majorette’s dancing & baton twirlling exhibition.
While the children’s drum & lyre band played (the most popular song in the land) Itaktak mo.
Then the dancers took center stage & exhibited various folk dances which delighted both tourist (like me) & locals alike, these performers are mostly students from different Municipalities in Bulacan.
After the street dancers, floats being pulled by these large mammals symbolizing the different stages of rice production paraded. From pagsusuyod (tilling) up to pagsasako (sacking), these stages were presented artfully, they’ve even included a replica of a ricefield.
It’s now time for the main event, the kneeling carabaos.
I don’t know how they’ve done it, but surely these people have mastered how to make these big animals kneel.
Some of the animals were dressed for the occasion.
This one is a Hawaiian inspired decoration.
While this one looks Jamaican to me.
This carabao seems to be ready for a photo session.
The next was a surprising stampede! (OK. I’m exaggerating) of more than a hundred carabaos!
I would say that my journey of a little less than 3 hours was justified by what I’ve witnessed. Given a chance I would want to visit & enjoy it again & again.
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12 responses so far ↓
1 Ferdz // May 15, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Ang ganda naman nitong festival. Very Filipino at makulay! Pwede rin pala ma train ang kalabaw parang aso. Galing! Sana next year ma-puntahan ko rin to.
2 Kneeling Carabao : Master’s Daily Photos // May 16, 2007 at 9:53 am
[...] Posted on May 14, 2007 The highlight of Pulilan, Bulacan’s Town Fiesta are the kneeling carabaos, the fiesta is being held to honor & give thanks to their Patron Saint, San Isidro Labrador. More photos here. [...]
3 malaya // May 16, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Truly a genuine Filipino tradition!
Master, seryoso yung kalabaw sa unang pic. hehehe, na-conscious siguro.
Yung Jamaican naman, parang pandak, nakaluhod siguro, ano?
4 rHo // May 16, 2007 at 9:23 pm
ang galing naman! pati mga kalabaw e sobrang cooperative, talagang nag-kneel sila! galing!!
i hope one day mapuntahan ko rin yan…
5 karmi // May 16, 2007 at 10:24 pm
hawhaw de carabao..
ganda naman dyan kuya… San Isidro Labrador din pala ung santo nila, punta ka ng Quezon para sa Pahiyas kuya..
6 ann // May 19, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Ang babait naman ng mga kalabaw na yan at napapasunod nila kaya lang after the occassion balik bukid na naman sila.
Hataw ka ryan kuya ricky ha.
7 cutie // Jul 16, 2007 at 1:14 pm
nakz! ang ganda talaga maxadong colorful, ang cute ng mga kalabaw.
8 haaaahhhhhaaa.. nakakatawa talaga ung mga kalabaw!!! ngaun palang ako nakakita ng kalabaw na maw damit at bulalak! hahahahhaaaaa // Oct 23, 2007 at 6:51 pm
haaaahhhhhaaa.. nakakatawa talaga ung mga kalabaw!!! ngaun palalng ako nakakita ng kalabaw na maw damit at bulalak! hahahahh
9 Danjo // Jan 19, 2008 at 6:20 pm
sana gnyan kaganda ung kalabaw festival n gagawin nmin..ksi ginagaya nmin yan para sa foundation nmin nxt week
10 deejay // May 9, 2008 at 6:43 pm
punta kayo dito sa min sa pulilan and see how the philippine carabao goes spectacular
11 marnie jamaica // Sep 3, 2008 at 4:21 pm
punta ka naman sa singkaban sa malolos……kunan mo ng picture ung d’ original ha?! thank you…….
12 ghyne // Nov 15, 2008 at 7:41 pm
great!! beautiful festival!
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