Friday, February 20, 2009

Capiz Culture (Festivals)

Capiz is very famous for its culture especially the Aswang Festival that had created such a great controversy between the CapizeƱos but is now resolved. Besides the Aswang Festival, Capiz has more festivals like the Sinadya sa Halaran and the Diwal Festival.

Aswang Festival

Capiz is known for a popular local myth of Aswang, a generic name for ghouls, monsters and witches. On October 29 to 30, 2004, Capiz inaugurated the Aswang Festival, organized by a nongovernmental group Dugo Capiznon, Incorporated. It was a Halloween-like Fiesta as a prelude to All Soul's Day and All Saint's Day festivals. It was, however, condemned by the Catholic hierarchy and some local officials, as an act of adoring the devil. When former Capiz Gov. Vicente Bermejo assumed as mayor of Roxas City in July 2007, the controversial festival was stopped.

Sinadya sa Halaran

Sinadya sa Halaran which mean “joy in offering” is the major festival in Roxas which is mostly awaited event every December 4-8 to commemorate the feast of Our Lady of Immaculate conception. mini “baklaran’s” surrounds the plaza. There are parades from different companies and schools on the first day. Pageants and other activities to make the next 4 night interesting and entertaining for the visitor that came from different places just to join the festival.


Diwal Festival

The city celebrates the Diwal Festival every July to further promote this exotic shellfish which is now only found in the one and only sea food capital of the Philippines because of its clean coastal seas.


Balintawakan Festival (every 15th day of May), Pontevedra, Capiz

Balintawakan is a simple gathering, mostly of senior citizens of pontevedra, Capiz who are sentimentally bound together to an unwritten commitment to preserve a simple tradition which began long ago and was only interrupted by World War II. Every December 31 people hold a Binayle at the town's public market. Its highlight is the search for Miss Balintawakan as the Festival Queen. The event is capped by a Rigodon de Honor. The Filipino costume called Balintaw is the official attire of the womenfolk participating in the affair.


2 comments:

felvir ordinario said...

The Diwal is found in the coastal areas of Negros Occidental as well. The people there have been eating Diwal since time immemorial.

Panay Capiz said...

Nag cecelebrate pa ba ang Capiz ng Aswang Festival? parang wla na akong naririnig dito.

Post a Comment