BONTOC, Mtn. Province – A triple event transpired in the eastern three municipalities of the province this month of June 2017.
With the common goal of preserving cultural uniqueness and integrity, the three municipalities of Barlig, Paracelis, and Sadanga staged their festivals coinciding with the celebrations of their respective municipal foundation days.
Paracelis had their 2 year old Kakarayam Festival last June 12-16, 2017 with the theme: “Umili nga Agkaykasa para iti Pangdur-as ken Kappia”, the newest festival spawned by the Lang-ay Festvial of the province.
In June 8, 2015, Municipal Ordinance No. 2015-002 was enacted giving birth to Kakarayam Festival, meaning a gathering of the people, residing in and out of Paracelis, to come together to re-establish and re-live their roots, rekindle kinship and community ties amidst the festivities.
The enabling ordinance was much discreet as it dubs “Kakarayam” as a celebration such as the gathering of people, having fun and enjoying that fun to develop among community members a form of bonding and belongingness, social orderliness, economic consciousness and cultural awareness”, stated Mayor Avelino Amangyen in his message.
He further elaborated that “while we get together to enjoy the fun, we also get to share insights, experiences, and discover undertakings which may become essential in our growth as a community aiming for an inclusive development for everybody”.
Last June 16-19, 2017, the municipality of Barlig staged the Fortan Festival that pertains to the inheritance of good cultural traits, indigenous knowledge, systems, and practices bequeathed from generations to the present one. It was also to celebrate the 51st Foundation Anniversary of the municipality.
The theme for this year is “Ammay ay Finortan, Salemnan”, which means to sustain the good inheritance.
Vice Mayor David Osborn Fomocod aptly stated in a message that the occasion shows “the determination of the people of Barlig to sustain our ancestral domain, ethnic identities and culture despite the rapid changes due to modern technology”.
Mayor Genesis Changilan exhorted his constituents to unite and work together with the elected officials to make the municipality progressive and a better place to live in now and for the incoming generations.
Natonin Mayor Mateo Chiyawan was the replacement of Undersecretary Falconi Millar of the Department of Tourism who did not make it to the occasion as the Guest of Honor and Speaker.
Chiyawan was also positive. He urged the various tribal aggrupation of the municipality to unite as one and foster their common identity as Barligians rather than opting to identify their tribal origins as iLias and or iKachakran. Barlig has three clusters of Kadaclan, Lias, and Barlig Centro.
The municipality stages three festivals every year; Menaliyam Festival in Kadaclan every April 19-20 and the Changyasan Festival in Lias every April 28-30.
Sadanga had also their 9th Fvegnash Festival last June 24-25, 2017 in celebration of the 54th Foundation Anniversary of the municipality with the theme “Gawis ay Kultura, Nabalor Ka, Unod chi Ungung-a, Fomwegan na Vatawa”, which in the words of Mayor Jose Limmayog center on “valuing our noble, constructive and advantageous culture which could be passed on to to the next generation for a prosperous community”.
Vice Mayor Joseph Apopot says that the event is an opportunity to nurture trade, tourism and agro-industrial development in the community down to the barangay level parallel to the efforts to uphold the cultural heritage of the people.
Various events and activities were conducted as part of the festivals and celebrations of each municipality in commemoration of their respective foundation anniversaries.
The Provincial Tourism Office personnel assisted in the documentation of the festivals as well as the tourism assets of the municipalities.** Roger Sacyaten
