@z_graeden 23 April 2021 more from that month

Mountain Province Lang-ay Festival

*The beating of the gongs and solibao reverberate through the valleys. The rhythmic stomp of the performers with their body gracefully dancing with the beat. The harmonious chanting which makes it more livelier is something irresistible. Young and old from all walks of life, locals and tourists alike gather around to witness the cultural presentations of every municipality. Whiiiw..!! It just feels nostalgic.* COVID-19 had made its way all throughout the world and Philippines was not an exception. It had made all occasions and gatherings impossible, hindering us to interact with our family, friends and other people physically. Through the use of technology were we able to converse with our love ones away from us or from home. But it made us unable to attend and visit to our sick family. Truly, this pandemic had created so much chaos but as Filipinos who value family the most, walang panama si covido kundi mas lalo pa nitong pinagtibay ang samahan ng pamilya kahit magkakalayo sila. One of the events which the pandemic had ceased to be celebrated were festivals. We Filipinos are rich in traditions and cultures which were mostly showcased by todays time through festivals. Our beloved province had such called Lang-ay Festival. ***Lang-ay*** was a native dialect of the Mountain Province locals which means **"to share**." Sharing not only what you have in terms of food but most specifically the happiness, wisdom, hospitality, peace, promote family solidarity, and nurture friendship among the people. It was celebrated annually on every first week of April at the capital town of the province, Bontoc. It was first celebrated on the year 2005. It took a whole week with different activities on each day. The activities includes some rites performed by the Governor and some elders of the different municipalities, float parade that showcase replicas of the indigenous house of the olden times, choral competitions, beauty pageants and the highlight of it all- street dancing and cultural presentations of every municipality. Other things you can see around town are: traditional booths that showcases different products of every municipality like heirloom rice, wines, native snacks and delicacies, soft brooms, beads and many more; traditional attires and ornaments; indigenous artworks; native culinary displays most of it were of glutinous rice recipes; other food and other products stalls; and, trade fair.

In the past decades, the province had been plagued with tribal wars. However, a peace pack called "**budong**" had been reached. Through Lang-ay, unity and peace is achieved and must be celebrated. It also aimed to promote the tradition and culture of the place, Eco-tourism within the province and to boost the productivity of the people not only here in the Philippines but to the world. On occasions like such can you see older men on their g-strings and fangs or teeth of wild boars as their necklace. It represents their bravery during those days of hunting and wars. They held their spears and kalasag in a proud bearing as they strutted along the streets. Some have their machete at their hips that glistened when hit by the sun. They held gongs at their hands with jaws of people their forefathers beheaded as a handle. They beat the gongs and solibao at a rhytm that would have everyone dance with it.

The older women gracefully danced with the beat with their colorful attire of tapis, colorful heirloom beads around their head and neck. It was an occasion for all ages that the younger participants are more lithesome than the elders. The younger men held the gongs with jaws of people their forefathers had beheaded a long time ago. They beat it in an energetic rhythm with the solibao that would have everyone in the crowd dance with it. They chant and performed choreographed war dance and courtship dance.

Through dances, chanting that the occasion preseves the traditions and cultures of the place, with the term lang-ay which literally mean to come and eat as one the presence of food for free is not forgotten. Lang-ay by the street serves local delicacies where anyone can partake.

Additionally, the festival coincides with the founding anniversary of the province that is why it is a perfect tool for the elders to inculcate to the younger generations the value of culture and traditions. Hayyy.... Missing those days where everyone is free to roam around town and occasion as such is something to look forward to and anticipate. *All photos used are from facebook users, mainly photographers during the occasion* *****z_graeden*****