escalante fiesta 2009

I haven’t updated my blog for a month due to some circumstances that took much of my time.
Last month, I went for a week long vacation at my home town in Escalante Negros Occidental. It was my hometown’s annual fiesta. It wasn’t just the fiesta but also it was a family reunion, so it was a big celebration. We missed the home cooked food so much especially the sea foods. During our vacation we eat mostly fresh catch sea foods. Sea foods that are not available here in Manila.
It was the 11 Manlambus festival, “manlambus” means to strike. This is how the early settlers of Escalante catch fish; they use sticks to strike the fish.

The parade

The majorettes

Different barangays showcase their products. It’s not only fishing as the main livelihood of the town folks but also farming different food crops, one of which is sugar cane from which Negros is known and is considered as the sugar bowl of the Philippines.

The dance

Mark Logan as one of the invited guest

Dancers mimicking the early settlers use the stick to catch fish by striking.

The blacks.

Dancing with the catched fish

The colors