Carabao-Carroza Festival (Pulilan, Bulacan)

Introduction

The tradition of the fiesta in

the Philippines comes from different

Spanish religious practices. Most of these

fiestas are celebrations of patron saints and the

major events in the life of Jesus Christ. The Carabao

festival in the Philippines is no exception. This festival is in

the honor of Saint Isidore, the patron saint of Filipino farmers.

Every May 14 th and 15 th , in the cities of San Isidro , Bulacan and Rizal,

the towns gather to pay tribute to their patron saint and the carabaos (water buffalo).

Carabao – Carroza Festival has already gone

 a long way in showcasing what PAVIA as a town has –

with its people. It has become so phenomenal as an event

in the Region, not only for the length of its celebration but for its

 consistency. Thirty five ( 35 ) years is too long and for it to be continuously

 celebrated is indeed a feat to beat.Carabao Festival has earned" Iloilo’s Oldest Festival".

Celebrated in the 3^rd day of May of every year.The

festival’s concept of a parade of gaily decorated carabao-carrozas,

carabao-carroza race and search for the festival queen under different

leadership for every administration had been maintained.  A parade of 18 gaily

decorated bamboo sleds and a raceamong carroza-pulling carabaos on a 400 meter course.

Origins of The Carabao Festival

The word �carabao� means water

 buffalo which is the universal beast of burden

of the Philippines . It is a day dedicated to honor San

Isidro , patron of farmers. Many inhabitants of the Pulilan

province are farmers and this is why they dedicate the day to honoring

their patron. This annual festival has existed for centuries and is an explicit

example of Filipino culture and faith (Henderson 1997: 66). It was originally a festival

 only to honor San Isidro but today is also a festival to pay tribute to the water buffalo (carabao).

Performance

The highlight of the festival is the carabao race.

 The carabaos are assembled in the churchyard where

 the priest blesses them and sprinkles them with holy water.

They then parade around the town before they participate in the race.

 Finally they compete in a 400 meter race. At the end of the race the priest blesses

 all of them one more time. The caraboas are all scrubbed down, decorated with ribbons and pull a cart through town. On the cart is a statue of the patron saint, Saint Isidro (Henderson

1997: 66). The winning carabao becomes king for the day. The men wear red

 Kundiman trousers (loose traditional Tagalong pants), white barong

 tagalong (Filipino dress shirt), and a rattan salakot (bamboo

 hat) on their head. The women wear patadyong in

red kundiman (wrap around skirt). The race is

 followed by a feast and fireworks

(www.pagsanjan.org).