It’s my second time to visit the province of Bulacan, first time in the Municipality of Pulilan. My first visit in Bulacan happened 20 years ago, we visited the (then) Bulacan College of Arts & Trade (now Bulacan State University) in Malolos, Bulacan.
I returned to this culture rich province through the invitation of my friend (and former co-worker in Saudi Arabia) Matt, it’s the Town Fiesta & he promised me a good show, the show to which the main attraction are the carabaos.
This yearly festival is being held to honor the Town’s patron saint San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Worker), the rite includes the kneeling of the water buffaloes (local dialect kalabaw) in front of the church. Although these religious carabaos are the highlight of the event, there are other things that are equally entertaining, the marching bands opened up the ceremony.
The audience were treated with the majorette’s dancing & baton twirlling exhibition.
While the children’s drum & lyre band played (the most popular song in the land) Itaktak mo.
Then the dancers took center stage & exhibited various folk dances which delighted both tourist (like me) & locals alike, these performers are mostly students from different Municipalities in Bulacan.
After the street dancers, floats being pulled by these large mammals symbolizing the different stages of rice production paraded. From pagsusuyod (tilling) up to pagsasako (sacking), these stages were presented artfully, they’ve even included a replica of a ricefield.
It’s now time for the main event, the kneeling carabaos.
I don’t know how they’ve done it, but surely these people have mastered how to make these big animals kneel.
Some of the animals were dressed for the occasion.
This one is a Hawaiian inspired decoration.
While this one looks Jamaican to me.
This carabao seems to be ready for a photo session.
The next was a surprising stampede! (OK. I’m exaggerating) of more than a hundred carabaos!
I would say that my journey of a little less than 3 hours was justified by what I’ve witnessed. Given a chance I would want to visit & enjoy it again & again.
Ang ganda naman nitong festival. Very Filipino at makulay! Pwede rin pala ma train ang kalabaw parang aso. Galing! Sana next year ma-puntahan ko rin to.
Truly a genuine Filipino tradition!
Master, seryoso yung kalabaw sa unang pic. hehehe, na-conscious siguro.
Yung Jamaican naman, parang pandak, nakaluhod siguro, ano?
ang galing naman! pati mga kalabaw e sobrang cooperative, talagang nag-kneel sila! galing!!
i hope one day mapuntahan ko rin yan…
hawhaw de carabao..
ganda naman dyan kuya… San Isidro Labrador din pala ung santo nila, punta ka ng Quezon para sa Pahiyas kuya..
Ang babait naman ng mga kalabaw na yan at napapasunod nila kaya lang after the occassion balik bukid na naman sila.
Hataw ka ryan kuya ricky ha.
nakz! ang ganda talaga maxadong colorful, ang cute ng mga kalabaw.
haaaahhhhhaaa.. nakakatawa talaga ung mga kalabaw!!! ngaun palalng ako nakakita ng kalabaw na maw damit at bulalak! hahahahh
sana gnyan kaganda ung kalabaw festival n gagawin nmin..ksi ginagaya nmin yan para sa foundation nmin nxt week
punta kayo dito sa min sa pulilan and see how the philippine carabao goes spectacular
punta ka naman sa singkaban sa malolos……kunan mo ng picture ung d’ original ha?! thank you…….
great!! beautiful festival!
it is one of the great festival in the phils…
ang galing talaga ng mga tga pulilan at ang kanilang mga kalabaw. . hahaha
Pulilenyo pu akoooooooo. . ehehe
Mabuhay ang mga Pulilenyo….. It’s again nagkakaisa na naman ang mga taga Pulilenyo sa pagaayos ng kanilang mga kalabaw at bawat barangay may entry sa parada kahit na 2 – 3 weeks nila ginagawa ang kanilang mga kubo-kubuhan kasi worth it naman pag sapit ng parada, tulad ngayon parade na naman….I missed this day kasi di ako makakapanuod nasa opis kasi ako…well next year cgurado makakapanuod kami kasi saturday at sigurado marami ang manunuod next year
Punta kayo this year Carabao Festival.. May pagbabago ang gagawing float parade ngayon.. makukulay at naggagandahang barangay float ang masasaksihan.. kay Tara na sa PULILAN Carabao Festival 2011..
Sa mga gusto pumunta sa Pulilan Carabao Festival eto ang contact number ko.. para ma assist ko kyo.. 09225909532
@ santi santos: kelan po ba mismo yung date ginaganap yung carabao parade po May 14 or 15? thanks
Every May 14 ang Carabao Festival – 2:00pm ang Start ng parade.
Ako ay Pulilenyo
naala ko itong theme na ito. I do recall the old times joing dance contest sa Pulilan, eto yung dance vids namin back in 2000 (Tropangpinoyz Dancer”
You can check our youtube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgixKFaRI4E&context=C33ed6d9ADOEgsToPDskLdl3Edcc07YVfmaJIzkahT