The Philippine Information Agency/National Commission for Culture and the Arts Heritage Caravan
November 15-18, 2018
HIGANTES FESTIVAL:
Last November 18, 2018, I was able to witness for the first time, the parade of the Higantes festival in Angono, Rizal and it was a delight to watch and experience and here are more info about the event.
The townspeople of Angono, Rizal, definitely know how to throw a BIG fiesta. The annual town’s fiesta of Angono held every November is a celebration in honor of San Clemente (patron saint of fishermen). The main event is a procession of the patron saint, which is carried by male odevotees, convoyed by “pahadores” (devotees dressed in colorful local costumes or fishermen’s clothes, wooden shoes and carrying boat paddles, fish nets, traps, etc.). Adding to the festivity is the “Higantes” (giants). Higantes are giant paper mache images measuring four to five feet in diameter and ten to twelve feet in height. The street event leads to a fluvial procession in Laguna de Bay, however, the festivities continue until the image is returned to its sanctuary.
And where does the idea of “higantes” came from? The “higantes” is a century-old tradition, dating back when Angono was a Spanish hacienda. During that time, the hacienda owners were concerned about the costs of all the celebrations in the town leading to prohibiting all except for one annual fiesta. To make the best out the situation, the townspeople decided to add more enjoyment to the single fiesta they can have. Through the art form from Mexico brought by the Spanish priests, the people created larger-than-life caricatures of their Spanish landlords. True to the Filipino essence of celebration, the event became a spectacular celebration, and a tricky inside joke. Furthermore, there was a story that a Frenchman who was cruising from Manila Bay passing to this coastal town of Laguna de Bay, mesmerized by the town divided by a river, he predicted that someday giants would arise and become famous. Taking his words, Angono is the hometown of the two highly celebrated national artists of the country, namely Carlos “Botong” Francisco in the field of visual arts and Professor Lucio D. San Pedro in the field of music.
Going back to the “higantes”, the head of the giants is shaped from a mold made of clay, then dried under the scourging heat of the sun. As modern technology set in, the mold made of clay is now made of plaster of Paris and resin. The mold is then glued with newspapers, split in the middle, sun-dried and later on put together by pasting a brown paper to cover the split. Afterwards, it will be sun-dried again and hand painted. The body of the “higantes” is made of bamboo or yantok (rattan). Thin iron bar can also be used to shape the body of the giants. To complete the masterpiece, the “higantes” will be glam-up with colorful costumes and accessories to finish the look. A festival that shows the fun-spirited Filipinos, the ability to make the best of any bad situation given. Indeed, Higantes Festival is a celebration of BIG stories.
In the present time, the Angonos build higantes to represent each barangay (smallest administrative division in the Philippines; village) for the festival’s parade. Accordingly a higante with a duck-shaped heard, for example, represents a barangay famous for fried duck and balut (boiled duck embryo eaten from its shell). The number of higantes has increased to hundreds over time, with more and more artists making higantes in various sizes and shapes. Seminars or workshops on higante-making thru government support have also contributed to keeping the festival alive.
It takes about a month to make no less than three-meter-tall higante. A higante’s head, the hardest part taking a week to create, is made up of newspaper strips while its body is made up of bamboo or rattan strips to carry it easily for hours. The handle’s height is adjusted to see its legs when it is raised by 30 cm from the ground.
In a tradition called basaan, people sprinkle water on the parade or each other for blessing. People believe that water symbolizes San Clemente, the patron saint of fishermen, which is why they shout for water on themselves. The parade also includes a band and a group of young girls called parehadores. Suited in colorful costumes, parehadores hold a sagwan (wooden boat paddle), wearing wooden slippers; such items are symbols of San Clemente devotees. The girls march together with the band, shouting “Viva San Clemente!” The band plays music, following the girls. With multiple parade teams competing with each other, Higantes Festival has become one of the most famous festivals enjoyed by people of all ages in the Philippines.
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