Bontoc

I was there, April 6, 2013. 

Together with my colleagues at Mabalacat City College, I went to Bontoc, Mountain Province to watch the Lang-ay Festival. And lo, I saw the most beautiful festival in the Philippines. Unlike many festivals in the country where the dances and costumes are highly infused with Western elements, Lang-ay is a festival that showcases native dances with almost authentic ethnic moves and choreography. April is the best time to go to Bontoc. 

Bontoc women showcasing their heirloom necklaces. The whole festival present a core of Filipino heritage which escaped Western colonization. (Photo: Irene Christy M. Bacolod)

The old and young men danced in the streets of Bontoc showing off their authentic dances and clothings. My heart bled for my own lost culture. Unlike theirs, my ethnic roots and culture are beyond recovery.  (Photo: Irene Christy M. Bacolod)

These young boys burst into dance moves almost instantly at the beat of the drums. With these children, Bontoc traditions may remain alive for a long time. (Photo: Irene Christy M. Bacolod)

This scene is moving. I wanted to cry seeing these boys keeping their traditions alive. I realized that I lost my ethnic culture in exchange for a western civilization brought by the Spaniards. (Photo: Irene Christy M. Bacolod)

During my first trip to Bontoc, we saw these foreigners sitting on top of the jitney going to Batad. Although dangerous, the view is exhilarating up there. (Atty. Romeo Bautista)   

Maligcong Rice Terraces in Bontoc awaiting planting. Even without the "greenery" of the palay, the terraces are really breathtaking, indeed, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Atty. Romeo Bautista)