Friday, April 23, 2010

General Santos City's Kalilangan Festival

It was said to be the highest recorded temperature recorded for the year at that time. It was a Sunday and it was barely 7 or 8 hours after I first set foot on Mindanao soil. I had my week-old camera slung around my neck. My jeans was stooping low on my hips I had to grab it by the waistband and repeatedly hike it up. I cursed myself for forgetting the belt I hung on the doorknob in my room back in Manila.

The street (or was it a highway?) was teeming with people – spectators, organizers, photographers, dancers. It was street dancing day for General Santos City’s less popular Kalilangan Festival. The more popular festival – Tuna Festival – is held in September where tourists diverge on the city in droves.

The festival isn’t as grand or as commercialized as the other festival that I have ever attended – Cebu’s Sinulog. It’s a good thing in my book. It’s not too crowded and no one shooed me away when I was practically in the middle of the street taking photos like a madman. I lost touch with Dong Ho, Lawstude, and Jonee when the activity commenced who I think were also busy taking photos and enjoying the sights and sounds of the Kalilangan Festival. We re-grouped a hour or two later when we had to leave and chase the falling sun in Gumasa.

*****

Thanks to Sheng, who by the way is a wonderful host, and GenSan bloggers for the free food and travel tips. Thanks also to Donna for the free after-dinner meal at her Piyesta restaurant located at the Robinsan's Mall in General Santos. Piyesta's kurat sticks are delicious with a little bit of spice in it.

*****

Kalilangan Festival Photos













Kalilangan Festival in Violet





























The Hat































Star on a Hat





















A Sea of Yellow





















Dance! Dance! Dance!





















Children of the Corn





















Taking a Rest

11 comments:

gillboard said...

isa yan sa mga probinsya namin... but I've never been there.

bariles said...

aThe GenSan Bloggers who were with you were Bariles (www.gensantos.com), Festival Director Orman Manansala (www.gandaeversomuch, among others. We had lunch at Marasa Grill owned by Kring Macion, together with the Davao Bloggers, too.

Hope you can make it back to the Tuna Festival, which by the way is from Sept 1-5 and not October! :)

The Scud said...

gillboard, mag-travel ka na!

The Scud said...

bariles, I remember you and orman. pati na rin sina kyawkyaw ang ria.

btw, inedit ko na ung tune festival month. thanks for the heads up. appreciate it. :D

WCS Minor Circuit said...

Jeez Scud, you do more in a few days than I do in a year. I want your life.

escape said...

yihaa! saya nun kahit sobrang init pinagtiyagaan talaga.

Anonymous said...

your photos are so festive! ang ganda talaga. i find gen san a pretty interesting place. glad you had fun!

Visual Velocity said...

I don't even remember when's the last time I've seen a street festival. Puro tambay kasi sa bahay at nood ng DVDs buhay ko. Nasobrahan yata. :P

Photo Cache said...

ganoon naman pag time to take photos na kanya kanya nang diskarte. i'm sure you hooked up with the boys afterwards.

Raft3r said...

you're all over the place!
astig!

len said...

Isa ka na pala sa mga nahihilig sa photography. Great shots! :p