Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Macro Monday: Bacolod's Masskara Festival



Bacolod is known for its sugar industry, and each year, since 1980, Bacolodnos celebrate their Charter day on Oct. 19 with color and gaeity. Mass means 'crowd' and cara is a Spanish word that means 'face.'

The happy face symbolizes the Negrenses' upbeat spirit despite economic downturns in the sugar industry. The round of festivities includes a parade in elaborate costumes, and contests in mask-making, pig-catching, pole-climbing, and coconut milk-drinking.

Tourists flock to watch and join the celebration, and get to enjoy shopping for orchids and native handicrafts.

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Bacolod belongs to the second major island in the Philippines, the Visayas.
(photos courtesy of flickr.com)

35 comments:

  1. Cherie - you asked about the berries in my picture. I don't think they are edible. We don't want to try and be sorry!
    These costumes are beautiful and I like the happy faces. The kites below are amazing!

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  2. The colours certainly show their happiness despite economic downturns.

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  3. Super photos - colorful and sharp. Very interesting post!

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  4. Amazingly colourful event. Pig-catching? ;)

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  5. Wow...i like the colour of people. This is a cool entry.

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  6. les masques sont magnifiques, superbe gros plan sur la première photo

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  7. Love the colorful costumes, but pig-catching and pole-climbing seem very funny to be seen either!

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  8. wow.. very colorful. Those are cultural dances?

    Reminds me of the Cannibals :x

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  9. Wow, these are interesting pictures! I love the colors of this culture!

    Thanks for your kind comment on my Skywatch Friday Photo.

    - Pixellicious Photos

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  10. What a colorful, magical celebration! I'd love to participate in the mask-making contest! Love all that good fun, and the photos are awesome!

    Smile...☺

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  11. I am new to your blog. I find it fascinating. Hope to visit often and comment when I can.

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  12. love the crisp colorful photos! beautiful!

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  13. Beautiful & wonderful photos! what a great festival! about my church, were a religious science church, New Thought, metaphysical. we're about spirituality and not religion but respect others' beliefs. it was founded by Ernest Holmes. maybe you can find him on the internet. have a great and blessed week!

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  14. It is a wonderful festivities out there Cherie. So colorful and so fun. Great post. Oh btw, did you get my email?

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  15. thanks for claryfying that, mari!

    we are a resilient people, thank God for that, rainfield.

    thank you, jacob!

    thanks, Icy!

    thank you, kris!

    yes, pig-catching, per stromsjo! isn't that the funniest thing?

    thanks, willie! you should go visit sometime.

    merci, monsieur olivier.

    heheh! interesting and funny, vogon poet!

    hahah! they do look like cannibals, lv!

    thank you, kcalpesh! i'll be back!

    oh, i bet you'd have fun, you're very artistic yourself, scarlet!

    thank you, bsquared! hope to see you more then!

    thank you, brian stout!

    oh, thanks for clarifying, kbear!

    thanks, ate pacey! yes, i got your email, and i'm on a project based on that now, thank you so much!

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  16. so whimsical...love all the cultural activities found around the world! Cherie, what happened to your other blog? ps: I'm adding you to my blog roll darling...
    xo as always!

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  17. I love your blog. Thanks so much for visiting mine. Am looking forward to getting to know you. :-)

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  18. Festivals can be so wonderful with their rich colours and textures and exposure to the deep past. It certainly is an appreciation though of what life has to offer.

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  19. sweet lenore, my other blog is having a moment - i can't open its dashboard like i used to. oh well. thanks for coming over. see you more often.

    thank you, great-granny! your blog is lovely and it is my pleasure to go back.

    festivals sure are our link to the past, natural moments. you are so right about that.

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  20. Wow Cherie, absolutely gorgeous!! Like nothing I've ever seen before!
    Elle

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  21. What incredible photos of these beautiful costumes and masks. I would so love to visit the Philippines! On my trip ( just home this afternoon ), in both Rome and Barcelona, I met wonderful folks from the Philippines - of course, many of the crew from Royal Caribbean are from your country and do their eyes ever light up when I give them gifts of dried mangoes from Cebu that I bring from Manila Market in my Daly City neighborhood!

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  22. Amazing information Cherie. Alas, I did not grow up in that atmospheric culture, so to speak, so I really and honestly don't know much about these practices. On the other hand, I thought it is very interesting especially the colourful costumes.

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  23. Start following your blog. Thank for droping a comment on my recent post. do visit my blog back. again thank you.

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  24. Hope you're having a fun and colorful weekend!

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  25. The costumes and masks are amazing. That must surely be exciting to see in person.

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  26. What amazing and colorful photos. The mask is just beautiful.

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  27. beautiful costumes! colors are so vivid! thanks for sharing :)

    take care mommy! :)

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  28. ang gaganda ng mga katutubo nating costume!

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  29. hey, this blog has an entirely different theme! i love the other one, but this is also great!

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  30. I have not "heard" much from you lately, are you okay?

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  31. munting pahabol: MANIGONG BAGONG TAON !!!

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  32. The sugar industry may be down but the tourism industry is blooming!

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  33. Philippines is indeed rich in culture and traditions.Sakit.info

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