PAGUDPUD, ILOCOS NORTE

Pagudpud is considered the “Boracay of the North” in the Philippines due to its famous white
sand beach. A 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Norte, it is bounded on the
north by the Luzon Sea, on the east by Cagayan Province, on the south by the towns of
Adams and Dumalneg, and on the west by Bangui Bay and the town of Bangui (see map
below). The town is located 561 kilometers north of Manila and can be reached in two hours
by bus from Laoag City, the provincial capital.

Fiesta & Festivals

• KURARAPNIT FESTIVAL OF PAGUDPUD

A unique festival since most festivals would promote their food products but this time it’s an
animal to advocate its preservation and for the protection of the environment in general.
It showcases the flying mammal bats. This is being held to promote the protection of the bats
in the town which are endemic or abundant in the caves. There are various caves found in
the town however there were only few of them explored such as caves in Saguisi, Pasaleng
Bay and the Nabca Cave.
Bats are the only mammals that are capable of sustained flight compared to flying squirrel
that can only glide for a short while. The bat’s forelimbs are developed as wings. It is
believed that bats maintain a healthy environment. About 70% of bats are insectivores while
the rest are frugivores and few are carnivores. Insectivores eat about 600 insects a day which
the community gets rid of insect related diseases such as malaria. They help in the
ecological balance. They have the role in the pollination of flowers and help in the seed
dispersal. These are the reasons why they came up with this celebration.

The very highlight of the festival was the dance competition. There were eleven dance
groups who depicted and portrayed the role of bats in the environment. Pupils of the
different elementary schools in the province competed with each other all having the
costumes of a bat. Their bodies painted in black, with black wings, suits and masks. They
even displayed caves and trees as props. Prior to this, the release of a colony of bats to the
air by the mayor and other officials opened up the ceremonies. It was fun to get up close to
the bats for the first time and the children were amazed to see them fly out into the air one
by one.
The Kurarapnit Festival is celebrated to promote and protect the unexplored natural wealth
of Pagudpud.
 • KANGAYEDAN FESTIVAL
celebrated to showcase the natural resources and products of Pagudpud. "Formerly
SANIKLDAD festival, objective is to safeguard the ecological beauty from destruction &
renew the vows of the community to replenish the environment.

Highlights are parade of cultural dances, trade & tourism fair, beauty contest, balikbayan
night, coco food fest, sports fest, matinee shows, water sports, and goodwill games.

Rites & Rituals

• THE PADAPADAKAM RITUAL

To honor, welcome, or celebrate the birthday of a person or a group significant to a

community, the padapada is performed within the circles of an Ilocano community, whether
in the nuclear region or in a dispersed urban situation. The celebrator is seated in front of the
central gathering of the community. Sprigs of flowers are distributed among those present.
The rites start with the placing of a garland of flowers on the head of the celebrator,
simultaneously with the singing of the padapadakam song, repeated continuously as the
proceedings go on. The community lines up in a single file and then, one by one, present the
celebrator with a spray of flowers. He keeps all these in hand until the flower presentation is
complete. Sometimes, the celebrator is then asked to say a brief message. After the feting,
the celebrator receives a shower of rice grains for more blessings.

• COURTING
Although free to choose their own marriage partners, young people seek the approval of
both sets of parents. When a couple decides they'd like to marry, the first step is for the
young man to ask for the consent of his own parents. His parents will pay the dowry and
finance the wedding. Next, the future groom makes a formal
announcement (panagpudno) to the young woman's parents of his intention to marry their
daughter. The groom's parents then visit the future bride's parents, to set the date for the
wedding. For this, the parents consult a planetario, an almanac identifying auspicious
(good-luck) days. At a further meeting (palalian or ringpas), the young man and his relatives
come to the young woman's house to finalize the wedding arrangements; each party
employs a spokesperson who negotiates for his or her side in formal language. The families
set the choice of wedding sponsors (an equal number, ranging from ten to fifty people for
each side), the dowry (land for the couple, or the money to buy such land), the sagut (the
wedding dress, jewelry, and accessories that the groom is to provide for the bride), and
the parawad (cash that the groom gives the bride's mother as a reward for raising his bride).
• WEDDINGS
The wedding feast follows the church ceremony. At the feast, the bride and groom go
through an entertaining ritual. First, the groom offers the bride a plate of mung beans
(symbolizing fertility). The bride refuses the dish several times before finally accepting it. Then
the bride offers the beans to the groom who in turn refuses the dish until an old man calls an
end to the ritual. (The pleadings and feigned refusals greatly amuse the onlookers.) Another
highlight is the bitor: guests contribute cash to the newlyweds either by dropping money
onto plates held by two men seated on a mat (representing the bride and groom,
respectively) or by pinning bills to the couple's clothing while the two dance. After the
wedding, offerings of rice cakes are made to the spirits of departed family members.
• FUNERAL
To announce a death formally, a piece of wood (atong) is lit in front of the deceased's
house and is kept burning until after burial, at which time it is extinguished with rice wine. The
corpse is kept in the house. It is dressed in its best clothes and a kerchief is tied around the
jaw; a basin of water mixed with vinegar is placed under the bed to remove the odor of
death. Money is placed in the coffin to pay the "ferry man" who takes the soul to the other
world. In the days before burial, relatives keep vigil over the body, wailing and recounting
the deceased's good deeds (sometimes, professional mourners perform the
lamentation (dung-aw).
Before the funeral itself, each of the relatives pays their last respects by kissing the
deceased's hand or raising it to his or her forehead. Extreme care is taken in transporting the
body from the house to the church; any mishap could cause premature death for the
attendants. After the church ceremony, the relatives pose as a group for souvenir photos
with the coffin. Everyone in the procession to the cemetery must return to the deceased's
home by a different route from the one taken there. Upon arrival, they must wash their faces
and hands in order to remove the power of death.

Benefits
BENEFITS OF RITUALS
• We preserve our history and culture. Rituals like the Padapadakam or the wedding
ceremonies connects us to our history and culture. We make transitions and mark
important events in our lives and in turn, we get to practice a small part our culture
that remains with us until today. According to Dally Messenger, one of Australia’s first
civil celebrants, and author of the book Ceremonies and Celebrations, “Ceremonies
are an expression of culture, mechanisms which express and generate love, forge and
declare the bond between individuals, and establish and identify community.”
BENEFITS OF FESTIVALS
 • Brings happiness to us. Festivals are the times of celebration, giving us happiness and
enjoyment through parades, dances, pageants, games and others. The celebration
gives us a break from the stress and our normal routines, making us focus on the
festivities, and on our family and friends.
• Keeps us closer to our religion and tradition. Festivals carry the message of the past
generations to the present and future, like the Kangayedan festival, where the natural
resources and products are being showcased, giving it importance until now and also
reconnecting the people to their culture. Tourists also get a chance to get a glimpse
on other people’s culture and history making it a cultural exchange of views and
celebrations.
BENEFITS OF RITUALS AND FESTIVALS TO ME
• Rituals gave me a sense of belongingness to our community and festivals gave me
positiveness even if it’s only for a few days. Researching the rituals and festivals reminds
me that I grew up with it and with seeing its significance to my community. I remember
how every school, my school in particular, worked hard to prepare the dances that
they will perform in these festivals. I also remember witnessing these rituals being
performed.

RESOURCES:
Bone, A. (2016). Why rituals are still relevant. Retrieved February 13, 2021, from,
https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/culture/article/2016/06/27/why-rituals-are-still-
relevant

Ilocanos. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2021, from https://www.everyculture.com/wc/Norway-

to-Russia/Ilocanos.html
Importance of Festivals in Life. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2021, from,
https://targetstudy.com/articles/importance-of-festivals-in-life.html

Kurarapnit Festival of Pagudpud. (2009). Retrieved February 9, 2021, from

http://www.ilocandiatreasures.com/2009/01/kurarapnit-festival-of-pagudpud.html

Pagudpud Kangayedan Festival. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2021, from

http://www.findglocal.com/PH/Pagudpud/434121963354474/Pagudpud---Kangayedan-
Festival
Pagudpud Profile, History, Tourist Spots, Festivals. (2019). Retrieved February 9, 2021, from
https://peoplaid.com/2019/03/01/pagudpud/