Kali-Kalihan Festival – Costumes are Made with Natural Materials

KALI-KALIHAN FESTIVAL

Photo from: http://www.visayandailystar.com/2018/February/10/index.htm

The Kali-Kalihan Festival is held in the Municipality of Salvador Benedicto,Negros Occidental during the month of February.A Harvest festival it features a Street Dancing Parade involving Seven Barangays. A smaller festival with its own unique atmosphere.The costumes worn by dance groups focus on the usage of natural materials grown in the area.Designs for this event I thought were quite amazing.Unfortunately I wasnt able to cover the ‘Kali’ or Arnis demonstration one of the oldest forms of weaponary fighting in the Philippines – an excuse to come back next year I guess ! Read More: https://bruceliron.photoshelter.com/gallery/Kali-Kalihan-Festival-Negros-Occidental-2016/G0000BLlM38hudZY/C00005g6KkjzPjTQ

Photo from: http://www.whatshappening.com.ph/event/kali-kalihan-harvest-festival

The Kali-kalihan Harvest Festival illustrates the diverse traditional and cultural heritage of Negrenses through the different activities such as street dance parades, pageants and presentations. It has adopted the art of “kali” as their cultural heritage and is also known as “escrima” or “arnis.” Since way back 7^th century, “kali” has been the traditional martial arts of Filipinos.

The annual harvest festival is celebrated every second week of February in the municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto. Read More: https://www.choosephilippines.com/go/festivals/5160/kalikalihan-celebrating-the-national-martial-arts

Photo from: https://www.choosephilippines.com/go/festivals/5160/kalikalihan-celebrating-the-national-martial-arts

Kali-Kalihan, an annual February celebration of cultural and traditional activities in the mountainous town of Don Salvador Benedicto. It is highlighted by the seach for the “Diwata sang Kali” and the Kali dance parade competition wherein performers, garbed in indigenous costumes, thump to ethnic music using Kali sticks in graceful movements. The dance culminates with an offering of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest. An interesting feature of the festival is prayer worship by the natives highlighted by a firewalking ritual. Read More: https://philippineholidays.com.au/bacolod-city-of-smiles/