Pintados-Kasadyaan – Two Great Festivals Merged for More Fun

Planning a trip? Those who love to travel know the essence of all travel is about you and your enjoyment. Travelers know that the destination is a major part of planning a trip, experiencing and delving deeper into unfamiliar places, people, and culture are paramount.

Expand your horizons and set your sight to the Philippines, an off the beaten path travel site! An undiscovered paradise made of thousands of islands and white sand beaches all around! A tiny dot in the map of the world, and yet a haven for travelers, backpackers, retirees and even passersby.

It offers awesome tourist attractions, magnificent beaches, hot spring resorts, colorful festivals, hundreds of scenic spots and world-class hotels and facilities. Not to mention the tropical climate, the affordable prices as well as the friendly and hospitable, English-speaking people! You will be glad you came, and we’re sure, you WILL come back for more FUN in the Philippines!

PINTADOS-KASADYAAN FESTIVAL

Photo from: http://arlag816.lens.ph/pintados-kasadyaan-festival-of-festivals-2012/

Pintados-Kasadyaan, held every June 29th, is two merged festivals from two different provinces of the Philippines – Pintados Festival of Tacloban and Kasadyaan Festival of Leyte Province. The Pintados festival of Tacloban City is a Filipino festival with its own unique flavour. This Pintados festival recalls pre-Spanish history of the native Leytenos from wars, epics and folk religions. The most expected aspect of the Pintados festival are the festive dancers, painted from head to toe with designs that look like armor to resemble the tattooed warriors. The folk dances presented by the dancers portray the many traditions that flourished before the Spaniards came. Aside from the folk dances, is the much likely parade, which crisscrosses the avenues of Tacloban city. The festival concludes in merrymaking with a signature traditional Filipino fiesta. Read More: http://www.expressbpd.com/travel/happening-hotspot/the-pintados-kasadyaan-festival/297954/

Photo from: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1148874

The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival is a merry-making event lasting a whole month, highlights of which include the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, the 17th Pintados Festival Ritual Dance Presentation and the “Pagrayhak” Grand Parade. These festivals are said to have began from the feast day of Señor Santo Niño, held every June 29th. The Leyteños celebrate a religious festival in a unique and colorful way. Since the Visayans are experienced in the art of body tattooing, men and women are fond of tattooing themselves.

The Pintados Festival displays the rich cultural heritage, incorporating native music and dances, of the people of Leyte and Samar. The Leyte Kasadya-an Festival of Festivals, meanwhile, showcases the unique culture and colorful history of the Province of Leyte. The celebration was first held on May 12, 1996. The festivities weren’t always held every June 29th; the first three years saw different dates. It was only in 1999 that it was fixed to June 29, the Feast of the Señor Santo Niño de Leyte.

“Kasadyaan” in the Visayan tongue means merriment and jollity. Various municipal festivals of Leyte gather together in the original capital of Tacloban City for the celebration. There, lively dance-drama parade of many colors takes place. There is an important role that the festival plays, and it is strengthening the Leyteños’ sense of pride. Every municipality mounts a storyline all their own to portray with pride their local folklore and legends. Read More: http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/pintados_festival.html

Photo from: http://callezaragosa.com/gerryruizphotoblog/2010/06/the-pintados-kasadyaan-festival-of-festivals-2010/

In 1668, the Spaniards came to the Visayas and found in the islands heavily tattooed men and women, whom they called Pintados. These people had a culture of their own, celebrating victories by holding festivals and honoring their gods after a copious harvest.

It was in 1888 that missionaries from Spain brought the Child Jesus image known as “El Capitan” to the island. It had a rich and colorful background that elicited the devotion and worship of the Leyte natives to the Santo Niño.

Then in 1986, the Pintados Foundation, Inc. was founded by civic-minded businessmen and entrepreneurs based in Tacloban City. They began organizing religious cultural activities for the city fiesta in honor of Señor Santo Niño. This marked the advent of the Pintados Festival, which was first celebrated June 29th of the year 1987. Today, it is called the Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival and is dubbed as the “Festival of Festivals.” Read More: http://www.clickthecity.com/travel/a/361/pintados-kasadyaan-festival

Photo from: https://gerryruiz.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/tacloban-fiesta-08-pintados-kasadyaan-festival/