Baluartes, traditionally fortifications for defensive purposes, take on a different role in Gumaca—one of the country's oldest towns. Here, baluartes are not constructed for defense but rather to shower the people with the bounties of the land.
Welcome to Gumaca's "Araña at Baluarte," a vibrant celebration of the feast of St. Isidore the Farmer, standing out as one of the grandest, most colorful, and genuinely sincere fiestas I have encountered.
The festivities kick off on Saturday evening with "Yupakan" and "Gimikan," featuring a competition for the best yubak (local delicacies) and a lively street dance.
The celebration transforms into a mobile party, with attendees hopping from one baluarte to the next to savor the finest yubak offerings and enjoy the spirited performances by the youth.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Gumaca LGU and Tito Randy Urlanda for inviting us to partake in their celebration.
What truly stands out for me is the genuine effort to honor the saint without overshadowing the festivities with excessive banners and advertisements, as can sometimes be the case in other celebrations.
Here's another stroll under the baluartes with the remaining 17 participants.
1 comments
The last time I experience this myself was 35 years ago so I was so excited to read your blog and you narrated it so well ... brought back a lot of my childhood memories, I actually got emotional :) Thank you so much for sharing. Your pictures are so vivid ... love them all !!
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