Tag: Culture

Tawi-tawi: Climbing, wishes and beliefs at the sacred Bud Bongao

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Bud Bongao Peak from afar
The Sacred mountain Bud Bongao in Tawi-tawi

“Di ka pa nakakapunta ng Tawi-Tawi pag di mo pa na-akyat ang Bud Bongao (You haven’t been to Tawi-Tawi if you haven’t climbed Bud Bongao)” said our Muslim guide Ben as we started our climb one morning in Bongao, Tawi-tawi. Bud Bongao dominates the whole landscape of the Tawi-tawi island. The Muslim people there considers the mountain as sacred and guards the well being of the island and the people that resides. At least once, in every Muslim’s life living on the island, they would climb the mountain and pray at the peak.

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Manila: Chasing Dancing Dragons in Binondo’s Chinese New Year

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Binondo Chinese New Year 2009

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Kiong Hee Huat Tsai! Happy New year! Whichever or however you may say it, the Philippines is one of the few countries in the world which significantly celebrates the Chinese New Year since Filipinos have very rich Chinese Roots as well. In Manila, the premiere place that celebrates the new year is in Binondo.

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Manila: Misa de Gallo at Binondo

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Misa de gallo at Binondo Church

One of my favorite places in Manila is Binondo. Its Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, popularly known as the Binondo Church also shares a fare number of crowd during Simbang Gabi. It isn’t surprising since the Church is located beside the busy street of Quentin Paredes Road near the main Plaza of Binondo. It was a chilly morning and the lights of the plaza were well lit that night and we can’t help notice the huge crowd right at the church portal.

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Manila: Misa de Gallo at San Agustin Church

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San Agustin Peeking Through the door

Just a short walk from Manila Cathedral is another church where people flock for the Misa de Gallo. Inside the walls of intramuros stands the oldest church in the Philippines – The San Agustin Church, one of the Baroque Churches classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This church built in 1607 now sports a new paletada and is aglow with simple drop line of lights on its facade. Honestly, this church need not to be extremely adorned for it sports one of the most beautiful church interiors I’ve seen.

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Manila: Misa de Gallo at Manila Cathedral

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Misa de Gallo and Taho Vendors at Manila Cathedral

Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi is one of the treasured Filipino Christmas Tradition. Even all over the world, Filipinos Communities stll practice this tradition. Misa de Gallo is a Spanish word call Midnight Mass or Rooster’s Mass and is typically practiced in Spanish Speaking countries as a Midnight Mass at the eve of Christmas. But for us Filipinos, Simbang Gabi starts 9 days before Christmas.

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All Saint’s Day 2008

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Sagada Festival of Lights 2005

I was digging through my archives on some photos I could find in relation to Halloween. I found some old 2005 photos that I still haven’t posted here. It would seem I’ve been posting Sagada every All Saint’s Day on this site. Perhaps because I find their traditional practice still interesting at this time when I find Filipino Halloween practices being more modern and commercial with lots of western influences coming in.

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China: Dazu Rock Carvings 大足石刻

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Picture of Transmigration in Six Ways 六道轮回

After setting our stuff at Nanbin Youth Hostel in Chongqing Municipality, we didn’t want to waste time that afternoon so we headed to Caiyuan Ba bus station to get tickets to Dazu County 大足县 and visit one of the most important Cultural Heritage Sites in China, the Dazu Rock Carvings 大足石刻, which is also included in China’s numerous list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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