Most people may expect a festival to be a pageantry of colorful costumes and festive mood. However, a unique festival is celebrated every evening of November 2, All Souls Day, by the Municipality of Isabela, Negros Occidental, the Kalag-Kalag Festival.
The festival is unique for it features creatures most people associate with Halloween. Local folklore stories told by older folks to scare the younger ones would often involve creatures such as ghosts, aswang, and more. In the Kalag-Kalag Festival, these creatures take on a different role as they are used to entertain rather than scare the crowd.
The Kalag-Kalag Festival was the brainchild of Mayor Renato Malabor who also celebrates his birthday on November 2. The otherwise morbid concepts of coffins and skeletons was turned into a skillfully choreographed presentation that has turned the rather eerie night of All Souls Day into a fun-filled night of festivities.
Watch this YouTube video courtesy of xarot78:
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I’ve been missing this festival for 2 years now. I saw the humble beginings of this festival since I was raised from Isabela. Now it turned to a big tourism event for my peaceful hometown. Not to mention that Isabela Dancers are recognized among the regions best. They’ve Been winning Panaad showdown consistently every year.
I wanted to watch the festival but you know, it’s All Souls Day so I have to be in Iloilo. Family tradition comes first before anything else. It’s been what, 3 years that they’re been winning the Panaad?
i am so proud to be an isabeleno……..
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