Because my doggy-dog got sick and had to be brought to Manila, I celebrated my birthday in Manila with La Familia for the first time in over a decade. And also Chinese New Year.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
kiong-hee-what?
Will Chinese New Year ever be declared a holiday in the Philippines?
Because my doggy-dog got sick and had to be brought to Manila, I celebrated my birthday in Manila with La Familia for the first time in over a decade. And also Chinese New Year.
Because my doggy-dog got sick and had to be brought to Manila, I celebrated my birthday in Manila with La Familia for the first time in over a decade. And also Chinese New Year.
ain't no sunshine
The last day of Ati-atihan, Sunday 16 January 2011, was dark and gloomy.
In fact, we all woke up at 5AM because we wanted to attend the 7AM mass at the plaza-- well, THEY wanted to hear mass. I just wanted to catch the last part, which so-oooo many people told me should not be missed.
But it rained. Very hard. For hours and hours. And our chauffeur never showed up. Ah well, maybe next year.
When the rain started to taper off, we drove around town, visiting various friends and relatives, and eating eating eating. My gad, I ate lechon (roast pig) for Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, Sunday lunch and Sunday dinner. I was literally pigged out.
To burn off the calories, we decided to join the afternoon procession of the Santo Niño images.
In fact, we all woke up at 5AM because we wanted to attend the 7AM mass at the plaza-- well, THEY wanted to hear mass. I just wanted to catch the last part, which so-oooo many people told me should not be missed.
But it rained. Very hard. For hours and hours. And our chauffeur never showed up. Ah well, maybe next year.
 |
| Our trusty chariot awaited... NOT! |
When the rain started to taper off, we drove around town, visiting various friends and relatives, and eating eating eating. My gad, I ate lechon (roast pig) for Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, Sunday lunch and Sunday dinner. I was literally pigged out.
To burn off the calories, we decided to join the afternoon procession of the Santo Niño images.
Friday, February 4, 2011
dressed to kill
The black and white group was my favorite of all the tribal dancers at the Ati-atihan in Kalibo last month, so for their photos, I wanted to try something different.
I decided to shoot them in Dynamic B&W because I figured that their costumes were in black and white anyway, and I didn't want the colorful backgrounds to distract from them. I thought I might have problems with the contrast, but thankfully, it was a sunny day.
Secondly, I shot them from not-so-conventional angles. I wanted to have a real man-on-the-street feel, and I think I really killed it.
I decided to shoot them in Dynamic B&W because I figured that their costumes were in black and white anyway, and I didn't want the colorful backgrounds to distract from them. I thought I might have problems with the contrast, but thankfully, it was a sunny day.
Secondly, I shot them from not-so-conventional angles. I wanted to have a real man-on-the-street feel, and I think I really killed it.
vivalicious
The Ati-atihan of Kalibo is first and foremost a religious festival. One that lasts about a week and is characterized by solemn and silent prayer in the mornings, and boisterous and drunken street-dancing the rest of the day and night.
From Wikipedia: "The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), concluding on the third Sunday, in the town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. The festival consists of tribal dance music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and parades along the street. Christians and non-Christians observe this day with religious processions. The origins of the festival are found in a 13th-century event, when a group of ten Malay chieftains called Datus, fleeing from the island of Borneo, settled in the Philippines and were welcomed by the Ati people, the tribes of Panay Island. The Ati-Atihan was originally a pagan festival from this tribe practicing Animism, to worship their anito god. Spanish missionaries gradually added a Christian meaning. Today, the Ati-Atihan is celebrated as a religious festival and is a major social gathering for the townspeople."
From Wikipedia: "The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), concluding on the third Sunday, in the town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. The festival consists of tribal dance music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and parades along the street. Christians and non-Christians observe this day with religious processions. The origins of the festival are found in a 13th-century event, when a group of ten Malay chieftains called Datus, fleeing from the island of Borneo, settled in the Philippines and were welcomed by the Ati people, the tribes of Panay Island. The Ati-Atihan was originally a pagan festival from this tribe practicing Animism, to worship their anito god. Spanish missionaries gradually added a Christian meaning. Today, the Ati-Atihan is celebrated as a religious festival and is a major social gathering for the townspeople."
Thursday, February 3, 2011
the mother of all street parties
It's been three weeks since Ati-atihan, and I have tons of pictures that have been waiting patiently to be uploaded and bragged about. The last week of January was unbelievably hectic, with Teddy the Lhasa Apso getting sick a few days before my birthday-- possibly a stroke, said the vet. (He's recovering nicely, and is now on an anti-obesity diet. No kidding.)
So without further ado, here are my pictures of the tribal costume competition on 15 January 2011. Hala-bira!
So without further ado, here are my pictures of the tribal costume competition on 15 January 2011. Hala-bira!
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