Marinduque Street Festivals: Kadami na mandin

Morion mask from a 1972 Philippine Airlines (PAL) magazine cover.

        It was in the early 60s when the late Alejandro Roces (National Artist for Literature), got wind of Marinduque’s ‘Moriones’. Early print media accounts referred to them as ‘mga Muryon’. Locals simply called any gathering of those masked Holy Week penitents ‘Moryonan’. 'Moriones' was definitely a media and scholarly invention. No basis in fact.

NCCA called Roces "ever the champion of Filipino culture and he brought to public attention the aesthetics of our fiestas.. He was instrumental in popularizing several local fiestas, notably, Moriones and Ati-Atihan”, stated NCCA in its website.

In Marinduque, what has happened since the 60s? Turns out that fiestas, festivities, festivals have mushroomed in many other parts of the island.

In Boac

Moriones Festival. After more than half a century of being identified as a festival, notwithstanding the laughter and revelry, the sounds of brassbands, drums and kalutang that go with the merry-making, at times drunken men, endlessly prancing to make the children cry, shout and scream to their own delight, they now tell us it’s not a festive occasion but a solemn tradition? Tourists have visited this island-province to have fun, fun, fun and just commune with nature and the spirits after all the revelry when it’s time.

In Mogpog

Traditional Moryonan. Morions here still decorate their headdresses with flowers and costumes with those shiny metallic foil as in the old days, making their costumes more colorful than the ones you find elsewhere. They’re content with knowing the first morions were born here, so they still follow the old rituals in remembrance of things past.

Kangga Festival. Photo: Ferry Ann Lacdao

Kangga Festival. In gratitude to San Isidro Labrador their patron saint people in this town have adopted this festival as an annual celebration on his feast day, May 13. The ubiquitous sled of bamboo drawn by a carabao with which they transport their agricultural products into town are decorated for once, and with merriment and gaiety are paraded on the streets with the beasts of burden cleaned up, dressed up just like their owners.

In Sta. Cruz

Ati-Atihan Festival. Photo: Adrian Sto. Domingo

Ati-Atihan Festival. Many have frowned that they’re doing what the Aklanons own. But if the organizers’ claim is true that they’ve been doing it in this biggest Marinduque town since the early 60’s then they have every reason to continue what they supposedly have done for decades. No wonder the number of children who converge at the town plaza keep increasing year after year. They are eager to show their dances wearing the familiar tribal costumes with spears and swords while shouting “Hala Bira”. The organizer who introduced this festival in 1963 is said to be from Aklan. 

In Torrijos

Tubaan Festival. Tuba is coconut wine, fresh or mildly fermented sap taken from tapping the young flowers of the coconut and has always been a favorite drink in every part of the island since time immemorial. The most affordable drink. But climate change and natural calamities have affected the coconut industry and tuba gathering. There’s hope though that with new technology the town will see the production of high value coconut products. For now, this festival remains as a tribute to tuba that will always be part of their lives and more beneficial than any alcoholic drinks that have flooded the market.

Tubaan Festival. Photo: Erwin Penafiel

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