MunaTo Festival 2008

| Thursday, December 4, 2008

Even though Alabel, Sarangani Province is just a minute away neighbor of Gensan City, it was my first time to witness their "MunaTo Festival". There were so many activities I missed for a week long celebration, but since the highlight of the festival fell on a Saturday, that was my chance to visit Alabel.

My First destination ...... the Motocross. But I was so early, the race hasn't started yet, but luckily there were riders practicing, and so these are what my camera captured...


Amazing motorbikes flying up the air, it was breath-catching, one's life could be endangered
with the tricks they do, but for a show, they were definitely cool.


You must be a light-rider in order to breeze the wind. Riders were fascinating, and kids were just awed
at the flying riders, but they must be really careful when they try this. With elders on the lookout please!

My Next stop.... "Sayew D'Dalan" or the Street Dancing Competition. There were only three Municipalities who joined the competition, Municipality of Malungon, Alabel and Maitum. The photographs you see are activities from the street dancing. The drums were just beating frantically as the dancers sway their bodies to the beat.


Colorful costumes depicting the creativity and art of the indigenous people of Sarangani Province.


Chanting happily and shouting Hurrahs as the drums and lyres echo wildly in the distance.
Cornhusk dresses these participants, a proof of the agricultural thanksgiving each municipality bestows to the gods.



Walks, skips, runs, all for the easy sway of the arms as they wave them to demonstrate for the crowd
which are all enjoying the show, all cheering for their own bet.




The beauty of Sarangani is not only through these pictures, visit the place and you will see an abode of nature, Glan's Gumasa White Beach, the oysters in Malapatan, corn in Maitum, atis in Maasim, the Little Baguio in Malungon, the fascinating falls in Kiamba, and of course, the White House Capitol in Alabel...

All of them, in one great festival..... MunaTo


3 comments:

shengmarie said...

So bad I wasn't able to witness this one, I could have flown earlier home, to see the fantastic streetdancing...

iceah said...

lovely talaga ng shots mo pareng kyaws sinali moba ito sa photo contest?

Anonymous said...

wow! Great pics! I wish I have a good cam, too! Nice meeting you po at the party! :D