My Hometown is Celebrating its Kaamulan Festival

Last week, I had visited my hometown in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon and I had seen so many bazaars particularly some souvenir and native items for sale, fast foods, bar & grill, garden show, agri-fair, and live stock show at the capitol ground in celebration of the Kaamulan Festival. 

Kaamulan Festival is an ethnic cultural festival held annually in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon from the second half of February to March 10, the anniversary date of the foundation of Bukidnon as a province in 1917. It is held to celebrate the culture and tradition of the seven ethnic tribal groups—Bukidnon, Higaonon, Talaandig, Manobo, Matigsalug, Tigwahanon and Umayamnon— that originally inhabit the province.

Kaamulan comes from the Binukid word “amul” meaning to gather.Kaamulan is gathering for a purpose—a datuship ritual, a wedding ceremony, a thanksgiving festival during harvest time, a peace pact, or all of these together.

I remember way back in my childhood days, my grandmother used to join the street dancing competition and I was just amazed how she looks on her colorful native custom. My grandmother is a pure "Lumad" a native in my hometown and I also have that "nitibo" blood and in fact, I still know how to speak "binukid" on our native dialect. I am not ashamed where I came from because this is where I grew up with and I learned a lot from my humble and innocent beginnings out from my native clan and ancestors.

As you can see on the photos, it is so colorful to see the people dancing on the street reviving those old traditional dance and rituals of our ancestors. Kaamulan Festival is indeed a great gathering in celebrating the culture and tradition of the ethnic tribes of my hometown.

For more info of the latest updates and schedule of the Festival, Please check out this site: BukidnonOnline