(Fun fact first) ๐
As of this writing, I have made 5 introductory drafts on how I will introduce and share my Barrio Fiesta Experience that I have just attended this weekend since the COVID-19 pandemic (Finally!!!)
Funny! Hahaha!
My heart is incredibly overwhelmed as I was able to experience physically such a kind of celebration that was suspended and banned for over two years!
As fun lovers and culture keepers as we are, we miss those celebrations so much. People were missing it! We pray for it to happen again. And finally, it's transpiring! (Insert me dancing!)
I am not blaming Covid 19 Pandemic for the halt of the celebrations, (rather, and kidding aside, I blame that Contest in @HivePH on "How to develop your blog". After reading those stuff, I now keep on writing and rewriting as I am not sure if I'm doing the right thing anymore! Hahaha! It's not good to learn all those stuff at the same time honey or you'll mess up! I mixed it up! Lol. Well naaaaah I don't care anymore, haha let's just talk about my experience of the Barrio Fiesta this weekend before this ๐ becomes the 6th draft!.) ๐คฃ
Let me start by sharing what is Barrio Fiesta first.
Barrio Fiesta is a neighborhood festival that refers to a religious holiday honoring the patron saint. This is the time when kin and neighborhood gather for the thanksgiving celebration. During a pandemic, celebrations and gatherings of any kind were canceled. Even the tiniest form of gathering that is part of our culture is banned across the country. So just imagine how happy are we to gradually have everything back!
Just this quarter of the year, our town is classified as "low risk" or under Level 1 Category which means we can now enjoy the gatherings and celebrations that we used to do. And one of these is the Barrio Fiesta. !
It isn't obvious that I was too elated to the point that I went to the Barrio Fiesta as early as 4:00 pm. Normally, people go to the fiesta at night as entertainment and fun start in the evening. But I deliberately went there earlier to avoid the crowd and also to enjoy sightseeing, eating, and buying fiesta souvenirs.
The first spot that we went to is the Market Plaza. Here we could see a lot of stalls and stores displaying a variety of products. From souvenirs and keychains, and toys displayed, to street foods and snacks such as Balot, popcorn, and barbeque! There's plenty to enjoy!
In every Barrio fiesta, there are also Games or Money Games where people enjoyed to bet and gamble. The most famous game is the Bingo Game but in this fiesta, I only saw the Card guessing game. And of course, to heat the celebration, locals especially old men in the barrio didn't forget to add BEER on top of the fun.
Next to the Market Plaza, we head to the Barrio Chapel. This is the heart of the festival, the honoring of the patron Saint. In the chapel, we saw some of the devotees lighting candles, giving offers to the altar, and praying to the Saint.
A patron Saint as defined in Britannica is a saint to whose protection and intercessions a person, a society, a church, or a place is dedicated.
The patron saint of this Barrio is San Antonio de Padua (and that's where they got its Barrio Name), known as the patron saint of the poor, of sailors and fishermen, priests and travelers, a protector and wonder worker.
People in Barrio San Antonio are living happily with this religious belief that they are protected by Saint Antonio de Padua.
Food Food Food!
Any festival is incomplete without a table brimming with delicious food highlighting the flagship dish of every Cebuano Celebration- the Lechon Baboy (roasted pig).
We were so fortunate that we got a dinner invitation from one of our close friends in San Antonio. Who would not grab it? It's a Kumbira"!!!
In the host house, the mouth-watering dish spreading out on the table is calling and waking my inner hungry lion, that is ready to attack the table and partake of all the food anytime! Haha! Rawr!
We ended the celebration with a full stomach and big smiles.
It's good to finally celebrate this kind of celebration once again!.
Normal life is waving.๐
Waiiittt, please tell me this ain't for the 6th draft?
Ika 7th draft nana nimo girl ๐๐ I love the photos. Makamiss ang lechon esp ang fiesta kay makabitbit ta ug sud.an inig uli ๐๐. Thanks for sharing @callmesmile . This reminds me of so many mem'ries back then .
Hahaha! Omg! Ika 7th d i.๐คฃ True Maam, the best ang 'bring home' in every fiesta.. Naa jd tay ma-paksiw.๐
Glad this reminds you of beautiful memories Maam @arlin19 .๐
So true! Lechon paksiw is the best ๐ Thanks for sharing @arlin19 . Makalipay ๐
Missing the fiesta Vibe in our place, hoping the spirit will of happiness will be back soon.
U'l experience it very soon too @intoy.bugoy . Our country is slowly recovering and IATF protocols are not so strict and tight compared before.
๐๐๐
Whooah! ang lechon jud ui ๐ญ๐คค๐คค๐คค๐คค๐ญ
Ang laki ng lechon hehe. Kakamiss ang lechon. Happy Fiesta, by the way ๐ฅฐโจ
Thanks @erikasue !. ๐., Indeed its a happy fiesta.! We were so full and happy. !. Di namin naubos yong lechon.๐
I like this term! This is so true for people living in rural places. Traditions although are already passing... Most are still kept alive by communities. Bario Fiesta was really fun back when we were kids and how our parents would bring us from one house to another just to mingle with relatives and always eat! The atmosphere is lively and you can sense a camaraderie from the people.
Thanks to Bario Fiesta @indayclara, Reunion among relatives is more meaningful and fun while eating Lechon on the side.๐. I also like this "house to house" tradition I tried bringing plastic bag one time and ended up bringing home a lot of food.๐ ubay2x jd na paksiw.๐
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Woaaah! Nag invite unta ka mam! Char! Ahhh kalami sa lechonโบ๏ธ๐ฅบ๐ฌ
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โ าแดสสแดแดก แดสแด แดsแดแดษด สษชแด แด แดแดแดแดแดษดษชแดส แด แดแดษชษดษข แดสแดษชส
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Thank you @asean.hive !. ๐
It's so lovely watching our world come back to life. The last two years have been exesively traumatic for us globally. It's wonderful to see festivals like this again. For a while there, we thought it was over.
Thats true @clairemobey .it feels great to finally have our normal life . ๐., yes, Not in a full blast, but slowly, somehow this gives light to us that sooner or later, we will be enjoying things that we used to do.
Keep safe @clairemobey .
Same here.๐ I hope so too that Covid 19 will teach us lessons to value mankind even more and strengthen our relationships with each other. ๐
By the way, thank you for dropping by @clairemobey .๐ฅฐ
A little glimmer of hope! Yes not totally "normal" but I do hope that this new normal were heading into leaks we've all fundamentally shifted and grown and won't take each other or humanity for granted again. We'll that's what I hope anyway.
That was one big blast fiesta . I hope to join it next time
Yeah Yeah. You should join @tommyl33 !. Bario Fiesta is a nice place for photography too!.
nakakamiss ang bario fiesta sa aming probinsya huhu
Soon u'll be able to celebrate it again @jazzjoswang !. Lets continue praying na everything will be "normal".๐
Hoping and praying maam๐