Just by All Saints Day or All Souls Day, while the people went to the cemeteries and lit up some candles for their loved ones, the people of the small town Anilao in the central Philippine province of Iloilo celebrates their town foundation, not only of candles lit in the cemeteries but also a celebration of light and fire, the Banaag Festival.
The said festival, usually held in the first weekend of November, is the town’s way in celebrating its foundation. “Banaag” or blazingly bright in Hiligaynon vernacular means “blazingly bright.” It is a celebration of valour and honor of their ancestors, triumph of light over darkness and the utilization of the light and fire in their everyday life in Anilao as farmers and fishermen. (more…)
