'Kalilangan': GenSan's festival of cultures
MANILA, Philippines - It was a colorful explosion of culture as Gen. Santos City recently showcased its artistic side with the celebration of the the multi-awarded Kalilangan Festival as part of its 73rd founding day.
Derived from the root word “Kalilang,” the fest literally means celebration in the Maguindanaoan dialect. The month-long festivity featured an assortment of sports tournaments, native Filipino games, cultural shows, barangay gatherings, and special interest events.
According to Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, Kalilangan is a social gathering marked by the exchange of amenities among traditional leaders, elders, allies and townsfolk.
A highlight of the event is Salubungan “Parada ng Lahi” which reenacted the landing in 1939 of Gen. Paulino Santos, administrator of the National Land Settlement Administration, who started the foundations of the Dadiangas town in Cotabato province.
Festivities drew to a close with the Kadsagayan street dance tilt which showcased the ethnic dances of the Maguindanaoan, T’boli and B’laan tribes, as well as the mainstream Visayans.
