No prizes for “Kabkaban” this year

CEBU, Philippines - At least 10 contingents joined yesterday’s “Kabkaban Festival” in Carcar City.

Unlike in the previous celebrations where participants competed for the prizes, yesterday’s festival was more of Carcaranons devotion and thanksgiving to Sta. Catalina, the city’s patron saint, for there was no prizes at stake.

Mayor Nicepuro Apura said the festival was the city’s way of showing its solidarity with the other local government units in the Visayas who are reeling with the destruction brought about by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and the super typhoon Yolanda.

The different presentations that the Carcaranons have witnessed yesterday depicted the different Filipino traditions.

The contingents include the Maximo Noel Memorial National High School, Perrelos National High School, Tuyom National High School, Valencia Vocational National High School, Liburon National High School, Can-asujan National High School, Roberto E. Sato Memorial National High School, Carcar Central National High School, Gelacio Babao Memorial National High School and Ocaña National High School.

Among the Filipino traditions presented during the ritual showdown include courtship, wedding, baptism, graduation, bayanihan, harvest, fiesta, Flores de Mayo, and Christmas.

Apura said he was happy that even if there were no prizes at stake, the contingents have shown their best performances.

“Kabkaban” is a ritual dance that is believed to drive away bad spirits. It was first conceptualized as a yearly agro-industrial fair showcasing the products of Carcar.

It is the local government’s contribution to add color to the celebration of the annual fiesta, at the same time to inculcate in the people the products that Carcar is known for.

The festival got its name from the old name of Carcar, which is “Kabkab” or “kabkaban” because of the abundance of study ferns known to old folks as “kabankaban”. The city is also known for its shoe industry, bolo-making, basket-weaving, wooden furniture-manufacturing, and antique reproduction.—/FPL  (FREEMAN)