Benguet celebrates founding anniversary with grand community feast 'Grand Cañao'

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The indigenous peoples of Benguet from 13 towns and visitors as well as tourists witnessed 30 black pigs offered for the gods in celebration of Benguet’s 123rd founding anniversary at the Wangal Sports Complex in Buyagan, Benguet on Thursday.

Also called the "Adivay Festival" of Benguet,  a local term for “community coming together as one,” the festival is a month-long celebration extending until December with indigenous and various community activities hosted by the provincial government and the locals.

Before the "grand cañao" (community feast), officials of the provincial government and municipal government units and personnel of the different departments, including contingents from from other local governments like Baguio City filled up the main streets of the provincial capital La Trinidad town for a parade from the Provincial Capitol to the Wangal Sports Complex in Buyagan.

At Wangal,  representatives from each of the 13 towns showed their indigenous prowess in the "Depap ni otik" (catching of native black pigs), a mainstay native tradition in the “Adivay” fest.

A "bunong and owik" where the black pigs where offered to the Almighty marked the start of the whole day Grand Cañao led by Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas, who led the traditional "tayao" ( indigenous dance of the Kankanaey and Ibaloi etholinguistic groups of Benguet) community dancing.

Booths of each 13 towns and visiting delegations from nearby provinces were also set-up at the Wangal sports complex.