Boracay – The first Lantern Festival here will showcase not only Filipino ingenuity in lantern-making but will also revive a lost Boracay tradition. Or so, a tourism official here said.
The long-forgotten tradition is called "mahikaw", said Judith Icotanim of the Department of Tourism here (DOT-Boracay).
During the festival, seven couples will be showcased in a ritual. They will butcher dogs or pigs and eat them exclusively.
The couples will try not to leave any leftover food – considered an act of thanksgiving to the Divine Almighty for the graces received during the past several years.
"This tradition (of not having food leftovers) was once practiced by the old folks of the island and of Malay, Aklan," said Icotamin.
But this tradition disappeared, he lamented, due to the tourism boom in this resort island.
"We hope to revive the tradition as an added tourism attraction for tourists in Boracay during Christmas," Icotanim said.
The Lantern Festival is a brainchild of the non-government organization Philippine Network for Eco-Tourism Development (PHILNED).
The group aims to make the festival a venue for foreign and local tourists to savor Filipino Christmas and local traditions.
PHILNED is also coordinating with the Catholic Church to integrate the Simbang Gabi to the festival.
The festival will start on December 16 and will end on December 31.
The DOT in Boracay is now waiting for the official endorsement of its regional office in Iloilo City of the Lantern Festival. www.aklanon.org
Source: www.thenewstoday.info (21 Agustus 2007)
