My parents' friends would say Bacolod was more flamboyant than conservative Iloilo, and rich women had gems by the garapon.
Alas, the sugar crisis struck. But trust Bacolodnons to bounce back - with a smile!
True to its moniker the "City of Smiles," Bacolod has a festival of masks aptly named "MassKara," but the masks have smiles. No sad faces, no Money Heist type of masks. Just masks that lift the corners of one's lips and one's heart.
Historical sources say the festival was born in 1980, a time of extreme want and heartbreaking suffering for the majority of its people who relied on sugarcane for sustenance and survival.
Nowadays, when people talk about the "MassKara" Festival after a well-timed trip to Bacolod in Negros Occidental, hardly anyone starts their stories with the sugar crisis that caused famine in the province.
Instead, they come home with stories of colorful masks, electrifying street dances, all-night drinking and dancing - armed with bags of piayas, toasted polvoron and a host of other delicacies that turn story time into snack time. And if only for that, the MassKara Festival, which recently marked its 45th run in the "City of Smiles," has truly carried on its legacy.
As PeopleAsia managing editor Jose Paolo dela Cruz reminded me after his recent trip to Bacolod as a judge at the MassKara 2024 Arena Dance Competition finale, MassKara festival was born out of tragedy.
Denne historien er fra November 05, 2024-utgaven av The Philippine Star.
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Denne historien er fra November 05, 2024-utgaven av The Philippine Star.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SURVIVING THE AGE OF DISTRACTION
Our phones may be smart, but it's up to us to prove we're smarter. The digital abyss will always be there, waiting.
TRAINING TO COMPETE AT HYROX
I have been meeting Hyrox athletes quite often recently and they are all excitedly awaiting possible news of a Hyrox competition in the country this year.
Connecting Communities to Nature
The Philippines is home to a number of bird species, featuring more endemic species compared to other large countries.
SM Foundation, Philippine Red Cross transform an old warehouse into a blood center clinical lab
2024 was an unforgettable year for the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Quezon City Chapter.
The Fatted Calf: Feasts & Family in a Farmhouse
Though it is near the Mendez Junction known for its fresh beef stalls, The Fatted Calf along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu road has the beef – but also fish, chicken, pork and lots and lots of seed-to-table vegetables.
'The Modern Negrense'
There really is something about Negrense food that gets me excited.
Gerald Santos decides to reinvent himself
Although what happened to him 19 years ago took a long time for him to come out in the open and disclose it, Gerald Santos felt there was really a time for everything.
DIREK JERRY SINENENG ATTESTS TO TEAM JOLLY'S REEL AND REAL-LIFE CHEMISTRY
In charge of the mise-en-scène of the now-airing \"Prinsesa Ng City Jail\" is Jerry Lopez Sineneng.
HOW MARTIN AND POPS BECAME CLOSER THROUGH THEIR GRANDCHILD
Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez, dubbed as the industry's Concert King and Queen, are set to grace the stage together once again for the concert, Always & Forever, on Feb. 7 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
Aegis pays tribute to late member Mercy Sunot in concert
It will be the first time that the legendary (Original Pilipino Music) OPM rock band Aegis will be staging their concert without one of their vocalists, Mercy Sunot.
