Tags: Festivals and Fiestas, Indigenous Culture, Vacation
By Alexander Villafania
LUCBAN, QUEZON – Apart from the pomp and pageantry, as well as the free food, that goes with it, people often associate the annual Pahiyas festival with houses adorned in color.
But for many residents, being part of the Pahiyas is more than just a visual treat. It is a way of thanks for all the bounty that they have experienced all this time.
During the Pahiyas, visitors are treated to a magnificent sight of houses adorned with a variety of items – from vegetables, fruits to the distinct kiping that hang in arangya.
These symbolize this sleepy town’s residents their gratitude to its patron saint, San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore, the Farmer).
One Lucbanin who has been religiously going home from his stint in Manila is Victor Juacalla, an operations manager for a school and office supply provider.
Victor goes back to Lucban a few days before the actual start of the festivities, which is on May 15. He taps several friends and relatives to help him decorate their house.
“It takes about three days to decorate the house but we also have to prepare the decorations. During these days, with so many people putting together their own houses, decorations become harder to come by.”
Just like many homeowners participating in their Pahiyas, the challenge is to make theirs as visually appealing as possible. That’s because the participants are themselves contestants; the Lucban administrators hold a competition that will award prizes to the best-looking Pahiyas house for the festival.
Many of the participating homes use the traditional kiping (dried rice paste shaped into a large leaf) as their main decorative item. However, the also use farm-produced items, from vegetables, hay, and fruits for their decorations. These are strung, lined up, and bound together to create larger decorations.
Even the walls of houses are covered up in vegetables and hay or even grass, effectively transforming an otherwise traditional house into a fancy decorative item.
Some homes even make scarecrows that re-enact the traditions of Lucbanins, such as rice harvesting and even making kiping.
For this year at least 500 homes participated in the competition. These homes were those along the route of the San Isidro Labrador procession. During this particular event, residents and tourists follow the entourage. They are also joined by judges who select the best-looking Pahiyas home.
Kelly Bautista, another resident of Lucban and one of the tourist coordinators for the Quezon Province, said the pride that goes to making their homes beautiful.
“The effort of making the home itself is the one that residents yearn to do. It’s something that’s only done once a year and they pour their whole heart into making their homes look good for everyone to remember,” Bautista said.
Related stories:
Family-owned resto brings flavors of Lucban to Quezon City
Lucban entrepreneur shares her success with the community
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