Many Waray-Waray traditions can be traced to pre-colonial times.

For example, the Kuratsa dance is

a very popular traditional dance of the Waray-Waray at many social gatherings, especially weddings.
It is very common throughout Samar. The couple who dances the Kuratsa are showered with money
by the people around them. The belief is that the more money showered upon them, the more
blessings will come their way. The culture is basically Visayan. The Waray-Waray are often
stereotyped as brave warriors, as popularized in the tagline, “basta ang Waray, hindi uurong sa away”
(Waray never back down from a fight.) Farming and fishing are the main livelihood. In the entire
cropping season, from land preparation up to post harvest, the farmers perform rituals invoking the
nature spirits and ancestor spirits for a good harvest. This is also complemented by Christian customs
as the recitation of novenas (9-day). Fisherfolk likewise ask permission from the water spirits for safety
at sea and a good catch. Their religious devotion is very evident in their celebrations like feasts
honoring their patron saints. Fiestas are celebrated with prayer, food/drinking dance and music. Many
Waray-Waray traditions can be traced to pre-colonial times. For example, the Kuratsa dance is a very
popular traditional dance of the Waray-Waray at many social gatherings, especially weddings. It is
very common throughout Samar. The couple who dances the Kuratsa are showered with money by
the people around them. The belief is that the more money showered upon them, the more blessings
will come their way.

Religion
Catholics comprised 96.76 percent of the province’s household population in 2000. Other religious
groups in the province are the Aglipays, Iglesia ni Kristo, Islam, Buddhists, Baptists, and Protestants
from the United Church of Christ of the Philippines and other Protestant sects.

Festival
1. Homonhon Landing – March 16 Homonhon, Eastern Samar- Reenactment of the discovery of the
Philippines in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan. 2. Karayapan Festival – March Guiuan, Eastern Samar –
A colorful festival depicting how the early Guiuan Townsfolk enjoyed nature’s bounties, rich marine
life, fertile land, verdant forest. It is also a thanksgiving to their Patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mother.
3. Padul-ong -September 7 A mythical presentation of how the image of the blessed Virgin was
mysteriously transported to Borongan from Portugal and its connection to the Lady in White who
frequented the Hamorawan Spring and caused its water to miracuously heal the locals. 4. Balangiga
Incident – September 21 A commemorative pageant on the Philipine-American encounter in 1901. A
reminder of the Filipinos’ quest for freedom.

The Kuratsa is believed to be a Mexican import (supposedly from La Cucaracha dance typical to
Monterrey region of Mexico) – the Kuratsa is however, very different in the manner of execution than
the Mexican counterpart. Even the “basic” Kuratsa music is not based on Mexican or even Spanish
melodies.

http://easternsamar.gov.ph/culture-sports-and-recreation/

The Waray Culture of the Philippines

JoycieAlegre

https://www.academia.edu/8631312/The_Waray_Culture_of_the_Philippines.
The most important crop and major source of income for many is the coconut. Other major agricultural
products include rice and corn, while sugarcane, abaca, and tobacco are also grown. Cassava and
camote (sweet potato)are grown as supplementary staple crops. Pineapple, banana, mangoes, and
other fruit are grown year round, as are many vegetables and peanuts. In Eastern Samar, a root crop
known as "palawan" is grown. It is not common outside of that area, except in some parts of (Western)
Samar like Basey and Marabut. Leyte is a big producer of bananas.

Waray Facts:
Waray never back down from a fight
They are known as happy and contented people
Known for their love of music

Famous waray artists

Boy abunda
Ted failon
Tom rodriguez

WARAY
https://sites.google.com/site/humanities2visayas2015/home/c-eastern-visayas/waray
Visayas:remaining treasures of the indigenous people

FOODS AND DELICACIES

http://warayinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/03/leyte-and-samars-delicacies.html?m=1 march 2, 2009
leyte and samar's delicacies

http://easternsamar.gov.ph/culture-sports-and-recreation/
Culture, Sports and Recreation. Province of Eastern Samar

Waray Dec.2 2014 Jamesedwinhawaii https://thewaraywaray.wordpress.com

Waray-Waray, also called Waray or Samaran or Samareño, any member of a large ethnolinguistic group
of the Philippines, living on Samar, eastern Leyte, and Biliran islands. Numbering roughly 4.2 million in
the early 21st century, they speak a Visayan(Bisayan) language of the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian)
family. Most Waray-Waray are farmers and live in small villages. Although the kinship system and
family structure are almost identical to those of other Christian Filipino groups, the Waray-Waray are
considered to have retained more of the beliefs and folklore of pre-Christian times.
www.britannica.com/topic/ Waray Waray
Written by Adam Augustyn and etc. 2019

Waray people inhabit the whole island of Samar and there they are called Samareños while on the island
of Leyte they are called Leyteños. On Leyte island, Waray people occupy only the northern part of the
island as it is divided by a mountain range in the middle of the island. Hence the language division
between the Waray-Waray speaking people in the northern part and the Cebuano speaking people in
the southern part. On the island of Biliran, Waray-Waray speaking people live in the eastern part of the
island facing the island of Samar. They are commonly referred to using the Waray-Waray term Biliranon.
On the island of Ticao, which belongs to the province of Masbate in the Bicol region, Waray-Waray
speaking people live in most parts of the island. They are commonly referred to as Ticaonon. However,
the Ticaonon have their affinity with the Bicolano speaking people of Masbate island as it is their home
province.

Hiatory
The Warays are descendants of the Austronesian-speaking immigrants who came to the Philippines
during the Iron Age. In 1521, the Warays were the first Filipinos to be sighted by Europeans under the
leadership of Ferdinand Magellan. The Warays were among the first Filipinos converted to Christianity.
Paradoxically, they are also among the last Filipino ethnicities to retain traditional pagan practices
alongside their practice of Roman Catholicism. From the Spanish Colonization onwards, they have been
considered the underdog of Filipino ethnicity. The ancient Waray tribal folk of Samar, Leyte, and
Pintuyan Island were masters of the sea. Many of whom became pirates who attacked and raided
coastal villages of present day Bohol, Bool, Cebu, the Luzon coasts and Mindanao. They utilized a form
of indentured servitude to those who they captured in their raids and forced them in agricultural slavery
even in forming ranks of their war parties. The ancient Waray tribal folk hold similar semblance to the
Vikings of Northern Europe.

Religion
The Waray people are one of the most religious people in the Philippines. Most of them belong to
Roman Catholicism, while others have been converted to various Christian denominations/groups, and
still a small percentage of the population practice other religion (sometimes alongside Catholicism) such
as Buddhism for a few Chinese descendants in the area

Language
The Waray people speak the Waray-Waray language, a major Visayan language. They also speak
Cebuano as their second language. Some people who are of Waray descent also speak Waray-Waray as
their second or third language, especially among emigrants to Metro Manila, other parts of the
Philippines and in other parts of the world. Other notable foreign languages spoken include English,
Spanish, Chinese and Japanese which is spoken by its community and among others