Pahiyas: The

Philippines' Most

Colourful Harvest
Festival
Every May 15, the townsfolk of Lucban, Quezon, don their houses with fruits, vegetables and
colorful kiping (a leaf-shaped wafer made of rice and dyed with food coloring) in celebration of
the Pahiyas Festival. The word ‘pahiyas’ was derived from the word ‘payas’, which means
decoration or to decorate. The reason behind such practice dates back to the 15th century, when
farmers used to offer their harvests at the foot of Mount Banahaw. Over time, they brought their
farm produce at the church in honor of the town’s patron saint – St. Isidore the Laborer, who is
the patron saint of farmers, laborers and peasants.

During that time, farmers would bring their harvest to the town church and the parish
priest would bless them as a way to give thanks to the Lord for their bountiful harvest.
But as time progressed, the church can no longer accommodate all harvests. It was
then agreed upon for the harvests to be displayed in the farmers’ houses instead. Thus,
the parish priest would go around the community to bless their harvests.

The Pahiyas Festival Nowadays

Locals believe that keeping the tradition alive was essential because it brought them
away from deprivation and misfortune in their town. In May 1963, what was originally a
pagan festival transformed into the colorful, grand festival that Filipinos know today.
Apart from holding a competition that chooses the house with the most creative design,
the festival also included cultural shows, various contests, parades and exhibits that
would boost the tourist of the town of Lucban. It was the idea of the Art Club of Lucban’s
Founder and President Fernando Cadeliña Nañawa.

Instead of just putting the agricultural

harvest in front of their door steps, the
facade of each participating house also
put commercial products such as
hats, abaniko or hand-held fans, mats,
bags, the famous
Lucban longganisa (Filipino-style
sausages) and of course, the kiping.

The highlight of the Pahiyas Festival

comes after the town’s procession where
the spirited tradition of ‘Kalas’ takes place. The term literally means to romp away the
harvests and decorations from the houses as a symbol of joy and merriment. Indeed,
the Pahiyas Festival has become one of the most-sought after festivals across the
Philippines, luring in locals from nearby towns and even tourists from other countries.
The fiesta color of summer come alive again as Lucban celebrates the SAN ISIDRO
PAHIYAS FESTIVAL – referred to by many as a fiesta to end all fiestas. EmphasisD.
Lucban celebrates the Pahiyas Festival every May 15 in honor of the patron saint of
farmers, San Isidro Labrador. The drained dough is then kneaded by putting the desired
color and by adding enough water to make the dough semi-liquid. Symmetrical Balance
The parts of an image are organized so that one side mirrors the other. A draw for both
the local and foreign tourists, the event is celebrated every 15th of May by the people of
Lucban, Quezon in honor of San Isidro Labrador.
Waisak Celebrations in Indonesia

Even if  Waisak is only celebrated by 1% of the population, it is a national

holiday in which everyone in Indonesia joins in to celebrate the occasion.

Waisak is an extremely important celebration for Buddhists. It is the day of

birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. On this day, the Buddha resisted
all of the temptations of the world and was enlightened by the truth. He finally
received the truth that will ease human suffering in the form of the Ten Great
Virtues: Charity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Effort, Patience, Truth,
Determination, Universal Love and Equanimity. Later on, he will also discover
the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

The experience of Waisak will be different in Indonesia as it is celebrated with a

hint of local culture. Here are the most popular Waisak celebrations, each one
different from the rest:

Trisuci Waisak in Magelang

Borobudur temple is one of the main places to celebrate  Waisak. Not only is it

recorded as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, but it is also the largest
temple in the world. Buddhists from all over the world usually arrive at
Borobudur ahead of  Waisak to complete the ritual.
 During  Waisak, there are three pre-
cursors before the celebration
on Waisak. For the first ritual, eternal
flame is taken from Merapen Grobongan
and then blessed for the ritual.
Secondly, water is taken and blessed
from a water source in Jumprit,
Temanggung.  Pindapatta comes next, in
which citizens at Mendut temple offer
food to the monks.

One the eve of Waisak, Buddhists guided

by monks and nuns will recite the
sacred  paritta and the great sutras while carrying the tools of worship such as
the replica of the Buddha, blessed water, fire of Dharma and
the Tripitaka scriptures to Borobudur temple. After prayers, lanterns will be
flown to signify happiness and in the hopes that it will enlighten the whole world
and that their prayers will come true.

Kirab Agung Amisa Puja in Yogyakarta

In Yogyakarta, Buddhists celebrate Waisak through the grand carnival of  Kirab

Agung Amisa Puja. This parade is held with the statue of Buddha and citizens
using traditional Javanese garb. By wearing Javanese traditional clothes, the
community also signifies unity with the culture in that area.

The entourage will also carry various  sesajen that includes nasi

tumpeng, Waisak water and fire which will be buried in the courtyard of the
Giriloka Vihara. After the carnival, Buddhists will perform  puja bakti (prayers)
and read the sacred  paritta (sacred book) of Waisak until the end
of  Waisak. Finally, the occasion will be closed with the celebration of darma
sakti.

Waisak Parade in Pekanbaru

Similar to Yogyakarta, Pekanbaru also has a parade to celebrate  Waisak. In this

parade, many people included symbols of Buddhism and perform puja (ritual for
prayers). Prayers in this march are made in the hopes that Indonesia is always
blessed by God Almighty, the Buddha, and the gods.

The parade, held in the afternoon usually consists of participants including

Buddhist religious institutions, educational institutions, Chinese organizations
and schools. There are also influences of Chinese culture such as Barong
sai, dragon attractions, and cars decorated with Buddha statues and colorful
lights. This march is considered one of the ways to honor Buddha.

Muara Temple Festival in Jambi

After Waisak celebrations in Borobudur, Waisak Celebration in Muara Temple is

the second largest celebration. It is usually
held in the Muara Jambi temple complex.
The ritual starts with Buddhists circling the
temple complex and praying, in which they
end with the meditative prayer led by the
monk. After the ritual is over, Buddhists will finally release lanterns in the early
hours.

Interestingly, this religious celebration is always held in conjunction with the

Muara Jambi Temple Festival which serves art performances, band festivals and
culinary bazaars.

Indonesia’s condition as a country rich in culture affects the ongoing celebration

of Waisak, as many Buddhists from various cultures, traditions and backgrounds
unite for this occasion. For them, Waisak is a chance to strengthen and unite
the minority population in various parts of Indonesia. For other Indonesians, it
is an opportunity to practice acceptance and tolerance for loved ones
celebrating Waisak.