The Pahiyas: Lucban’s high festival
It’s one of the most colorful festivals in this side of Quezon. It’s a magnificent sight as street after street, houses are creatively wrapped in elaborate decorations made from kiping. It is a wafer-thin leaf-shaped rice tortilla dyed in a spectrum of colors, and used to create chandeliers, huge paper fans, flowers, and floats. Bounty of local fruits and vegetables are strung together and displayed everywhere as a token of thanksgiving and of the harvest to come.
It was believed that this rite must be done by the farmers in order to avoid bad luck, drought and famine. But this is actually done to celebrate the feast of San Isidro, patron saint of farmers.
So, every May 15th,the neigboring towns of Lucban, Quezon celebrate a grand fiesta aptly called Payihas. Pahiyas is a merged Filipino term payas (grand or spectacular) and hiyas (gem) and refers to something of value given to strengthen a relationship. And grand is the term to use. Visitors and tourists are treated to a weeklong merriment and eat-all-you-can pancit hab-hab, suman, Lucban longganiza.
And when everyone had their fill, and the holiday is over… well, then, take down the kiping decorations, cook ’em and eat them as rice chips! How cool is that?!
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[...] Nakisaya ka na ba (Have you joined in – Sa Pahiyas at Masskara (the Pahiyas and Maskara festivals?) Moriones at Ati-Atihan (The moriones and Ati-atihan) Sinulog at Kadayawan? (Sinulog and Kadayawan) [...]
yes, Masaya sa Lucban, maganda and klima, mababait mga tao
taga lucban ang father ko, ang mom ko batangas. masarap sa lucban, enjoy mag bakasyon, malayo sa pulosyon, masarap ang tubig, pagkain, at ang pinaka the best angklima, wow grabe pa sa baguio. marami na ko na invite na friend, lahat patok sa knila. HALIKA TRY NYO, SAMA KAYO.
hi te grace,
i was searching for some local processed commodities to show my studes (dried & processed plant art included). to my surprise, it led me to ur blog. very useful talaga tong topic mo. miss u so…
The best ang Lucban…. madaming maganda! super… dun ko na meet ang love ko…