Kiping The Filipino Heritage Alive

4 AM on 15th of May 2004 at Shell McKinley Station in Makati City, a group of people converged from different cities in Manila, in a bus off to Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon, Philippines.  The Nature Awareness and Conservation (NACCI) volunteers lead the group. 

The trip started with NACCI giving a description of the Lucban, the historical background, the festival and the cultural importance to the locals.. All these were happening while I was on my bed, sleeping soundly, before I felt a nudge waking me up.. I called the Tour Organizer to learn that the bus was paving its way to SLEX -South Luzon Expressway...

without me...

I was sad, disappointed, almost angry not hearing the alarm getting off..  I have been looking forward to this festival for 2 years, since a friend enticed me to witness it.  Falling on a Saturday that year (2004), I was supposed to be free to go, needing not to take a leave from work (I keep a certain dedication at work, fearing absence)  but I was left behind.  Because I was late!!  The very rare time that I get late..  On an important journey to see the much raved festival of Lucban. 

Five years after, in 2009, although May 15th, the festival, fell on a Friday, I was able to go..  I no longer had a job that I can not leave behind.. Violeta Imperial, the Executive Director of NACCI, made sure that I see the festival that time. 

More than a tourist, I was tasked to lead a bus full of guests, not just for one day but two days.  In 2009, it was a 2-day celebration.

San Isidro de Labrador
Patron Saint of Farmers

Pahiyas Festival is in honor of San Isidro de Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, not just in the Philippines but worldwide.  The festival is a celebration of bountiful harvest and thanksgiving.  It is believed that if one offers the best of his produce for the year, he will be blessed with more and better harvest.

During the festival, each household outdo neighbors by showing off their best produce, the abundance of it and present them in much-thought designs, garnished with colorful "kiping" which they prepare from weeks to months before the day of festival, 15th of May.

What is kiping?  Kiping is the rice wafers, prepared by molding ground rice onto fresh mature leaves of kabal, kape (coffee), talisay (umbrella), kakaw (cocoa), antipolo and saba (plantain) trees.  These are then steamed, peeled off from the leaves, compressed, dried and then tied together to create chandeliers like shown on the photos. 

The steps in kiping-making are very intricate. This can be found in Pahiyas.com.  One interesting practice you can find in the website is observing silence during the mixing of the rice paste.  This is done to prevent cracks on the rice wafers. Click here to read the latest about Pahiyas.  Photos courtesy of John Neil


HOME  |  MADE in PH |  OUTDOORS | ORGANIC FARM |  KOOP