"Carabao-Carroza" Festival portrays its real essence and unveils the ingenuity and creativity of the "Pavianhons."
Last week, the Municipality of Pavia celebrated its "Carabao-Carroza" Festival to give honor to the carabaos, the beasts of burden and a farmer's best friend.
Witnessed by a large number of people, the festival ended in success.
"Pavianhons," with their creativeness, has transformed the carabao into an artful testament of the industry.
It was a day of fun and revelry as people from all walks of life witnessed the exciting events of the festival.
Participated by the municipality's 18 barangays, the festival was highlighted by three main attractions, which were the Carabao-Carroza Parade, Carabao-Carroza Race, and the Search for Carabao-Carroza Festival Queen.
The Carabao-Carroza Parade is the showing off of 18 colorfully clothed carabaos pulling gaily-decorated carrozas with muses clad in Filipiniana costumes. They paraded from Barangay Ungka 1 down to Pavia National High School.
With beauty and variety of colors, each vied for the Most Gaily decorated Carabao-Carroza.
The spectacular and amazing event has captured the hearts not only of the local people but of the visiting tourists as well. As the main attraction of the day, the carabaos offered entertainment to them.
The Carabao-Carroza Race consisted of the carroza, without any attachments and decorations, being pulled by a carabao with a rider on it. The race was done on a 110-meter lane at the Pavia National High School grounds.
The first race was held at the Aganan River. The venue of the race was changed on its second year because during that time, the river had started accumulating water caused by heavy rains.
Eighteen carabaos, which represented each barangay of Pavia, compete in the race. Three elimination rounds of six entries are being held first at the race. The first two winners of the elimination round will eventually compete for the final race. A winner is then declared from the six finalists.
The Search for the Carabao-Carroza Festival Queen is a competition between the 18 muses of the barangays of Pavia.
Before, winners were determined through interviews only. Now, the competition is composed of Ms. Photogenic, Best in Talent, Ms. Congeniality, Best in Summer Wear, Best in Evening Gown, Best in Production Number, and Best in Interview.
The search was held in the evening of May 3 at the public plaza. It was crowded with eager spectators who enjoyed the spectacles of the show.
The festival, according to Dexter Dizon--former coordinator of the event, has no energy like those of Dinagyang or Pintados De Pasi because the Carabao-Carroza Festival is rustic and simple, which reflects the simple culture of the "Pavianhons."
