BANAUE celebrated Imbayah Festival on Friday, April 27, with a cultural parade participated by 12 barangays clustered in five units garbed in their native attire.

On Friday, 12 participating barangays garbed in their native paraded along the town’s main thoroughfare while performing indigenous dance.

This weekend, community parade will be held with presentation of native dances, “munpaot” (woodcarving) competition, wooden scooter race and Imbayah sewing competition.

Imbayah refers to a noble people feast and considered as one of the biggest cultural celebration of Banaue in Ifugao.

The four-day cultural celebration marks the cultural parade which also feature traditional arts and crafts, dances, ethnic games with the variation of arm, leg and body wrestling.

Imbayah comes from the word “bayah” referring to rice wine that symbolizes abundance, during the festival the wine served from heirloom jars and the feast set for gods.

The Municipal Tourism Office said foreign tourists flocked in the province since the start of the festival.

“It’s a unique experience, we haven’t seen men dancing garbed in their attire,” said spectator Marion Eyraud.