Kalinga to celebrate 1st Bodong Festival

THE first Bodong Festival or the 22nd founding anniversary of Kalinga Province will be celebrated next month with a theme “Bodong: Foundation for Lasting Peace and Progress,” from February 6 to 16.

Kalinga Vice - Governor James Edduba said this is the first time they will celebrate the Bodong Festival from the former Ullalim Festival.

Bodong is a local dialect in Kalinga which means peace pact.

Edduba said the change of the name of the festival aims to show the culture of Kalinga and to change bad perceptions about the province.

“We want to showcase the practice of Bodong during the celebration. It seems sometimes some people have negative impressions about Bodong and we would like to adopt this to impress our brothers and sisters outside Kalinga,” Edduba said adding the former Ullalim Festival is just part of Bodong.

Edduba said the province is known to practice Bodong as an alternative mode of settling disputes with different tribes in Kalinga as well as other provinces in the region.

Activities for the upcoming festival includes and industrial fair from February 6 to 14; Bike fest on February 11; agri - fair, elementary drum and lyre, family games, and Search For Miss Kalinga on February 12 while on February 13 is a job fair and street dance showcasing the actual celebration of Bodong, and laga cultural show.

On February 14 will be the grand civic parade, Valentine’s Day concert and secondary drum and lyre competition and fireworks display while February 15 and 16 will be several concerts by Kalinga artists.

Edduba said aside from the festival, tourists can also see and witness the rich culture of Kalinga.

Kalinga boasts of white water rafting and the famous tribal tattoo art in Buscalan by Apo Whang-od.