Lang-ay fest, Igorot int’l confab, Mt Prov founding day on April

By Roger Sacyaten

BONTOC, Mountain Province - Organizers have decided to synchronize this province’s top April activities into one program to showcase oneness and unity in celebrating the 49th Mt. Province foundation day, 11th Igorot International Conference, and 12th Lang-ay Festival in this capital town.

The preparations for foundation day is headed by Provincial Administrator Johny Lausan while Igorot International Conference preparations is chaired by Johnny Co, qwhilwe cultural presentations of Lang-ay festival is directed by Paulino Tumapang, Jr. as chairperson of the Lang-ay Festival Organization.

The separate preparations are being made to concentrate on distinct activities of the events set April 1-10.
“One People, One Heritage, One Direction towards Cultural Integrity”, the theme of the Lang-ay Festival last year and this year, was proposed to be the common theme for this year including the foundation day celebration.

The Lang-ay Festival starts on April 1 and so with Agro-Trade fair as part of foundation day on April 7.

Mountain trekking enthusiasts will hike to the summit of the legendary Mount Kalawitan and the Bontoc-Sagada Travers on April 2.

Cultural expositions of municipalities will be on the night of April 7 in contrast to  the previous year when the cultural expositions were spread in a week’s time.

“Now, we compressed it and it will be held  after 5 p.m. to give the public especially the working people opportunity witness the cultural life-ways of the various tribes in the province”, said Tumapang.

On April 8, the conference of the Igorot Global Organization (IGO) composed of Igorots working and residing abroad and within the Philippines but outside of the province will be held at the Teng-ab Complex here.
Igorot showdown and ethnic fashion show will be the features of the festival on the 8th.

The performers in the Igorot showdown will be the students in elementary and high school categories while the fashion show will be the modelling of the ethnic wears by selected personalities and members of the IGO.
Street dancing and cultural presentations and Lang-ay by the Street will be the main features of the festival on April 9 together with the Indigenous games in the afternoon featuring the “fagfagto id Wanga”, Inet-etaan, sanghor, and others.
Gangsa Night will cap the Lang-ay Festival with municipal contingents dancing the night away with gongs and community dancing. The closing ceremonies and awarding of prizes will be done same night.