A few weeks ago, our town celebrated Kaamulan, an annual fiesta commemorating the alliance of the seven major tribal groups represented in our region. The highlight of the six-week long fiesta is a day of street dancing in which different teams compete by recounting historical legends in dance and song. It was fascinating to hear so many different legends and stories, and to see how strongly these cultures still hold on to their belief in Animism.
Animism is the fundamental belief system behind virtually every “tribal” religion, and it even extends into many churches and main-stream religions around the world. It is the belief that everyday life is controlled by spirits who must be manipulated and appeased through taboos, living a particular lifestyle, or at times sacrificing animals, crops or money in order to ensure health, successful crops, successful business and family relationships, and anything else a person might need.
We asked our kids to tell about Kaamulan from their perspective, and here is what they came up with!
