Legazpi relives Bicol’s epic legend
It will be a legendary celebration in Legazpi City, quite literally, as it relives the epic Ibalong in the Ibalong Festival this month, regarded as Bicol's biggest non-religious festival. Ibalong is based on indigenous folklore and is perhaps the only cultural event in the country which celebrates an epic. Now in its 21st edition, the festival is a popular recreation of a mid-19th century, 60-stanza epic poem penned by Franciscan friar Bernardino de Melendreras about the ancient civilization of Ibalong or present-day Bicol region. Cast in the mold of classic Greek mythology, Ibalong tells about its three legendary heroes — Baltog, Handyong and Bantong — who, with their supernatural strengths, rid Bicolandia of beasts and helped it attain its golden era. The epic was written in Spanish by Melendreras who was inspired by the accounts of Kadunung, a wandering minstrel in Albay, regarded as the "bard" of Ibalong for being a fountainhead of folklore and indigenous history.
The month-long festivity, which will run from Aug. 12 to 31, will feature various socio-civic events, national and international sports tournaments, entertainment shows and cultural activities. The festival's highlight is the epic presentation on Aug. 30 where vital chapters of the Ibalong mythology will be re-enacted by participating contingents in a colorful parade and street theater.

For details, log on to www.wowlegazpi.com.