More than a fashion parade by carabaos

PARADE STARS. Two of the “best-dressed” carabaos join the street parade in Bugallon, Pangasinan, as a sideshow during the town’s founding anniversary celebration. PHOTOS BY WILLIE LOMIBAO/CONTRIBUTOR

BUGALLON, Pangasinan—One carabao was painted like Rambo, the action star played by American actor Sylvester Stallone. Another wore anklets made of sea shells and feathers.

Still another appeared more like a pheasant than an eagle it had tried to portray.

Twenty-four carabaos, representing each of the villages of this town in Pangasinan province, came “dressed” in different colors and portrayals as they paraded on the streets of Bugallon on Sunday.

The event was a sideshow in the founding day celebration of this town named after Philippine revolutionary hero Jose Torres Bugallon.

Hardworking

“We wanted to show that our people are industrious and hardworking, like the carabaos. Our primary source of income here is farming,” Mayor Jumel Espino said in an interview.

Ma. Luisa Elduayan, provincial tourism operations chief, said that to add color to the celebration, the “best dressed” carabao contest was launched three years ago.

“This is actually a very good feature of the celebration because the town’s villages are very much involved, not only in dressing up their carabaos but in showcasing their agricultural products,” Elduayan said.

Eggplant grenades

The “Rambo” carabao representing Barangay (village) Samat drew the most attention.

“This is our tribute to our men and women in uniform,” said its designer, Edgar Sarmiento.

The carabao, painted in a camouflage of brown and blue, pulled a trailer mounted with a replica of a machine gun. Its “bullets” were made from okra.

Around the carabao’s neck were round eggplants made to look like hand grenades. An upo (bottle gourd) was shaped and colored like a rocket.

Topping it all, a farmer painted like Rambo held the carabao’s reins.

With scarecrow, too

Designers Joshua Tubon and Glen Raga of Barangay Polong dressed their own carabao with a yellow and violet cloth draped on the animal’s back.

They also adorned it with a collar made of handwoven fans and anklets made of small sea shells and feathers.

The carabao pulled a sled filled with the village’s agricultural products such as rice, vegetables and fruits. A scarecrow adorned the sled’s backdrop.

Symbol of unity

Tubon said the designers did not use any metallic material so that “the carabao would not be hurt.”

Walking beside the carabao during the parade was an old farmer with a large “salakot” and a huge basket slung on his back.

Another designer, Manny Tejada of Barangay Hacienda, said he dressed his carabao to make it look like the Philippine eagle.

“This symbolizes unity because we in the barangay believe that if there is unity, our village will progress,” Tejada said.

His carabao had wings made of cardboard with an aluminum foil shaped like feathers glued to the cardboard. The eagle’s tail was made of paper spread like a pheasant’s tail.

Creativity, artistry

Elduayan, who was one of the judges, said the contest was not about how big or how healthy the carabaos were but how they were dressed up.

“We were looking for creativity, artistry, craftsmanship, durability of materials used and overall impact,” she said.

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