‘Magayon’ feast brings to life Albay creatures

LEGAZPI CITY—It was a sight to behold: Fifty giant colorful papier-mâché figures depicting Bicol’s mythical creatures parading on the streets of this city, amid gasps of appreciation from the thousands of spectators that lined the streets.

Dubbed as the “Parade of Giants,” the “creatures” paraded along the 3-kilometer Rizal Street stretch from the Trilon Monument at Legazpi Port District to Peñaranda Park at Albay District, the venue of the annual month-long Magayon Festival, which is now on its fifth year.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the Parade of Giants was a hit and crowd-drawing event as the giant effigies portrayed all of Albay’s mythological characters that symbolized the ancient Bicol.

Distinguished mythical creatures in papier-mâché developed by local artists included such characters as  “Oragon,” which is a creature associated with the Bicolano that is able, streetwise, strong, virile and brave; Magayon, a beautiful woman, the youngest sister of Masaraga and Malinao, which is intelligent and proud, hardheaded and moody; and Tambaluslus, a creature with wide protruding lips that covers its face when it laughs and loose-bagged testicles which dangles to the ground.

Abdon Balde, a multi-awarded Bicol writer, said the characters of the Parade of Giants were lifted from the book “The Brief Account of Beliefs, Legends, Superstitions and Religion of the Ancient Indios of Bicol” by Fray Jose Castaño published in 1885 in Madrid, Spain.

Salceda said with the astounding presentation of the Parade of Giants this year, organizers decided to include the parade among the major events that would highlight the yearly Magayon Festival.

The Parade of Giants spectators went home satisfied, despite the major traffic jam it caused at Rizal Street here and neighboring Daraga town that stranded for three hours cars, jeepneys, buses and trucks.