TADIAN, POBLACION, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE — With the theme “Pekken ya lambodan: Bukko, Tawid si napowan, mangsalibod, entako sumyaan” Tadian’s barangay Poblacion commemorated its second Bukko Festival held at Tadian Central School grounds on June 11-12, 2023.
Bukko Festival 2023
As a formal start of the celebration, Jovita D. San Jose, Barangay Captain, acknowledged the people who attended the program as well as the people behind the organization. The program continued with the traditional way of opening the program called “Tukkab Di Banga,” led by Raymundo B. Papat, Barangay Indigenous Person Mandatory Representative (IPMR). This was followed by the ribbon-cutting of the guest speakers and Punong Barangay for the booth judging contest. Additionally, an intermission number from the four villages of Barangay Poblacion, Tadian were watched.
Maximo Y. Dalog Jr., Mountain Province Congressman, was this year’s guest speaker. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of celebrating cultural festival as well as its implementation. Hence, giving opportunity to recognize the achievements and contributions of the ancestors who instilled this culture.
What is Bukko and how is it done?
An elder from Tadian shared that bukko is one of the local delicacies in the municipality with camote (sweet potato) as its main ingredient. Camote is carefully shredded into pieces and sun dried for a couple of days. Afterwards, it is pounded until pulverized. The pulverized bukko will now be mixed with water, peanuts, sugar, and other mixtures of their choice. Later on, the mixture will be formed into a ball, wrapped in sugarcane leaves and steamed.
Features of the Festival
Bukko Festival is an event that promotes preservation of cultural heritage towards prosperity, unity, and progress. San Jose reiterated that now is the time to strengthen the socioeconomic state even more. Additionally, the festival offers a platform showcasing indigenous customs and practices. Visitors can observe age-old customs like pounding rice, chopping wood, carrying objects on the head (inagtuan), and revitalizing indigenous games.
Activities include civic parade, agro-industrial fair, display of native delicacies, exhibition of indigenous and local products, and various performances of dance, music and arts.
Moreover, the birth of other activities were introduced during the pandemic. Some of these activities include booth exhibit featuring different local products of barangay Poblacion, Tadian such as sigtim, tapey, aw-aw, patupat and bukko among others.
During its closing and awarding ceremony, it was mentioned that the festival contributed to the income generating projects of the barangay wherein at least 200,000 pesos was raised in total. In connection to this, San Jose encouraged the community to further maintain and strengthen their participation to the said festival.
Essence of Bukko Festival
San Jose further explained that wrapping the “bukko” can be compared to the craft of weaving. The more it is binded, the more they relate it to the sticky texture of bukko. In addition, she mentioned that “the same is true with weaving, the crisscrossing symbolizes orderliness and cooperation in times of hardship and success.” An elder who attended the festival also remarked that bukko functions as their means of living and a delicacy shared by the community during gatherings.
Birth of Bukko Festival
Bukko Festival was institutionalized through Ordinance No. 4 of 2019 after a series of meetings and community consultations since 2018. According to Barangay Captain Jovita San Jose of Barangay Poblacion, the proposal came up after realization of the absence of festivals within the barangay.
Additionally, the ordinance indicates the 11th of June as the annual celebration of Bukko Festival. The festival aims to preserve Tadian’s cultural heritage loaded with values towards prosperity, unity, and progress.
In which cultural awareness, reaffirmation of Poblacion’s identity, boosting of socio-economic situation, and enhancement of participation and camaraderie among the people of Poblacion are highlighted. By Janice O. Pito
