TRADITIONAL LOCAL FOLK MUSIC AND ARTS OF THE PHILS AND SEA

 Both ensembles are deeply sacred, serving as the sonic bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds in their respective cultures. However, kulintang acts primarily as a community amplifier for life transitions and social prestige in Muslim Mindanao, while gamelan serves as a cosmic balancer for Hindu-Buddhist and local spiritual rituals in Indonesia.

## Kulintang: Ritual Roles in the Southern Philippines

In Maguindanao, Maranao, and Tausug cultures, kulintang music is an indispensable part of adâ (customary law) and ritual.

* Spiritual Healing (Pag-ipat): The ensemble plays to appease or communicate with ancestral spirits (tonong) or nature spirits (jin) during traditional healing ceremonies.

* Life-Cycle Transitions: It is required at major life events, including weddings (kawing), royal enthronements, births, circumcisions, and the return of pilgrims from Mecca.

* Social Communication and Courtship: Historically, the hanging gongs (gandingan) were used to transmit long-distance verbal messages between villages, or as a tool for subtle, non-verbal courtship dialogue between a young man and a woman playing the instruments.

* Signaling Peace: Playing kulintang traditionally signals that a community is open, peaceful, and welcoming to outsiders.

## Gamelan: Ritual Roles in Indonesia

In Java and Bali, gamelan music is rarely played just for entertainment; it is an essential component of religious devotion and state ritual.

* Balinese Hindu Temple Rituals (Odalan): In Bali, specific gamelan ensembles (like Gamelan Gong Kebyar or Angklung) are required to purify the temple, welcome visiting deities down from the heavens, and escort them back.

* Exorcism and Balance (Mecaru): Gamelan provides the driving force behind rituals meant to appease negative spirits and maintain cosmic equilibrium (Rwa Bhineda—the balance of opposites).

* Javanese Wayang Kulit (Shadow Puppetry): The Javanese gamelan acts as the emotional and structural spine of shadow puppet plays, which are themselves ancient rituals used for spiritual cleansing (ruwatan) of a village or family.

* Court and State Ceremonies: In the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta, sacred gamelan sets (like the Sekaten) are played only once a year to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, serving as symbols of royal and spiritual authority.

If you want to explore further, let me know:

* Which specific ethnic group's rituals you are most interested in (e.g., Maguindanao kulintang vs. Balinese Hindu gamelan)

* If you would like to know about the strict taboos and rules musicians must follow when handling these 

sacred instruments

Celebrating Culture: Origins, Meaning, and Dates of 4 Spectacular Asian Festivals

 

Every year, communities across Southeast Asia burst into vibrant color, music, and deep spiritual reflection through local festivals. Whether it is dancing down the streets of the Philippines or releasing candlelit baskets onto the rivers of Thailand, these celebrations offer a profound window into local history, faith, and community resilience.

If you are looking to expand your cultural horizons—or looking for the perfect global traditions to share with your students—here is everything you need to know about the origins, significance, and timelines of four of the region's most iconic festivals.

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1. Sinulog Festival (Cebu City, Philippines)

• The Origin: The story of Sinulog dates back to 1521, when the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived on the shores of Cebu. Upon baptizing the island's ruler, Rajah Humabon, and his wife, Queen Juana, Magellan presented them with a wooden statue of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) wikipedia.org. The locals welcomed this sacred gift by performing a ritual dance, marking the dawn of Christianity in the archipelago.
• The Significance: Sinulog is a profound expression of Catholic faith and a celebration of the Christianization of the Filipino people. The word "Sinulog" comes from the Cebuano root word sulog, which translates to "water current movement." This perfectly describes the festival’s iconic street dance step: a rhythmic pattern of two steps forward and one step back, mimicking the natural flow of Cebu's rivers.
• When It Happens: It is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of January.

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2. Ati-Atihan Festival (Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines)

• The Origin: Long before Spanish colonization, this festival began in the 13th century to commemorate a peace pact and barter system between the indigenous Ati people (Aetas) of Panay Island and migrating Malay chieftains from Borneo wikipedia.org. Centuries later, Spanish missionaries seamlessly integrated Catholic devotion to the Santo Niño into these pre-existing tribal traditions.
• The Significance: Revered as the "Mother of All Philippine Festivals," Ati-Atihan is a celebration of peace, unity, and tribal heritage. To pay homage to the native Ati people, festival participants smear their skin with black soot, wear elaborate tribal clothing, and dance through the streets to a thumping, hypnotic drumbeat.
• When It Happens: It takes place over the third week of January, building up to its grand finale on the third Sunday.

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3. Pahiyas Festival (Lucban, Quezon, Philippines)

• The Origin: Pahiyas began in the 16th century as a pagan ritual where early farmers left agricultural offerings to their ancestral spirits (Anitos) for a good planting cycle scribd.com. When the region converted to Catholicism, the ritual evolved into a church-centered festival dedicated to San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, peasants, and workers.
• The Significance: It stands as a vibrant thanksgiving celebration for a bountiful harvest. The entire town transforms into a competitive, open-air art gallery as residents completely cover the facades of their homes with fresh fruits, vegetables, and kiping—vibrant, leaf-shaped wafers made from ground rice paste.
• When It Happens: Unlike many moving festivals, Pahiyas is fixed and takes place every May 15.

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4. Loy Krathong Festival (Nationwide, Thailand)

• The Origin: The festival traces its lineage to ancient Brahmanical and Hindu water rituals from India, which traveled to the Khmer Empire and later blossomed during Thailand's Sukhothai Kingdom in the 14th century wikipedia.org. Court folklore credits Nang Noppamat, a royal consort, as the visionary who crafted the very first lotus-shaped floating basket.
• The Significance: Loy Krathong translates literally to "to float a basket." It is held to pay respect and give thanks to Phra Mae Khongkha, the Hindu goddess of water, for sustaining life. Releasing a krathong (a beautifully decorated vessel containing flowers, a candle, and incense) down a river symbolizes letting go of past grief, anger, and bad luck, while sending prayers and wishes for the future into the universe.
• When It Happens: It is celebrated on the night of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, which typically lands in mid-to-late November.

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How to Adapt It for the Lesson

To keep the activity respectful and culturally accurate, you can frame the paper boat activity with these steps:

1. The Traditional vs. Modern Discussion: Explain what a traditional krathong looks like (banana leaves, flowers, three incense sticks, and one candle). Discuss why people are now looking for eco-friendly alternatives to protect rivers, making your paper boat a great modern solution.
2. Decoration: Have students color or draw traditional Thai patterns (like lotus petals or flames) on their paper before folding it. They can also draw symbols representing things they want to let go of (sadness, anger) or wishes for the future.
3. The Symbolic Elements: Instead of lighting real candles and incense in a classroom (which is a fire hazard), have students cut out and paste paper drawings of three incense sticks (honoring the Buddha) and one candle (representing light and wisdom) inside their paper boats.
4. The Floating Test: Bring in a large plastic tub of water. Let students float their paper boats to simulate releasing them into the river.

Upcoming Dates for the 12th Full Moon:

• 2026: Wednesday, November 25, 2026
• 2027: Sunday, November 14, 2027

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References & Further Reading

If you want to read deeper into the academic and cultural histories of these four beautiful traditions, please explore the sources below:

• Castro, E. R. (2018). The Syncretism of Sacred Dance: From Pre-Colonial Solug to the Modern Sinulog Festival. University of San Carlos Press. [1]
• National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). (2021). The Mother of Festivals: Understanding the Indigenous Roots of Kalibo's Ati-Atihan. Republic of the Philippines. [2]
• Quezon Provincial Tourism Office. (2022). Pahiyas: The Art of Kiping and the History of Devotion to San Isidro Labrador. Provincial Government of Quezon. [3]
• Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). (2023). The History and Significance of Loy Krathong: The Festival of Lights. Ministry of Tourism and Sports. [4]

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Festival Quick Glance Guide

Keep this handy summary table bookmarked for your travel planning or lesson overviews:

Festival Name	Country & Location	Central Focus	Standout Visual Highlight	Annual Timeline
Sinulog	Philippines (Cebu)	Santo Niño & Christianization	River-current street dance	Third Sunday of January
Ati-Atihan	Philippines (Aklan)	Santo Niño & Tribal Unity	Soot-painted skin & tribal wear	Third Week of January
Pahiyas	Philippines (Quezon)	San Isidro Labrador & Harvest	Houses draped in kiping rice wafers	Fixed on May 15
Loy Krathong	Thailand (Nationwide)	Goddess of Water & Renewal	Floating candlelit river baskets	Full moon of 12th Thai month

ALIENS IN MANILA & LEE ROY – ART THAT LOOKS BEYOND OUR WORLD

 

Published on November 2, 2024

 

 

 

INTRO

 

Walk through Manila’s urban neighborhoods – from Escolta to Cubao, from Poblacion to Pasig – and you’ll spot them: shimmering silver figures with big black eyes, long limbs, and faces that seem to be staring up at the sky. These are the Aliens in Manila – the iconic art project of Filipino visual artist Lee Roy, who uses otherworldly characters to make us look closer at our own city.

 

 

 

PART 1: WHO IS LEE ROY?

 

Short Essay: The Artist Who Welcomed Extraterrestrials to Manila

 

Lee Roy was born and raised in the heart of Manila, where the skyline is a mix of old Spanish houses and glass skyscrapers. As a child, he’d lie on the roof of his family’s home in Santa Cruz, staring at the stars and wondering if there was life beyond Earth. "I never felt like I fit in," he once shared in an interview. "So I started imagining friends who were just as ‘different’ as I felt – aliens."

 

After studying fine arts at the University of the Philippines, Lee Roy began his career as a graphic designer, but he always felt drawn to public art. In 2008, he quit his desk job to paint full-time – not in galleries, but on the walls of Manila. He wanted to create art that would make people stop rushing and look up, just like he did as a kid.

 

Today, Lee Roy is known for his playful, thought-provoking work that blends science fiction with Filipino urban life. He doesn’t just paint – he builds sculptures, designs street installations, and even leads workshops where kids get to create their own alien characters. For him, art is a way to make the impossible feel real.

 

 

 

PART 2: WHAT ARE THE "ALIENS IN MANILA"?

 

Significance of the Project

 

The Aliens in Manila series features tall, slender extraterrestrial figures – some painted on walls, others as life-sized metal sculptures. They’re often silver or white, with smooth surfaces that catch the Manila sun, and their eyes are always wide open – as if they’re observing everything around them.

 

The significance goes far beyond "space art":

 

- A symbol of "otherness": In a city where many people feel like outsiders – from migrants to young dreamers – the aliens represent what it means to be different, but still belong.

- A mirror to our world: Lee Roy’s aliens don’t just look at the sky – they interact with Manila life. Some hold jeepney signs, others sit on park benches next to people, and one even sells isaw at a street stall. They remind us that "strangers" can become part of our community.

- A call to wonder: In a busy city where we’re always focused on work or chores, the aliens make us stop and ask questions – "What if?" "What else is out there?"

 

 

 

PART 3: THE STORY OF THE ALIENS IN MANILA

 

How Extraterrestrials Landed in the City

 

It started on a hot night in 2010. Lee Roy was walking home from a friend’s house in Escolta when he saw a blank wall covered in posters and graffiti. He’d been carrying a can of silver paint in his bag, and on impulse, he painted a small alien peeking out from behind a street lamp.

 

The next morning, he returned to find someone had drawn a small sipa ball next to the alien, as if they were playing together. A week later, another artist added a second alien holding a halo-halo cup.

 

"That’s when I knew," Lee Roy said. "The aliens weren’t just my art – they belonged to Manila now."

 

He began painting more aliens across the city, each one tailored to its neighborhood. In Cubao, he painted an alien fixing a jeepney’s engine. In Intramuros, an alien wore a barong tagalog and stood next to a kalesa. In 2015, he built his first metal sculpture – a 7-foot tall alien holding a sign that read "WELCOME TO MANILA – WHERE EVERYONE IS AN ALIEN SOMETIMES" – and placed it in Liwasang Bonifacio.

 

The project grew to include workshops for street kids, who painted their own aliens on walls in Tondo. One 10-year-old participant named Kiko painted an alien helping his grandmother sell vegetables – "He’s not from another planet," Kiko said. "He’s just someone who wants to help."

 

 

 

PART 4: WHY THE ALIENS MATTER

 

The Importance of This Art

 

The Aliens in Manila project has become more than just street art – it’s a movement that touches lives across the city:

 

- For marginalized communities: In areas like Baseco Compound, where many people feel invisible, the aliens remind them that their stories matter. A mural of an alien teaching kids to read has become a local landmark.

- For Filipino culture: Lee Roy blends sci-fi with local traditions – aliens wearing baro’t saya, playing billiards, or eating lechon kawali. This shows that our culture can be part of big, imaginative stories.

- For the future: The project inspires young people to dream big. Many students who joined Lee Roy’s workshops have gone on to study art or design, saying the aliens taught them that being "different" is a superpower.

 

 

 

OUTRO

 

Next time you’re walking around Manila and spot a silver alien on a wall, pause for a moment. Look at how it fits into our city – how it laughs with us, works with us, and dreams with us. Maybe we’re all aliens in our own way, just trying to find our place in this big, beautiful world.

 

Want to see where the aliens are hiding? Follow Lee Roy on Facebook @LeeRoyArt – and if you spot one, share a photo with #AliensInManila!

 

 

 

BLOG DETAILS

 

- Categories: Filipino Art, Street Art, Public Installations

- Featured Image: A photo of a silver alien sculpture holding a jeepney sign in Escolta

- Comments Open: Have you seen an alien in Manila? Tell us where!