GuJuban Festival
Kasanggayahan Cultural Parade
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
The Spanish colonizers have brought great influence on how the Filipinos lived their lives especially when they introduced Christianity. Since then, Juban was a religious town, yet over the years, there have been a lot of changes in the customs and traditions of the people. Nevertheless, the Jubangnons had always lived according to faith and goodwill. During those early years, people devoted their time in religious matters, and believed in whatever the priest would preach in their sermons. They were courteous, industrious, and thrifty, they revered all things that are bearing the name of God. In every house, there were pictures of saints, and crucifix hanging on the walls. They heard mass every day, except for men who cultivated the soil and attend only during Sundays and Holidays. Most conspicuous among these, was the singing of religious verses composed by the Friars. They were translated into local dialects by the native priests and local community and are sung at around dawn to eight o’clock in the evening.
Women and men were apart from each other in terms of responsibilities as well as their roles and how they were viewed in society. Women’s clothes were the Baro at Saya, while men wore barong. The Spaniards made them wear those to distinguish them from the ruling class or the elite who wore a more formal attire. Women were conservative and careful of their behavior. Respect and veneration were imposed upon children and marriage was conserved in 3 ways. First, the presentation, which the parents of the man send a letter to the parents of the woman asking for her hand in marriage and when accepted, the parents of the man would bring tuba, meat etc. to the woman’s house where they talk of other matters. Secondly, the contract is when the woman’s parent will ask for dowry in a new house for the couple, reconstruction of woman’s house or any dowry whatever the parents of the woman wanted them to have or to do. Lastly, the wedding. After the dowry was presented, the woman’s parent will decide on the date of the wedding and the feast for the wedding. This process was popularly known now as the “Pamamanhikan”. It was commonly understood as a trial for the man to overcome, a stepping-stone to cordiality, personal trait and the like.
Just a year after the town was officially recognized, the parish church of St. Anthony de Padua came to establishment. Since Juban was formerly a part of the municipality of Casiguran, people would go to their Parish Church before to attend mass. Fiestas, which also originated from the Spanish Colonizers, were celebrated during the 19th and 20th day of June to commemorate the patron saint’s day. A procession is conducted on the Bisperas or the day before the feast, wherein patron saints of different barangays chapels were gathered. Similar with Christ’s procession, the parish designated 12 stations within the town to which they had to stop and pray. Procession, in Christianity, is an organized body of people advancing in formal or ceremonial manner as an element of Christian Ritual. On the 20th of June, people attend the holy mass to commemorate the feast day of St. Anthony de Padua. The mass is conducted first thing in the morning before people gather in their homes and celebrate thanksgiving with their families and friends. Several years after, this ritual was still being celebrated, hence it became part of the tradition of the Jubangnons. Meanwhile, the Local Government of Juban also participated in the celebration of this day and facilitated several social activities for the people.
Aside from the celebration of the town’s feast on June 20, the Municipality further declared on 2014, the celebration of GUJUBAN Festival on April 7 to 10, to commemorate the town’s independence as a municipality. Social activities included Street Dance Competition among schools, Float parade participated by barangays, Pageant night for Miss Gujuban, DLC Competition, Laro ng lahi and others.