Higantes Festival
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| Higantes Festival | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | Angono, Rizal, Angono Rizal Associations Worldwide |
| Liturgical color | Red, White |
| Significance | formerly associated with the Feast of Pope St. Clement I |
| Celebrations | Parade of papier-mâché giant puppets |
| Date | 16 November |
| Frequency | Annual |
The Higantes Festival is a local festival held annually In Angono, Rizal, Philippines, where hundreds of giant papier-mâché puppets are paraded, representing the common people's mockery of the bad hacienda (land) owners of the past during Spanish colonial rule.
The origin of the festival dates back to Spanish colonial rule, around the late 1800s,[1] where the wealthy ruling class who ruled Angono as their hacienda strictly prohibited the common people from celebrating, except for one single festival in the entire year. The hardworking common people used the higantes puppets in their once-a-year festival, rendering the papier-mâché giants to look like the hacienderos, mocking the owners throughout the festivity. The art of papier-mâché was said to have been learned by the common folk from Spanish friars through unstated means. The giant puppets depict a man or woman in multiple costumes, with their faces making commands, while their hands on their waist.[2]