Reliving Paoay’s Storied History at the Guling-Guling Festival
Believed to have originated even before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Guling-Guling Festival morphed into a religious practice in the 16th century, when the Spanish friars attached it to the celebration of the Lenten season. Happening just a day before Ash Wednesday, guling—the local Ilocano word meaning “to smear”—comes into play when the town mayor smudges a white cross, made from damp white rice flour, onto a person’s forehead to indicate their pureness. The townsfolk deeply believe that this sacred ritual symbolically washes away their sins.
Today, the festival has effectively taken greater heights in terms of street revelry and cultural showcases, all while proudly retaining the solemn spirit of its age-old traditions.
Living Relic of Paoay
“Guling-Guling is a living relic of Paoay’s history starting from the pre-Hispanic colonial period. As a fat Tuesday celebration during Holy Tuesday, it is a deeply rooted pagan tradition that took new form as a Christian rite; a part of the religious transformations under the Spanish colonial rule. The fact that it centers on dudol, a Muslim food, only suggests that there is harmony of faith and beliefs in a town of more than 300 years, and we have always been proud of that," explains Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero, the cultural researcher, writer, and tourism officer of Paoay.
“This year we brought culture closer to the kids. This can be seen in the flash mob presented by the grade schoolers and the youth festival that gave opportunities for budding talents to showcase what they have. As part of the local government’s initiative to popularize the celebration, we added an open category so that contingents from other towns can compete,” Guerrero adds.
A Week-Long Revelry
I arrived at the historic town of Paoay just as the sun was rising. Almost beat up from a long, overnight bus trip, I alighted from a tricycle and was immediately drawn to the golden gleam of the sun, whose morning rays were actively kissing the outer brick walls and the massive buttresses of the Paoay Church. The serene scene appeared almost surreal and instantly summoned a nostalgic throwback feel to olden times—without the need to stretch my imagination, as the nearby heritage houses also brought forth a remarkably similar feeling.
I have been to various festivals all over the country, but none are quite similar to the distinct historical atmosphere the town of Paoay naturally brings. A compact locale beautifully enclosed by pockets of historical structures and even newly dug century-old bridges—all paints a place seemingly removed from the chaotic rapidity of modernity.
I spent my first afternoon walking around the quiet town and noticed many young students energetically partaking in the final rehearsal for the festival’s grand finale. Adorned with colorful costumes, I watched them as they danced and strutted their graceful movements, while the younger children played gleefully on the lawn-covered grounds fronting the Church of Paoay. One promptly senses the festival vibe steadily rising.
The ‘Dudol’ Cook-Off
Among the many highly interesting side shows to the Guling-Guling Festival is the “Dudol” (dodol) cook-off, held on a rustic piece of farmland that sits adjacent to a small pond near the main highway. Widely known as a traditional Ilocano rice cake, it is also surprisingly popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Southern India. The dudol is believed to have reached Paoay through the early Malay and Indian settlements that actively thrived on the coastal towns of Ilocos Sur and Norte even long before the arrival of the Spaniards.
It is organically made from bel-laay (rice flour), fresh sugarcane juice, rich coconut milk, and aniseed (anise). Properly cooking this local delicacy requires immense patience in constantly stirring the thick ingredients over a small, steady fire, and heaps of culinary creativity to make a serving of dudol look distinctive. Fortunately, for us travel writers, some friendly locals invited us to become a part of the judging committee and gave us the very first dibs in tasting at least five delicious varieties of dudol.
The bucolic scene at the farm, coupled with the gently blowing wind, can almost lull one into a lazy afternoon siesta. The prevailing mood of that specific moment made me escalate my appreciation for the type of provincial ambiance reigning not far away from the heritage-filled streets of Paoay.
Winding-Up the Festival
The Guling-Guling Festival is celebrated every year during the exact same day as the famed Mardi Gras—a massive Christian and cultural festivity celebrated in many countries globally. Mardi Gras is the French term for “Fat Tuesday” and mirrors the traditional practice of heavily indulging in savoring sumptuous foods and merrymaking before the strict ritual of fasting during the Lenten season that takes place the very next day, Ash Wednesday.
Upon waking up, I certainly felt the lingering air around Paoay becoming even more celebratory, as I spotted scores of local women elegantly donning the traditional clothes of pandiling and kimono—all of which were carefully handwoven from abel cloth.
The historic art of abel hand-weaving in Ilocos is well-known and is rightfully considered as part of the province’s rich artistic heritage. Colorful costumes expertly made of abel would eventually take center stage later under the moonlit night, as the contingents from various towns proudly perform in front of the splendid facade of Paoay Church.
Later in the afternoon, the grand street parade finally kicked off with well-choreographed dances enthusiastically participated by both men and women of all ages. The women came fully adorned with vibrant abel woven kimonos, while the men proudly sported a dashing set of kamisa de Chino.
I watched the whole vibrant spectacle from the narrow sidewalk among a thick but orderly crowd. I immensely enjoyed a clear view of the passing performers while I took pictures in between downing smooth shots of basi—a local sugarcane wine that was being passed around by a group of socializing, hospitable festival-goers right beside me.
The climaxing event—where the competitive contingents took turns in energetically performing various folk dances in front of the cheering spectators—against the beautifully illuminated portico of the Paoay Church, raised the festival’s merriment level into several notches higher.
As midnight struck, the Guling-Guling Festival finally came to a satisfying end. Along with its conclusion, the loud declarations of exuberance and other fun reverberations slowly became silent. The Paoay Church and its glowing, luminous colors once again witnessed a whole town successfully celebrate another historic edition of the Guling-Guling Festival.
Visiting Paoay for the second time, I previously had no idea such an immersive festival was being celebrated here. After my first Guling-Guling Festival, it is highly safe to assume that I will definitely sign up and eagerly experience it again next year.
