When: Whole of June.
Where: Tacloban city, Leyte, Philippines.
The Pintados Festival is a colourful celebration, whose origins come from the tattoo and bodypainting traditions of the ancient tattooed “pintados” warriors who inhabited the area many years ago.
The colourful Pintados dancers, whose bodies are painted head to toe in an amazing array of colors to resemble the tattooed warriors of old, fill the streets of Tacloban city. The hypnotic rhythms of native instruments fill the air accompanying the dancers as they go.
To the ancient Pintados warriors tattoos were a mark of courage and beauty and something they had to earn the right to wear through bravery and acts of heroism at war. In those times it was an even more painful process and the warriors risked the chance of infection, so a man who faced the dangers of tattooing and lived was considered to be both brave and strong.
The Pintados Festival lasts for the whole of June but the festivities peak towards the end of June as over the years it has been combined with the feast day of Señor Santo Niño (June 29th) and the Kasadyaan Festival (June 30th). Highlights include the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals, the Pintados Festival Ritual Dance Presentation and the “Pagrayhak” Grand Parade.
Filipino Food and Drink
Eat Chicken Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines. Drink Long Island tea cocktail or Brandy with Ice Tea powder.
Travel to Leyte, Philippines
Tacloban is on the island of Leyte, Philippines and has its own small airport, but you will need to fly into Manila or Cebu and take an internal flight to get there. Book flights and hotels with ebookers.com. You may need to search for flights and hotels separately.
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From travel books and holiday reading to binoculars and And don’t forget the camera!
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Enjoy yout trip! And when you’re back don’t we’d love you to come back and tell us all about it!
Pintados Festival 2007 by mikes&mugs, on Flickr
Anastenaria
Sanggutan Festival
