Literary Criticism and the Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Panagbenga 2025

By: Rhodalyn B. Cabbotot

The Panagbenga Festival, held annually in Baguio City, is more than just a celebration of flowers. It’s a vibrant representation of the community’s roots, strength, and solidarity. The 2025 festival’ theme is “Blossom Beyond Boundaries’‘, capturing the essence of growth and creativity alongside cross-cultural collaboration that transcends physical and cultural limits. Federico Alquiros, president of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., explained that this year’s theme serves as a reminder that growth extends beyond all limitations. Indeed, Panagbenga symbolizes a celebration of indigenous identity, blending artistic innovation with environmental awareness.

One of the most anticipated events is the Grand Street Parade, a lively spectacle featuring breathtaking, harmonized dances, elaborate costumes, and stunning floral designs. Each performance tells a story of the community’s rich history and cultural heritage. The parade reflects our shared identity, creating a remarkable ethnic experience that resonates with participants and spectators alike.

A key aspect of the Panagbenga festival is the prominent portrayal of indigenous culture. Native cultural groups highlight the event’s importance in preserving and strengthening indigenous identity. During the festivities, performers in colorful traditional attire play distinctive indigenous instruments, such as the Cordilleran gong, known locally as ‘Gangsa.’ (NEDA-CAR, 2018) The ‘Gangsa’ has been an integral part of the Cordillera people’s culture, passed down through generations. The rhythmic beats of the gongs fill the air, celebrating the region’s rich musical heritage.

More than mere entertainment, the Grand Street Parade serves as a powerful statement of indigenous identity in a rapidly modernizing world. As the performers in the image below demonstrate, they take great pride in their culture, showcasing their heritage through traditional costumes and coordinated movements. It’s a beautiful reminder of the strength and resilience of indigenous peoples, inviting everyone to appreciate and respect their rich history and traditions.

A marching band, resplendent in vibrant uniforms and instruments adorned with floral decorations, embodies the lively musical spirit of the Panagbenga Festival.

One of the most captivating aspects of the parade is the prominent role of women in traditional performances. A standout example is the Banga dance, an interpretive performance originating from Kalinga province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (Cheatle & Young, 2024), where women skillfully balance clay pots on their heads. This Banga dance symbolizes the grace, strength, and resilience of Cordilleran women throughout history. This performance not only captivates both local and international tourists but also challenges conventional views on gender roles by highlighting how indigenous cultures value and honor the vital contributions of women within their communities.

Women dancers perform the Banga dance, balancing clay pots in a stunning display that honors the strength, resilience, and women’s contributions to Cordilleran culture.

Adding to the parade’s spectacle, floral headdresses, nature-inspired costumes, and props mirror Baguio’s lush landscape, offering a vibrant reminder of the city’s ecological challenges. These performances advocate for sustainable practices and environmental awareness, transforming Panagbenga into a platform that fosters ecological consciousness amidst rapid urbanization.

A kaleidoscope of artistry. These performers showcase the vibrant connection between flowers, resilience, and shared celebration.

The Panagbenga Festival, when examined through a cultural studies lens, transcends its superficial role as a mere tourist attraction. It becomes a dynamic site where cultural narratives are enacted, identities are articulated, and traditions are both affirmed and renegotiated. This festival serves as a crucial platform for the construction and reinforcement of community identity, while simultaneously engaging with the diverse cultural currents that shape the region’s symbolic landscape.

Drawing upon postcolonial criticism, we can observe how Panagbenga functions as a powerful act of cultural reclamation for the Cordilleran people (Bennagen, 2020). It challenges the hegemonic narratives that have historically marginalized indigenous practices, providing a space for the articulation of counter-discourses. This festival, in essence, becomes a performative act of resistance, where the Cordilleran community asserts its agency and reclaims its cultural sovereignty.

The festival’s visual and auditory landscape reveals a rich tapestry of cultural expression. The streets, vibrant with a fusion of traditional and contemporary attire, become a stage for the enactment of cultural narratives. The resonating sounds of indigenous instruments, such as the gangsa, create a sonic landscape that evokes ancestral memories and fosters a sense of collective identity. Dance performances, acting as embodied texts, transmit the stories and values of the ancestors, highlighting their resilience and pride. These performances underscore the centrality of cultural practices to Filipino identity and heritage (De Leon, 2021).

In the context of Baguio, indigenous dance forms serve multiple functions, including traditional rituals and community bonding, as noted by Peterson (2010). The significant investment of energy, resources, and time into these cultural projects underscores their profound importance in people’s lives. Indigenous dance not only serves as a marker of ethnic pride but also as a symbol of the country’s richly diverse cultural mosaic. Through these performances, dancers manage to reclaim and assert their cultural power, reinforcing the significance of cultural heritage in shaping collective identity and community resilience.

Furthermore, the festival’s musical innovation, where traditional melodies are interwoven with contemporary genres, exemplifies the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity. This fusion, a form of cultural hybridity, resonates with diverse audiences, reflecting the evolving nature of cultural expression. This process of adaptation demonstrates how cultural practices are not static but are constantly reshaped by social, economic, and political forces. Panagbenga, therefore, embodies the enduring capacity of cultural expressions to adapt to contemporary influences while retaining their essence, ensuring its continued relevance and cultural significance in a rapidly changing world.

Tradition meets rhythm! Young Kalinga musicians, adorned in KAIN, PILAKED, TILALI, and DALISDIS (wraparound skirt, cross bands,  arm bands, and headpiece beads), bring their heritage to life. (Loma, August 15, 2020).

The festival truly captures the spirit of inclusivity, celebrating the lively Cordilleran identity alongside the rich cultural diversity that makes Baguio City so special. It’s a thrilling celebration that fuses various ethnic groups and communities, showcasing the city as a vibrant fusion of cultures. The event is a colorful display of different cultural expressions and performances, reminding us that heritage is not something frozen; rather, it is a dynamic tapestry created by the contributions of all its people. Each chant, dance, and song during the festivities features the beauty of diversity that welcomes everyone to join in the shared joy of celebrating the Flower Festival. The Panagbenga Festival serves as a platform for the articulation of shared values and the promotion of intergroup understanding, fostering a sense of belonging among diverse populations.

DIBIT-clad performers (Benguet’s traditional blouse and wraparound skirt), with feathers and sunflowers, represent Benguet’s growth, indigenous identity, and natural beauty.

The 2025 Panagbenga Grand Street Parade, themed “Blossom Beyond Boundaries,” is a vibrant testament to culture’s dynamism, merging tradition, innovation, and resilience into a breathtaking spectacle. Participants and spectators alike revel in shimmering floral costumes, rhythmic indigenous dances, and performances echoing ancestral spirit, all painting the resilient history of Baguio and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

More than just art, Panagbenga celebrates community, unity, and local life, honoring environmental stewardship and agriculture. The meticulous floats and energetic performances create a magical sensory experience, and even on television, palpable joy and cultural pride radiate, offering an extraordinary vicarious experience, reminding us of culture’s unifying power.

Cultural Studies as the Literary Theory

Cultural Studies was chosen as the literary theory for analyzing the Panagbenga Festival because it provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the deeper meanings embedded in cultural celebrations. This theory examines how traditions, performances, and visual symbols reflect and shape societal values, historical narratives, and power structures. Panagbenga is more than just a vibrant festival of flowers; it is a living testament to the resilience, identity, and creativity of the Cordilleran people. Through Cultural Studies, we can explore how the festival preserves indigenous traditions, fosters a sense of unity, and asserts regional identity amidst globalization. The images of performers in traditional attire, intricate costumes, and symbolic representations of nature serve as cultural texts that communicate stories of survival, environmental consciousness, and community pride. By applying this lens, we not only celebrate the festival’s aesthetic appeal but also uncover its role in reinforcing cultural heritage, resisting homogenization, and inspiring social cohesion.

In the context of indigenous cultural celebrations in the Philippines, festivals like Panagbenga highlight the importance of preserving indigenous traditions and promoting cultural awareness. Similarly, National Indigenous People’s Day emphasizes the role of indigenous groups in preserving natural resources and cultural heritage. The resilience of indigenous communities in maintaining their cultural identity despite globalization is a testament to their strong cultural roots (David & David, 2023). Recent studies have also explored the concept of cultural sovereignty in relation to indigenous festivals, highlighting their significance in asserting cultural identity and autonomy.

Thank you for engaging with “Blossom Beyond Boundaries: Literary Criticism and the Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Panagbenga 2025.” It is hoped that this exploration has illuminated the festival’s deeper cultural significance and its role in shaping contemporary Cordilleran identity.

Mabuhay ang Panagbenga ng Baguio! (Long Live the Panagbenga of Baguio)

References:

Bennagen, P. L. (2020). Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Revitalization in the Philippines. University of the Philippines Press.

Cheatle, J. O. C., & Young, J. B. (n.d.). The Kalinga Banga. Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival 2024.

De Leon, F. P. (2021). Dance and Cultural Identity in the Philippines. Ateneo de Manila University Press.

Ferguson, A. (2023, November 21). Cultural studies: Definition, theories & history. Study.com.

Igorotage.com. (2020, August 15). The Kalinga people of the Cordillera. Igorotage.com.

National Economic and Development Authority CAR. (2018, September 20). A symbol of unity in diversity-The story of the Cordillera Unity Gong. NEDA-CAR.

Peterson, W. (Fall 2010). Performing Indigeneity in the Cordillera: Dance, Community, and Power in the Highlands. Asian Theatre Journal, FALL 2010, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 246-268.

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About the Author:

  Rhodalyn B. Cabbotot is a graduate of Baguio Central University (BCU) with a Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in English. She hails from Balbalan, Kalinga, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the same university. With a passion for education and language, she continues to enhance her expertise in the field of teaching.

 

About the Editor:

  Genevieve Balance Kupang is the Dean of the Graduate School and International Relations Officer at BCU, Baguio City. She holds a significant role as the Historian for the World University Rankings for Innovation. Additionally, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cordillera Association of International Relations Officers (CAIRO),  highlighting her commitment to fostering international collaboration and academic excellence in the region.

 

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