G U Y U M – G U Y U M A N Festival showcased the way of life of the people of Pontevedra, Capiz.
It depicted the characteristics and traits of ants.
The early inhabitants called their own Caguyuman, a term descriptive of the place of ants or ant hill.
G u y u m – G u y u m a n Streetdancing highlighted the festivity depicting various positive characteristics and cultural behaviors of ants.
“Hantik” or big black ants, “Bahaw-bahaw” or small ants, “Pala” or the orange ants, “Olandis” or the red ants, and “Subay” or the black ants are the name of the tribes.
Each tribe depicts the characteristics of the ants with the culture of Caguyumanons.
The activities featured in the festival should depict “Caguyuman” and the positive characteristics of Guyum or Ants.
Hence, the festival focuses on the former name of the municipality, “Caguyuman” literally meaning anthill.
Tribes dances using the official Guyum-Guyuman music.
The commitment and ingenuity of the people are truly worth emulating in other places where there are strong assets for tourism endeavors but are just overlooked or taken for granted.
During the festival, peddlers, stores, restaurants, hotels, and markets vendors earn more from selling their goods each year. Such an increase in business activities entails higher local revenues before and during the festival month.
Barter trade is one of the unique practices of the natives of Caguyuman becomes emphatic during the festival but is practiced by people throughout the year. In this activity, both social and economic impacts are generated.
Such virtues and values of the Pontevedra people are worthy evidence in order to be elevated as a model of the best practice considering the gigantic efforts exerted by the organizers band the unified efforts of the Pontevedra people to come up with a festival that is truly their own.*
