The Maranao people are well-known for their high regard for beauty and grandeur which is manifested in their arts, literature, history, and pretty much every other aspect of their culture. One of these is the “Pagana” which is a traditional feast and the Maranao’s way of welcoming guests and celebrating occasions such as Eid’l Adha, Eid’l Fitr, weddings, enthronements, graduations, or the homecoming of people who went to Hajj.
This feast is marked by the “dulang” dining set which is the presentation of halal food including beef, chicken, and fowl on “tabak” or brass food trays. The dining hall is decorated with gold and silver which symbolize prestige and nobility, befitting the feast, its guests, and the hospitality of the host.
The guests are seated together on cushions and are welcomed with a rich selection of native cuisine and a presentation of traditional dances and music for entertainment alongside the warm company of the hosts. Some of these dances include the kapamalong-malong which shows ‘101 ways’ of wearing a tubular piece of cloth called malong and the ‘singkil’, where dancers step through clashing bamboo poles in gracious and intricate moves accompanied by the music of ‘kulintang,’ a brass gong ensemble.
Indeed, the Pagana encapsulates the uniqueness of the Maranao culture and is one of the cultural experiences we look forward to here in Northern Mindanao.