Culture and Arts in the Philippines

Festivals

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This festival in Cebu City celebrates the Santo Niño with a grand parade and colorful street dances.

Sinulog Festival

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Known as the “Mother of All Philippine Festivals,” participants paint their faces black and wear traditional Visayan attire.

Ati-Atihan Festival

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This festival in Davao City celebrates the region's rich harvest and cultural heritage every August.

Kadayawan Festival

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This festival features colorful masks and was created to lift spirits after an economic downturn in Bacolod City.

MassKara Festival

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Held annually on January 9, this Manila festival is centered around a life-size image of Jesus Christ.

Feast of the Black Nazarene

Traditions

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This Filipino custom shows respect by bringing the hand of an elder to one’s forehead.

Pagmamano

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A Filipino tradition of eating with bare hands, often practiced during a “boodle fight.”

use of bear hand or Pagkakamay

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This traditional Filipino courtship ritual involves serenading a woman under her window.

harana

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A community tradition where neighbors help move a house to a new location.

bayanihan

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This nine-day dawn mass tradition is celebrated in December leading up to Christmas.

simbang gabi

Historical Periods

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Baybayin

Pre-Colonial Period

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Manunggul Jar

Pre- Colonial Period

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Pintados

Pre- Colonial Period

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This post-war period saw the emergence of modern art movements in the Philippines.

Contemporary art period

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This era saw the introduction of Christianity and stone-built churches.

Spanish Period

Famous Filipino Painters

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He painted the Spoliarium, which won a gold medal at the 1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts.

Juan Luna

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Known as the Grand Old Man of Philippine Art, this painter created Planting Rice.

Fernando Amorsolo

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A modernist painter, he depicted Filipino life with works like Madonna of the Slums.

Vicente Manansala

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Known as “BenCab,” this artist created Yellow Confetti and is a National Artist for Visual Arts.

Benedicto Cabrera

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This artist is known for Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho and other Spanish-era masterpieces.

Félix Resurrección Hidalgo

Dances

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This dance, inspired by the movement of tikling birds, uses bamboo poles.

Tinikling

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A romantic Filipino dance introduced by the Spaniards, its name means “affectionate one.”

Carinosa

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This dance from Biñan, Laguna uses coconut shells as props.

Maglalatik

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This traditional folk dance involves performers balancing on a six-inch-wide bench.

Sayaw sa Bangko

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This Maranao dance from Mindanao is inspired by the epic Ramayana and involves intricate footwork.

Singkil