Bagabungan National High School - Meguyaya Festival
Aliwan Fiesta 2018 Festival Dance Competition 4th Place - Meguyaya Festival of Upi, Maguindanao represented by Bagabungan National High School.
Meguyaya is a teduray term for thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest, which the people of Upi, Maguindanao celebrate annually. Their god Tulos, the great spirit who created all things, abundantly blessed their land with verdant mountains, fertile soil, and a cooler climate. The town produces acres and acres of corn, as far as the eyes can see – from the plains to the mountainsides. However, one day, worms attacked their cornfields, and stalk borers left them devastated. Using traditional clappers and native rituals, they tried eradicating the pests but failed. With the help of Christian settlers and modern farming methods, they learned to use organic pesticides, bringing back the bountiful harvests.