holiday rituals

Sunday, December 15 was the third Sunday of Advent this holiday season. It also marked the beginning of the dawn masses nine days before Christmas. In our barrios back home this is a big family tradition for many of its practitioners. 

Simbang Gabi, Misa de Aguinaldo, and Misa de Gallo are commonly interchanged to refer to these nine masses. Even when history shows that this was not originally so. 

Day 1 of Misa de Aguinaldo Novena, San Sbastian Cathedral, Bacolod City
- image by Andrew Altarejos

The novena masses held at dawn from December 15 to 24 are properly called Misas de Aguinaldo. They originated in Spain where “Aguinaldo” means a gift given during the Christmas season. 

Misa de Aguinaldo should not be confused with Misa de Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) which in Spain referred to Mass on Christmas Eve.

Mabon, back to balance

Autumn Equinox is the start of the fall season where the day and night are equal in length. Also known as Mabon, it marks the official time where summer ends and fall begins. 

Mahala & Issa on our guided tour, London 2023

Autumn Equinox is a celebration of the harvest - the foods to sustain us through the winter months. It is considered the second harvest of fruits and vegetables. The first is the wheat harvest at Lammas (August 1), and the third harvest is for seeds and nuts at Samhain (November 1).

resurrecting deep forests

wonder | wander | women are currently working on a project close to our hearts and our homeland roots - the long lost mystical babaylans of Negros Island.

Concept Art by Mahala Urra

Native precolonial history is hard to confirm as the land was ancient and isolated. Original oral traditions practiced and handed down through generations by its inhabitants were systematically eradicated by a succession of colonizers.

Of particular interest to us are the Pintados and Negritos of our island home. The origins of these people is a much debated topic. The Malay term for them is orang asli, or original people.

rites of spring: happy easter!