To many people, mud is filthy, and playing in it is the exclusive domain of little boys and female mud wrestlers. But the people of Murcia, Negros Occidental have rediscovered the childlike joy in covering oneself head-to-toe in the sticky stuff – and nope, brown is not the only color that comes in.
Mud is an assortment of colors, from brown, black, and red to white, yellow, and green can be found in the hills and forests occupied by the Mambukal Resort. These make up a natural palette of colors with which the Mudpack’s Festival’s artist anddancers paint intricate designs and symbols all over their bodies. Fully transformed into taong putik (mudmen), they parade in the streets, and perform dances that depict man’s return to primitive ages, his oneness with nature, and his dependence on earth.
First conceptualized by local artists to showcase Mambukal’s natural wealth, the Mudpack Festival has also become a venue for educating the youth on environmental conservation. It is held from June 23-24, coinciding with the feast of St. John the Baptist and the height of the monsoon season. This, however, is one street celebration that cannot be dampened by rain – in fact, rain is often a welcome inducement for spectators to lose all inhibition, paint themselves in nature’s colors, and join in all the fun, too.
