Obando Fertility Rites or the Kasilonawan Festival – because fertility was considered wealth or abundance of every individual

The Festival

The Obando Fertility Rites is a three-day celebration honoring th three patron saints of Obando, Bulacan. May 17 for San Pascual de Baylon, May 18 for Santa Clara, and May 19 for Nuestra SeÒora de Salambao.
Also known as the Kasilonawan Festival, the religious event is a dance ritual of ancient Filipinos known as the Kasilonawan that is held under the leadership of high priestess or the katalonan. It is a ritual of merrymaking such as drinking, singing, and dancing, which is performed at the home of of the chief of the tribe or barangay.
Usually starts in the morning of 17th in the month of May, the Parish Priests starts the feast with a mass, following the procession of the three patron saints that is populated with the devotees dancing with a musical band.
The fertility ritual is held for women who were unable to bear a child or children. It was considered very important since it also means abundance because an infant is believed to be a precious gift from God.
The Kasilonawan ritual was held in honor of Linga, god of nature.
Stomping their feet and swaying the hips, the modern day fertility ritual is flocked by devotees every year as they singing the hymn for Santa Clara in unison on their way to the Obando Church within the three-day celebration. Dancing to the tune of bamboo musical instruments, men, women, and chilldren alike garb themselves with traditional dance costumes and participate in the streets leading the procession of the three patron saints.
Enthused by will, the tireless couple sthrengtens the belief that they can still be blessed with an offspring if they earnestly entreat to the patron saint Santa Clara to help them, while other people seek the help of the other patron saints for a mate or good fortune, pushing their carts with the images whom they are appealing.
Thousands of couples and individuals, foreign or local tourists, gather together for this once a year opportunity and seek for the divine help of bearing a child or finding the right mate.
Experts say, participating in the dance require gyrating hips and strong belief to achieve their petition to the patron saints. Grateful people such as parents, childless couples, and farmers and fishermen dance along to the beat together with the women in colorful costumes praying for children, or good harvest.
The procession halts as it reaches the steps of the church, yet the dancers, the women in colorful costumes continue to dance in the aisle.

Origin

The Kasilonawan, which is headed by ancient Filipino high priestess, lasts for nine days. They give utmost importance to the ritual for the childless couples because fertility was considered wealth or abundance of every individual. Treated the lowest class in the community, the barren women suffered stigma and mockery. With this, the ritual was perfomed so these women become productive. Linga, god of force of nature is summoned and became the center of the Kasilonawan ritual.
People who belong to the community would gather altogether in a dense forest and perform these rituals with a symbol of earthen object which is placed in the middle of the clear field. Lights of flammable objects are place to where they could brighten like that of the sun as if they were giving blessing of fertility for all the ritual is held for.

History

As Catholicsm is propagated by the Franciscan missionaries when they arrived in the Philippines, churches of images of saints are built. Spanish Franciscans introduced three Catholic saints to replace the pagan gods in Obando, Bulacan. Having financially supported by the people of Obando, the new images at the altar of the church of Obando are sculpted replicas because the original images were destroyed during the World War II. Childless couples then took the opportunity for the intercession and pray to the Virgin of Salambao, San Pascual de Baylon, and Santa Clara.

The Scoop

Along with the participants of the feast of fertility are the people of far places such as foreigners, most are praying for children, a mate, or good fortune. Dancing in the streets in religious events as procession, they invite the spirits to enter the wombs of women and bear child/children, which is as of this day remains mytery in the town of Obando, Bulacan.

The Patron Saint ( Saint Claire )

Known as the primary and oldest patron saint of Obando, she was the first to be housed in a chapel by the Franciscan Missionaries in Obando, which were formerly known as Catanghalan. Eggs are offered to her since her name also meant claro in Spanish.
Santa Clara became the patron saint of the people who wish for mate, and bear children.