Pagibang Damara is a festival in

San Jose City, Nueva Ecija ) , subdivision_type3 = District , subdivision_name3 = , established_title = Founded , established_date = March 19, 1894 , established_title1 = Cityhood , established_date1 = August 4, 1969 , parts_type ...

wherein its people celebrates to give thanks for a good harvest in line with their celebration of the City Fiesta on the second or third week of April every year.

History

A ''damara'' is a Tagalog word for a shelter or a shed made of

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

and nipa that was built on ricefields as a protection for farmers from the sun or rain during planting and harvesting seasons. Farmers and landlords particularly in the city of San Jose many years ago are building this shelter before the planting season and they demolish ''(ginigiba)'' it after the harvest time as they celebrates together for the bountiful harvest. This is where the word ''Pagibang Damara'' (shed ready to be demolished) was adopted by the people of San Jose City,

Nueva Ecija Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province ...

as they celebrates and gives thanks for their good harvest.

Present time

Today, the people of San Jose City now celebrates together as one big family unlike the older days which the people celebrates separately. The after-harvest celebration has become multi-sectoral effort wherein it is funded and collectively prepared from contributions both public and private sectors and was celebrated with street dancing, beauty contests, tourism and trade fair, awarding ceremonies and cultural shows.

References

{{coord missing, Philippines Festivals in the Philippines Harvest festivals Culture of Nueva Ecija Tourist attractions in Nueva Ecija San Jose, Nueva Ecija