ABRENIAN KAWAYAN FESTIVAL (Abra Foundation

Day)
Bamboo is a major product in Abra, thus, the festival was name Abrenian Kawayan.
It is a traditional celebration featuring a grand cultural parade, trade fairs, cultural
presentations, Balikbayan night, and fashion show.

Although this festival is a big picture of the rich culture of the province of Abra, the
creators of this festival made it sure that at least one product shall receive the attention that
it deserves. It is the bamboo (kawayan in Ilocano) which gained the prime spot.

No chart-topping hit song can ever parallel the timelessness of their traditional
music. No million-dollar dance show can ever fathom the depth of the meaning of the
dances their ancestors wanted them to execute. This day is simply ethereal, divine. This is
the province of Abra. Welcome to the cultural paradise!

The people of Abra have come up with many products made from bamboo. The
resiliency of this tall grass reflects the resiliency of the people of Abra too. In spite of the
hardships in life some of our brethren in Abra are experiencing, they still survive without
sacrificing the values their ancestor taught them. They used bamboo, a natural resource
linked to their culture, for them to survive, to create music and to build a community. These
bamboos are not simply about the local products that some businessmen are marketing for
profit. Bamboo is one big plant that has helped mold the culture of the people.

For the Kawayan Festival, street dancers have with them these bamboos while they
dance and sing from the heart. With them are bamboo products that speak deep to the soul.
The geometric patterns on their woven baskets made of thin and floppy bamboo sticks
signify that their inherent artistry is so alive.

Kawayan Festival happens on the foundation day of Abra as an

independent Philippine province.

The festival features the culture and heritage of every town including the Ilocano
people who co-exist with the Itneg tribes. Expect that there is no common dance steps and
traditional sounds playing on the street. In fact, it is very diverse. You'll see that each town
has an identity to share. Indeed, in Abra, there's unity in diversity.
CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (CAR) > ABRA
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The Province of Abra is now known as the ""Natural Dye Capital of the Philippines"" because
it is blessed with abundant natural dye-yielding plants. Natural dyes are extracted from the
barks, leaves, fruits, and roots of these plants, and used to color food, beverages, textiles,
cosmetics, furniture, and pharmaceutical products.

The revival of Abra's dyeing tradition had been the project of former Governor Ma. Zita
Claustro-Valera. It started in 1992 with the Katutubong Foundation, Inc., headed by former
First Lady Amelita ""Ming"" Ramos, with the help of designer Patis Tesoro who is renowned
for using ethnic designs and fabrics for her haute couture creations.

Another revival project that is related to the province's natural dye industry is loom weaving
and embroidery.

GEOGRAPHY
Abra is an inland province bounded by Ilocos Norte and Mountain Province on the north,
Ilocos Sur on the south, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on the west, and Mountain Province,
Kalinga, and Apayao on the east. Total land area comes to approximately 397,555 hectares.

POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
The province is composed of 27 municipalities and 304 barangays, namely: Bangued (31),
Boliney (8), Bucay (21), Bucloc (4), Daguioman (4), Danglas (7), Dolores (15), Lacub (6),
Lagangilang (17), Lagayan (5), Langiden (6), La Paz (12), Licuan-Baay (11), Luba (8),
Malibcong (12), Manab (11), Penarrubia (9), Pidigan (15), Pilan (15), Sallapadan (9), San
Isidro (9), San Juan (19), San Quintin (6), Tayum (11), Tineg (11), Tubo (10), Villaviciosa (8).

CLIMATE
The climate of the province is characterized by two pronounced seasons, dry from November
to April and wet during the rest of the year.

POPULATION
Abra had a population of 195,964 as of May 1996, or 16.33% of the Cordillera Administrative
Region's total population.

LANGUAGE/DIALECT
Based on the 1995 census survey, Ilocano is generally spoken by 73.65% of the region's
total population. 25.18% speak Tinguian/Itneg, 0.16% speak Tagalog, and the remaining
0.54% speak other dialects.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES
As of 1990, there were 743 cottage industries in Abra, of which 208 are registered with the
Department of Trade and Indusrty. 59% are engaged in bamboo and rattan craft making,
both leading industries in the area. In 1992, the natural dye industry together with loom
weaving and embroidery were revived by former Governor Ma. Zita Claustro-Valera. Other
popular industries are piggery and poultry, garment craft, and needlecraft.