Have you ever tried street dancing in a "Karakol"?, Many of you might say, what is a Karakol? It came from a Spanish word Caracol which means Snail. I beieve that this event only happens in the Tagalog Regions of the Philippines like Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Bulacan because i have never heard of any Karakol being held in the Visayas,Mindanao or any other provinces that don't speak Tagalog, it is virtually unknown to most non Tagalog Speakers.Karakol is a parade, which happens every year during the Fiesta of a certain Saint (like San Isidro Labrador of Ligtong, Roario, Cavite, Santa Maria Magdalena of Kawit, Cavite, Nuestra Senora de Cadelaria of Silang, Cavite and Nuestra Señora del Rosario de La Naval of Sangley Point, Cavite City and Manila).
Here they parade the Statue of the Saint in the street in the morning of the fiesta(this is different from a procession which happens in the evening) and it starts at the church. In front of the parade you'll usually see a live brass Band ( we call it "Banda" or "Musiko") composed of about 10 to 15 members playing a fiesta music or if the parade is long, there should be several other brass bands playing in the different sections of the parade, followed by the members of the Parish Church (Usually old Women) dressed in uniform. Then, you'll see the statue of a Saint placed on a wooden platform held by 8 or more men, (depending on how heavy the Statue is) while swaying the whole platform back and forth with the Saint on it, like dancing (in a Procession, the statue is on a Carroza). At the back are people dancing to the music. But the pace of the entire parade is slow, like "Snail", hence, the word "Karakol". Here are some of the best examples of Karkol in the country.
Bayan Luma, Imus, Cavite
Ligtong, Rosario, Cavite
Salinas, Rosario, Cavite
(The Old Spanish walled city of) Intramuros, Manila
Karakol is a much awaited Christian event every year during fiesta of the Saints in the Tagalog Provinces of the Philippines. Hispanic in origin, you can see almost similar events like these in Latin America. The best Karakol to see are those in the Province of Cavite, which are still very traditional and has changed a little. Aside from the much awaited Karakol, there are also a Fair or what we call Feria, and Evening Procession signaling the end of the Fiesta.
