"PALANOS" - GUINAANG PASIL, KALINGA - Kalinga Traditional Wedding Celebration for Mattew & Alya!

"Palanos" is a native term of the indigenous people for welcoming guests and other acquaintances of their tribes, most especially for VIP's. For this occasion, it's a wedding or betrothel. Heirloom beads "bongor" and textiles "sinanbituwon blankets" in general, are commonly traded in well-to-do families. In addition to this, bolos (hunting knives) are commonly given to the males as a symbol of valor and masculinity. In our case, the men were presented bolo knives from the Governor of Kalinga, James Edubba, as appreciation and approval for contributing and promoting the richness of the Kalinga culture. The celebration serves as a reminder to Mathew Cheatle of the richness of his culture, while at the same time exposing Alya Amsden to it as well. Unbeknown to us at the time, Mathew and Alya, by participating in this ceremony, are now legally recognized as married in the Philippines. :) Congratulations! Special thanks to Francilyn Alicog & Ambit Mabannag for your support!