CANDELARIA, Zambales—The clip-clip-clop of pestles hitting mortar and the aroma of newly harvested palay grain being unhusked under the rhythmic pounding are enough to mesmerize anyone watching the making of laruk-laruk, or rice crisps.
The process is culture, art and science combined: Two or three wooden pestles hitting just one mortar needs to be a cooperative venture of timing and precision. It exacts patience and vibes, a feeling for others, a sense of community.
But that’s not all. The newly harvested grains are first threshed by foot on site, pounded, winnowed, and pounded again.
Only when the greenish grains are finally separated from husk after laborious pounding, when the chaff is blown into the wind, and when the grains are pressed again to release the sweet scent and glutinous taste, only then is the laruk-laruk ready.
Tradition
MAKING laruk-laruk, which is pinipig in Filipino, brings back memories of simple barrio life, says town councilor Mac Eay, one of the organizers of events under the five-day 2022 Laruk-Laruk Festival that was held here from October 26 to 30.
Candelaria, which sits on an alluvial plain west of the Zambales mountains, has always been a farming and fishing community since Sambal settlers from nearby Masinloc town, one of the oldest in the province, founded a sitio here which later became Candelaria town in 1870.
The simple life in a once unsettled forest necessitated cooperation among residents. Thus, collaborative endeavors became a core of local culture.
“When I was a kid, we would watch and get fascinated by the three-man combo at the mortar and pestle turning out the laruk-laruk,” recalls Eay, who is now 62.
“Nearly everybody in the neighborhood was there—because it would take a lot of manpower to turn out the crisps and the pounding continues until dawn,” Eay remembers. “And by then, they would also have produced tinupak, which is laruk-laruk combined with coconut meat and sugar and pounded into fine, sticky brown balls the size of a fist.”
The folks back then easily endure the tedious work and long hours, Eay says, with free-flowing coffee and biscocho bread, guitar-accompanied songs, friendly banter, and some courtship among the younger people.
“This, sadly, has long been lost to our generation and those who came after us,” Eay adds.
Revival
To bring back the long-lost tradition of making laruk-laruk as part of thanksgiving after the palay harvest season, residents here have organized an annual festival that highlighted local culture, indigenous games, homegrown produce, and the townsfolk’s traditional way of life.
The festival made a comeback here this year after some absence at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., who kickstarted the Laruk-Laruk Festival in 2012 under the aegis of the municipal local government unit with the active participation of the Uacon Cove Resorts & Residents Association (UCRRA), said the event celebrates local customs that residents of Candelaria, his hometown, had practiced after settlers arrived here in mid-1800s.
“This is a rediscovery of the culture that defined us as Candelarians and Sambals, and we hope this would rekindle among the present generation an appreciation of local culture and ignite love of our town and people,” Ebdane said.
He said the tradition of making laruk-laruk best exemplified Candelaria’s close community ties and cooperative endeavors like pukot, wherein neighbors helped each other haul fishing nets along the shallows of the Uacon Cove.
“But you would notice that we have incorporated non-traditional elements to the festival formula so that we can engage more audience and also promote Zambales as a tourism attraction,” Ebdane also said.
The customary married the conventional to produce better results.
Festival highlights
THIS year’s Laruk-Laruk Festival became a five-day festivity that started on October 26 with a community fun run that began at the town hall. It was followed by “Kuliglig Makeover” contest, wherein the hand tractor, the local farming workhorse, is dressed up into magnificent floats.
At the same time an Agri-trade Fair, which showcased local farm produce, opened at the town plaza, where “Obra Zambaleño,” an art contest for local talents, was also held. The evening was capped by “Sayawit,” a modern dance and singing competition.
Day 2 of the Laruk-Laruk Festival, meanwhile, featured “Larong Lahi,” which was a collection of traditional Filipino games like palosebo, or greased pole; beach volleyball competitions; Pride Night that featured a contest for the “Miss Gay Binayo Pangkalawakan” title; and the Senior Citizens Night.
Day 3, which fell on Friday, October 28, saw the “Padyak para sa Kalikasan,” which was a fun ride for bike enthusiasts that culminated in a tree-planting activity; a chess tournament for local aficionados; a Zumba fitness party; basketball championship for inter-high-school teams; and the Cultural Dance Competition that showcased dances depicting the tradition of making laruk-laruk.
Day 4 brought the festival to the Uacon Cove, with sea-themed activities like a jigging competition and shore-casting tournament very early in the morning; a fluvial parade at 6 a.m.; sibit-sibit kayak flotilla at 9 a.m.; 4×4 truck challenge along the Dampay coastline at 9 a.m.; motocross challenge at the Dampay venue at 1 p.m.; and finally, the “Battle of the Bands” mardi gras at 7 p.m. The latter was moved from its bayside venue to the town plaza covered court, as severe tropical storm Paeng (international code name: Nalgae), which was then raging south of Luzon, brought unexpected showers.
Day 5 still saw a colorful street dancing competition at 10 a.m.; the “Salo-salo sa Bilao” food fiesta at 3 p.m.; and the “Binibining Laruk-Laruk 2022” beauty pageant at 7 p.m. to conclude the festival.
New attractions
THE traditional activities in the festival brought out the older set of Candelaria residents, as well as visitors from nearby communities. Local participation was heavy in the trade fair that featured local agricultural products and delicacies, as well as in events like the “Sayawit” and Battle of the Bands.
But newer attractions drew most of the crowds. These include the fishing tournaments early Saturday, October 29, which were held for the first time in the decade-old festival, and the 4×4 Truck Challenge and Motocross events at the seaside venue in Dampay on the same day.
Eay, who helped organize the shore-casting tournament as a member of the Zambales Anglers Club, says the fishing event also attracted anglers from all around Zambales, even with a small champion’s prize of P8,000.
The shore-casting champion and two runners-up were determined by having the heaviest catch, but special awards were also given to the angler with the most catch and the greatest number of species.
“The participants had quite a catch at the Potipot Island venue—mostly du’al (big half-beak fish). The champion caught one that weighed more than two kilos,” notes Eay. “It was the challenge that brought them here.”
Meanwhile, huge audiences were also recorded at the truck and motorcycle races, as locals marveled at how the four- and two-wheeled machines came out of the muddy pits and sand obstacles set out for them in a grueling course.
Governor Ebdane says these races have always been a hit since he brought them here in Zambales 11 years ago during the First Gov. Jun Ebdane 4×4 Offroad Challenge held in Botolan town.
He adds that the 4×4 and motocross races would serve as a prelude to more adventure events in Zambales, which has recently launched its new tourism product package under the catchphrase “Dive, Glamp, Adventure.”