Buyogan Festival @ Abuyog, Leyte

BUYOGAN FESTIVAL is an annual celebration in the town of Abuyog, Leyte. It is being held in conjunction with the time leading to the town's fiesta which is August 29, the St. Francis Xavier feast day. The highlight of this festival is the Buyogan Parade of brightly coloured bee dancers performing a choreographed bee dance with children buzzing around in a bee-like manner. Other participants put tribal henna designs on their faces and bodies which represent the ethnic history of the town.

The term "Buyogan" is derived from the town's name Abuyog. According to legend during the Spaniards time, Spaniards asked for the name of the town and an inhabitant mistakenly thought that they were asking for the swarm of bees flying around and the man answered "Ah! Buyog." Buyog is a waray term for bees and the rest is history.