Bentangan: Spotlight on the Aromanen Manuvus

Every Friday and Sunday, the Aromanen Manuvus of Barangay Bentangan in Carmen, North Cotabato Province gather at the community square to dance. This is their form of worship, an expression of their faith which they have been doing for centuries.

Dancing all day, rain or shine, to the rhythm of indigenous musical instruments, is the Aromanen Manuvus way of praying and reaching out to God—surrendering all their problems, burdens, fears, hopes and dreams to Him, and strongly believing that He will take care of it.

Wearing their hand-embroidered clothes (some of it were even hand-sewn), men, women, the elderly and children even as young as three join in this weekly ritual taught to them by their ancestors.