By CESAR JOLITO III
What started as a response to a crisis 46 years ago has now grown into one of the country’s grandest and most colorful festivals.
The MassKara Festival, often dubbed the Festival of Smiles, has become the pride of Bacolod City, showcasing resilience, creativity and unyielding optimism.
The first MassKara Festival was held in 1980, during a time of hardship.
Bacolod’s sugar industry, the city’s main economic lifeline, was in decline due to plummeting sugar prices in the world market.
“You could feel the sadness everywhere,” local historian Raymond Alunan recalled.
Families were struggling with hunger as sugar prices plunged in the global market.
To make matters worse, the sinking of the MV Don Juan off Tablas Strait near Mindoro, killing hundreds of passengers, many of them Negrenses, cast a shadow of grief across the province.
“People were hungry, grieving. The Don Juan tragedy only made things worse. At the Capitol, the bodies of those who perished were even laid out in the lobby. That was how bleak the atmosphere in Negros was during that period,” he added.
Instead of succumbing to despair, artists from the Art Association of Bacolod, transformed these hardships into symbols of hope.
They introduced a festival that would give Bacolodnons a reason to smile, using smiling masks, vibrant costumes and street dancing as symbols of Bacolod’s resilience.
The idea came “MassKara” — a festival of smiling faces, showing the enduring smile of Bacolodnons despite adversity.
“The MassKara symbolizes Negrense resilience. After hardship comes renewal,” Alunan said.
The once local street parade has grown into a world-renowned festival that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, branding Bacolod as the City of Smiles.
The festival has grown into a full spectrum of creativity, involving choreographers, costume designers, dancers, musicians, and more.
From papier-mâché masks to today’s elaborate, LED-lit creations, the festival has evolved but continues to remind Bacolodnons that every trial can be overcome with hope and joy.
“That story of rising above darkness is what sets MassKara apart from other festivals,” said Tey Sevilleno, president of the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros and a leading advocate for local arts and culture.
“Masks became symbols of strength, and smiles became acts of defiance,” Sevilleno said.
Despite its growth into a major cultural event, MassKara still reflects the original spirit envisioned by its founders.
“Every smile you see during the festival is a testament to Bacolod’s resilience. While the challenges we face today are different, the spirit of triumph remains,” Sevilleno said.
If the pioneers of MassKara were to see the festival today, she believes they would be proud.
“They would say, ‘MassKara truly belongs to us,’” Sevilleno says, capturing the enduring sense of ownership and pride felt by every Bacolodnon.
In every joyful dance step, beat of the drum and every splash of paint on a mask, the MassKara Festival is more than just a celebration — it is a living testament to hope and resilience.
The smiling masks serve as a reminder that even in the face of trials, Bacolod chooses joy, unity and optimism.
Over the years, the festival has not only boosted local tourism but also cemented Bacolod’s identity as the City of Smiles.
Today, MassKara stands as a cultural beacon of how communities can rise from tragedy and turn it into triumph./CJ, WDJ