TUKLAS CAVITE- MUNICIPALITY OF KAWIT

 

TUKLAS CAVITE- MUNICIPALITY OF KAWIT

 

                     

                                 KAWIT

                          (Cavite el viejo)

HISTORY

Kawit, officially the Municipality of Kawit (Tagalog: Bayan ng Kawit), is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines.  It is one of the notable places that had a major role in the country's history during the 1800s and 1900s. Formerly known as Cavite el Viejo, it is the location of his home, and the name Kawit is from the word kalawit, the Aguinaldo Shrine, where independence from Spain was declared on June 12, 1898. It is also the birthplace of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines, who from 1895 to 1897, served as the municipality's chief executive. 

CULTURE

MAYTINIS FESTIVAL

An original Kawit tradition that takes place every Christmas Eve, a dramatic retelling of the Virgin Mary and Joseph’s search in Bethlehem for a place to stay called “Panunuluyan”. This re-enactment happens on the streets of Kawit with different floats depicting different biblical scenes from Adam and Eve up to Mary and Joseph. The “Panunuluyan” takes place in several houses and is done in singing until it reaches the 300 year old St. Mary Magdalene Church of Kawit where the Virgin Mary and Joseph are welcomed by angels in a giant “belen” (Nativity Scene) which covers the whole Retablo or Altar of the church. The songs performed by the angels acted by little girls are mostly in Spanish and Tagalog.

KALAYAAN FESTIVAL

It is a 2 week-long province wide event held annually from May 28 to June 12. As its name suggests, the series of events for the festival are held to celebrate the Independence Day season. The festival was launched in 2005 with a variety of activities such as street dancing, float parade, beauty pageant and trade fair.

NOTABLE PERSON

     

Emilio Aguinaldo, (born March 22/23, 1869, near Cavite, Luzon, Philippines—died February 6, 1964, Quezon City), Filipino leader and politician who fought first against Spain and later against the United States for the independence of the Philippines.

TOURIST SPOT

Aguinaldo Shrine

Located just in front of Emilio Aguinaldo’s home where the flag was waived, the Freedom Park comprises of Emilio Aguinaldo’s monument riding a horse and scriptures around it written in Spanish and Tagalog translation.

ST. MAGDALENE

St. Mary Magdalene Church is the oldest church in Cavite. It had been the witness to more than.     

 decades of war for freedom. The church was built in the 1620s when Catholicism started to spread and was then constructed on 1639 using seashells, thick mud, and cement. It was even badly destroyed when Spaniards attacked Kawit with cannon balls.