In the small Philippine village of Bibiclat, devoted Catholics marked a centuries-old tradition on Wednesday by covering their bodies in mud and draping themselves with banana leaves as part of the annual Taong Putik festival.
The name Taong Putik translates to “Mud People,” and the festival has been handed down through generations as a way for community members to express their devotion to St. John the Baptist, the village’s patron saint. Participants gather to give thanks for miracles they believe the saint has granted or to fulfill promises they made during prayer.
According to local church leaders, the tradition stretches back to the 1800s, when farmers would cover themselves in mud as a sign of humility and use banana leaves to hide their identities.
The observance begins before sunrise in the muddy fields surrounding the village and concludes at the Church of St. John the Baptist.
