BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
FOR 45 YEARS, the MassKara Festival has been a symbol of Bacolod City’s effervescent culture. But in this fast-paced, digital age, where stories, photos, and videos flash by in a blink on social media, the deeper meaning behind the MassKara seems to be slipping through the fingers of Generation Z and millennials.
To many of them, the MassKara is just a fun-filled event, a reason to party with celebrity concerts, food fests, street dancing, and beauty pageants. But behind the painted smiles and extravagant celebrations lies a tale of sorrow, resilience, and hope that has shaped Bacolod into the “City of Smiles.”
The story of the MassKara Festival is rooted in tragedy. Few remember — or even know — about the sinking of the M/V Don Juan on April 22, 1980, an event that claimed the lives of 176 passengers and left 115 others missing. This maritime disaster compounded the crisis that had already gripped Bacolod’s sugar industry, plunging over 190,000 hacienda laborers into hardship.
Yet, out of this darkness, the people of Bacolod found a way to mask their grief, not in denial, but in a celebration of resilience. The MassKara Festival was born.
Through 45 years, Bacolodnons have learned to perfect the art of hiding pain behind painted smiles — quite literally. But what about the stories behind those masks? Are they lost to time?
Thankfully, a group of 50 Bacolod artists has ensured that these stories are preserved, not just through spoken word but through a visual masterpiece.
To commemorate the 45th MassKara Festival, these artists collaborated on a stunning 150-meter mural that now graces the historic Hernaez Mansion, a cornerstone of Bacolod’s heritage. Painted along the mansion’s walls at the intersection of Mabini, Rizal, and Galo streets, this mural is a canvas of history.
The Henarez Mansion belonged to the late senator Pedro Hernaez, who played an important role in the chartering of Bacolod City in 1938.
Completed in just two days (October 11 and 12), this mural speaks to the power of community and volunteerism. As the artists worked, they infused each brushstroke with meaning, bringing to life the stories behind the MassKara. Their primary mission was to remind Bacolod’s youth — particularly the Gen Z and millennial generations — that this festival is a tribute to the city’s enduring spirit, one that transformed tragedy into triumph.
The mural itself is also a celebration of Bacolod’s rich heritage, using colors uniquely tied to the city:
* Piaya Beige and Barquillos Crunch evoke the sweet delicacies Bacolod is known for.
* MassKara Yellow shines as a nod to the festival itself.
* Muscovado Brown pays homage to Bacolod’s sugar industry, the backbone of its economy and culture.
* Smile Purple captures the essence of Bacolod’s moniker, “City of Smiles.”
* San Sebastian Grey honors the city’s patron saint, San Sebastian.
Each color tells a story, each brushstroke conveys a message.
“We hope this mural will serve as a lasting reminder of the strength, creativity, and unity of the Bacolodnons,” said Albert Gan Lee, president of David Paints, one of the main sponsors of this project.
For renowned Bacolod artist Charlie Co, the mural is a visual feast and more.
“It’s a collective effort that symbolizes the value of creativity and collaboration,” he shared.
The mural is, in many ways, a silent storyteller — a vivid reminder of the stories that shaped Bacolod’s past and continue to inspire its future.
While it stands in quiet grandeur on the walls of the Hernaez Mansion, the mural invites everyone — young and old — to pause and reflect. The stories it holds may be muted by time, but their message is powerful and enduring: Bacolod, through all its adversities, remains a city of resilience and hope.
The MassKara Festival, at its core, is a celebration of that strength, and this mural ensures that the legacy will be passed on, not just in festivities but in the walls of Bacolod itself.
In a world that often forgets the stories behind the spectacle, Bacolod’s longest mural reminds us that art, like the MassKara Festival, is more than meets the eye. It embodies the human spirit’s ability to rise above hardship, to find beauty even in sorrow, and to smile through it all./PN
