Ati-Atihan Festivals

Legend says that this week long Ati-Atihan festival celebrates a gift of rice to Ati in ancient times. Long ago, the Ati, who are pygmy people and live high in the mountains, ad planted rice. But rains flooded their crops and ruined their rice. They had nothing to eat and were starving. So with that, the Ati left the mountains and went to the plains to look for food. Luckily, the crops in the lowlands had not been destroyed. The plains people shared their rice with the Ati, and, the story goes, the Ati were so grateful and happy they danced for joy in the streets.
(passage taken from Kneeling Carabao & Dancing Giants: Celebrating Filipino Festivals by Rena Krasno)
During the Ati-Atihan (meaning "pretending to be Ati") festival, the celebration never stops. Drums bang, whistles blow, feet stomp people bang on pots, pans, and coconuts. To top it all off, strangers dressed in costumes with unbelievable masks run through the streets yelling "Hala Bira! Hala Bira!" ("Strike a blow! Strike a blow!")