Jackfruit, tomato, pepper… and Mr. Squash.

“The Pahiyas decorations are really stunning and the variety seems to be infinite!” What a riot of colors, an assemblage of all sorts of produce and exuberant display of creativity! The Pahiyas decorations are really stunning and the variety seems to be infinite that as one passes through the different houses and stalls, one is just struck with awe, amused and entertained.

Where else can one find a colorful mosaic comprised of different kinds and types of beans? Or lowly ginger can take the form of a butterfly’s wings? Or even pieces of green pepper can be strung into a necklace? What about unhusked rice as dolls? Or string beans into a curtain and tomatoes into an endless wave?

Below are just a few samples of these beautiful decorations.

Young palm frond against a row of green bamboo.

A full tableau of fruit and vegetable decorations.

A view of the town made from different types of beans. The sky and clouds are from pieces of kiping.

A string of sili espada (kind of pepper).

Ginger for the buttefly’s wings, sayote for the body and red peppers for the antennae.

A curtain of string beans and tomatoes.

A mat work of young coconut leaves.

Saba bananas into a pile.

Lines and lines of suman.

Plastics of unhusked rice into dolls.

Estan Cabigas is a multiawarded blogger, freelance photographer and writer based in Makati City, the Philippines. A true blue Cebuano, he makes stunning images and meaningful photo stories. He has contributed to local and international publications including CNN Go, National Geographic Magazine, Geo (Germany), Sunday Times Magazine (London) and other publications.

To know more about him and his photography, visit estancabigas.com.