Hermano mayor: fiesta sponsorship in the contemporary Philippines

Religious rituals were a way of life for pre-Hispanic Filipinos even before the arrival of the Spaniards and the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines. The pagan practices gradually changed when Christianity deeply penetrated the culture of the natives. The conduct of the fiesta was introduced by the Spaniards, particularly the religious orders that came to the Philippines, to entice the principalias (nobility) and the ordinary people to transfer to the newly established pueblos (towns). As the fiesta came with a hefty cost, an hermano mayor (major sponsor) was selected from a pool of local elite to sponsor the expenses. After five hundred years, while the hermano mayor tradition is still apparent, it is only a passing theme in extant literature. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the centuries-old tradition, create a profile of those who have become an hermano mayor in modern times, and understand why such a tradition persists to this day. Moreover, personal interviews, a survey, anecdotes, and photo documentations were used in discussing this unique religious and cultural practice in the Philippines.