Culture of Negros Occidental

Philippine god

In Philippine folklore, the Amomongo is a creature described as a hairy, man-sized ape with long nails. The name is probably derived from the Hiligaynon word amó, which translates "ape" or "monkey". Residents of La Castellana in Negros Occidental view the Amomongo as a violent, wild creature that lives in caves near the foot of the volcanic Mount Kanlaon. Amomongo is featured in a local folktale called "Amomongo and Iput-Iput," or "The Ape and the Firefly." The name Amomongo has also been translated to mean the word "gorilla," though this is not a native animal to the region.

Negrese flatbread

Annual festival in Bacolod, Philippines