today is tugiol. all souls day in Maguindanaon. the day of the dead. at night, candles are lit by the windows to guide the souls along their journey to eternal light.

being catholic school educated all my life i have, in a way, lost track of my Islam heritage. my parents took me home to Maguindanao every so often but the quick trips never fed my hunger for knowledge of the religion i ought to call my own. i have always been comfortable in the fact that i felt more at home in Catholic churches and chapels. i memorize the Hail Mary's and Our Father's by heart and seek Ecclesiastes when  troubled. recently, i have decided to go on a journey to discover my roots once again. a journey that has been put on a hold so many times over.

2 days before Ramadhan i feel its time to walk the path..

photos by Bobby Timonera of mindanews.com