Cebu Carnival Queens Philippines from 1914-1941 (Updated 2022)

Cebu's Carnival Queens 1914-1941

Updated 2022 by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard (ceciliabrainard.com)

 I did research for a couple of articles about Cebu's Carnival Queens. It's published in Positively Filipino, click here. In a nutshell, Cebu celebrated the Carnival similar to that in Manila. While Manila's Carnival started in 1908, Cebu started in 1914.

The Carnival was an extravanganza that included circus; parades; exhibits; vaudevilles; military displays; comedies; comparsas; costume and masquerade balls, including the popular Children’s Fancy Dress Ball. But the highlight was the coronation of the Carnival Queen. Before the queen’s crowning however, there was a huge buildup, starting with the recruitment of the candidates, judging or counting of ballots, and so on. The Carnival Queen events were thematic (Arabic, Greek, Hindu, Egyptian, Chinese, etc.) allowing for exotic and extravagant costumes for all, including the queen’s court, which had a king consort, damas (maids of honor), and sometimes page boys and attending girls. Since there were nightly events, participants needed many outfits.

My articles will provide more information and I will provide the links later on, but here are the Cebu's Carnival Queens from 1914-1941. Thanks to Isidra Reyes and Alex Castro who has blogs about the Philippine Carnival. including Cebu Carnivals. If you have pictures of Cebu Carnival Queens, please let me know.

Cebu’s Carnival Queens from 1914-1941 

Note: their photos come before their writeup.

 

 

1914 - Enriqueta Lasso de Vega Aldanese: (photos above) Daughter of Carlos Owens Aldanese and Carmen Figueroa Lasso de Vega, Enriqueta was a Spanish-English mestiza from Sibonga, Cebu. In 1914, she was also named Dia del Espanol Queen. In 1918 she became queen for both the Manila and Zamboanga Carnival. Orphaned at a young age, she lived with her older brother, Vicente, in Zamboanga. She attended Inmaculada Concepcion in Cebu and an Italian Convent School in Hong Kong. She married Jose Paris, an electrical engineer who worked for the Luzon Stevedoring Company. They had three children. Her husband died of a heart attack during the War and Enriqueta took care of her children on her own. She lived to be in her 80s.

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