Xianarchive

Home
Xianarchive

documenting quiet moments through film 🎞️
(2)

08/09/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟾: the festival gathers around food.

Of course, Centrio had even more prepared for Higalaay. One of the roads outside the mall was closed and transformed for the Pakals Food Festival, filling the space with food stalls and people moving from one to another.

And the celebration didn’t stop outside. Around the mall, spaces kept changing throughout Higalaay for different events and special food presentations.

Food, friends, crowds, and familiar places transformed for the celebration. A fitting last frame for my Higalaay Festival project.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

08/09/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟽: our old tambayanan, made new.

Back in college, from around 2014 to 2019, this place was our tambayanan (hangout). Students from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines would stay here to study, cool down, relax, or simply spend time between classes.

Years later, it renovated into Lolika Diner. There are new food stalls, even a hotpot, while the familiar tables and chairs remain alongside new sofa seating for bigger groups.

I like seeing Limketkai continue to change without completely erasing the places Kagay-anons grew up with. The place looks different now, but I can still remember what it was to us back then.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

08/09/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟼: wide open.

At the center of Limketkai Mall, where the two golden fish swim above, this delicate wave-like chandelier hangs in a huge circular pattern.

It already looks large from below, but seeing it from above made me realize just how massive it really is.

For some reason, all I could see was a giant mouth wide open, looking like it was about to eat me whole. Hahaha.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

08/09/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟺: dressed for the festivities.

Centrio has prepared for Higalaay with festival banners, displays of our traditional clothing, and event spaces decorated in different designs for the celebrations ahead.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

08/09/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟹: food joins the celebration.

Outside SM CDO Uptown, food stalls gathered for the Higalaay Festival celebration.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

08/09/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟹: friendship since 2019.

We met back in 2019 when we were all newbies at work. Somewhere along the way, being coworkers turned into a friendship that has stayed with us through the years.

Years later, here we are having our Boys’ Night Out at Cucina Higala.

It feels fitting for the Higalaay Festival. “Higala” means friend, after all.

If you ever find yourself in Cagayan de Oro and want to experience the flavors and heritage of Mindanao, Cucina Higala is one place worth visiting.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

29/08/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚢_𝟶𝟶𝟸: centrio in festival colors.

Centrio Mall has put up colorful festival banners for the Higalaay Festival.

“Higalaay” means “to make friends,” which feels fitting for a celebration in Cagayan de Oro City, known as the City of Golden Friendship.

There is always plenty of fun to look forward to during Higalaay.

Higalaay Festival 2026, found in August.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

29/08/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝟶𝟸𝟽: the person behind the camera.

Hi, I’m Xian. You can pronounce it as shan or shiyan. It’s a shortcut of my first name, and I’m the person behind thexianarchive.

I’m usually the one taking photos of the people around me and the places I find along the way. Funny enough, that also means I rarely have photos of myself that aren’t selfies, especially on instant film.

So for once, here are two frames of the person usually standing behind the camera.

Nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy the memories I choose to keep here.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

29/08/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝟶𝟸𝟼: two frames worth keeping.

I went out with Brett and Shy to buy new clothes at the SM Store, and somewhere along the way I found out they rarely, almost never, have photos together.

So while we were eating at Botejyu, I took two.

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

29/08/2026

𝚡𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚟𝚎_𝟶𝟸𝟻: invited for seafood, stayed for the chicken.

Earl and Clan invited me to a seafood buffet for dinner. Tiny problem: I have allergies to some seafood.

So while they were busy destroying the crustaceans on the table, I sat beside them happily eating fried chicken with rice.

Not exactly the seafood buffet experience I imagined, but at least nobody had to explain an allergic reaction over dinner. 😭

Captured with the Fujifilm Instax SQ1.

Address

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Xianarchive posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed photography service?

Country:

City:

Xianarchive

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

29/08/2026

29/08/2026

29/08/2026

29/08/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Listing takedown request