Ati Atihan

TheAti-Atihanis a festival in honour of the Santo Nio,celebrated in the third week of January. During the last three days of this week-long festival (fiesta), a parade is characteristic.A colourful happening with celebrants who paint their faces in many different ways and who are dressed in the most exceptional costumes.The dancing on the rhythms of the drums makes this festival comparable with carnival in Rio in Brazil!The fiesta is celebrated in Kalibo on the island of Panay (Visayas).

Foto's Ati-Atihan:PhotographerFrank Ossen

The originIn the thirteenth century, long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, light-skinned immigrants from the island of Borneo (Kalimantan) in Indonesia arrived on Panay. The local people of Panay, the Ati (negritos), a small and dark (black)kinky-haired people, sold them a small piece of land and allowed them to settle down in the lowlands. TheAtisthemselves, lived more upland in the mountains.One time the Ati people was in need of food because of a bad harvest in their homelands. They came down to the lowlands of theMaraynonand asked them food. Every year since then, theAtiscame down to the lowland inhabitants to ask for some food. They danced and sang in gratitude for the helping hand.A real friendship was born and theMaraynonstarted to paint their faces black in honor of the Atis and took part in the fiesta.

PhotographerFrank Ossen

Spanish influenceAfter the Spaniards settled down in the Philippines, some Catholic elements infiltrated in the fiesta, especially honoringSanto Nio.A Spanish representative arranged a deal with the local leaders of the Atis and the leader of the immigrants from Borneo. The outcome of the deal was, that in the future the existing native celebration would be dedicated to theSanto Nio.Nowadays it is a mix of parades, procession and dancing people on the rhythms of monotonous music of drums or the rhythmic tinkling of metal and stone on bottles. It looks as if the dancing never stops! The ritual dance originates from theAtis.The nameAti-Atihanmeans "make-believeAtis."Viva kay Santo Nio!It is said that the procession is the climax of the fiesta. It is held on the last Sunday. The streetdancers never fail to enter the Kalibo church every time they pass by.

The slogan "Viva kay Santo Nio!" is repeated frequently. It is clear that it is Santo Nio who is honored.

A fiesta for Filipinos coming from everywhereCelebrants arrive by airplane or boat from all over the country. Tourists have discovered this fiesta too as a festival which should not be missed! During days or the whole week they accommodate in hotels or in private homes and public buildings. Even camp on the beach is normal during these days.Other festivals copies of Ati-Atihan?In the Visayas, the central part of the Philippines, many fiestas are in some way similar to the Ati-Atihan festival of Panay. It's true, many islands if not all, have evolved their own version of the Ati-Atihan. In ilo-ilo City they have the festivalDinagyang,in Cebu City they have the popularSinulogand in Antique they have theBinirayanandHanduganfestivals.

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Kadayawan sa Dabawfestival

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It is a celebration of Good Harvest! This globally famous festival is a weeklong celebration andthanksgiving fornatures bountiful harvest. Kadayawan Festival is being celebrated every 3rd Week of August. A celebration of the plentiful harvests of fruits and orchids duringthe season. Kadayawan is derived from the prehistoric word madayaw, a warm and friendly greeting also used to explain a thing that is valuable, superior, beautiful, good, or profitable, Kadayawan in Mandaya means anything that brings fortune, a celebration of life, athanksgiving forthegifts ofnature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest andserenityof living. Ethnic tribes around Mt. Apo usually gathered during the harvest-time when they had a bountiful harvest to give thanks to their gods particularly the all-powerful Bathala (supreme God). According to legend, the occasion is noticeable by happiness, singing, anddancing, as well as offerings to their divineprotectors.

T he festival is celebrated in the month of August with floats of freshflowers and fruits, and indak-indak sa kadalanan or streetdancingin colorful costumes. A variety of tribes paradethe streetswith their tribal costumes and jewelry. The city of Davao comes alive every year in August when it holds it yearlyharvest festival.The streetsare adorned with localfruit& vegetables while people hold street dances with abandon for four days. The harbour is the venue for native & power boat races. Everybody fights for seats to watch the Horse Fighting wherein stallions fight each other over the rights to mate with a mare. The crowd is sometimes tracked by the horses if they get too close. The last day the street is full of costumed dancersdancingto the local beat & decorated floats with glamorous Mindanao girls as eye candy. It's a time of fun & abandon. The festivity is not complete without the Bya'Neng ng Kadayawan or the Miss Kadayawan beauty contest. There is also the horsefight, a tribal animal show similar to the bullfight in Spain.

HistoryThe festival began from a government-initiated program called Unlad Proyekto Davao in 1986, planned to unite the Davaoeos after the chaotic martial law years and to showcase the city as a peaceful and colorful place to visit and do business in. At the time, it was called Apo Duwaling,a name created from the icons Davao was famous for: Mt. Apo, the country's highest peak; durian, the king of fruits; and waling-waling. The queen of orchids. Davao is also home of the majestic Philippine eagle, the national bird. In 1988, the festival was renamed Kadayawan sa Dabaw by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to celebrate the city's unique wealth in flowers, fruits, and ethnic culture.Today, Kadayawan has transformed into a festival of festivals, the mother of may other festivals in the region as it honors Davaos artistic, cultural and historical heritage, its past personified by the ancestral lumads, its people as they celebrate onthe streets, and its floral industry as they parade in full regalia inthanksgiving forthe blessings granted on the city.

Kadayawan sa Dabaw is an enriching experience with a difference as its explores the past, present and future of the Davaoeos, the Mindanaoans, the Filipinos. Its sights and sounds remain supreme. Be part of the experience.

Du-aw na sa Dabaw! Duyog sa Kadayawan! Maglingaw-lingaw ta!

Pintados kasadyaanfestival

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ThePintados-Kasadyaan Festival is a merry-making event lasting a whole month,highlightsof which include the Leyte KasadyaanFestival ofFestivals, the 17thPintadosFestival Ritual Dance Presentation and the "Pagrayhak'' Grand Parade. These festivals are said to have began from the feast day of Seor Santo Nio, held every June 29th.The Leyteos celebrate a religious festival in a unique and colorful way. Since the Visayans are experienced in the art of bodytattooing, men and women are fond oftattooingthemselves.ThePintadosFestival displaysthe richcultural heritage, incorporating native music and dances,of the peopleof Leyte and Samar. The Leyte Kasadya-anFestival ofFestivals, meanwhile, showcases the unique culture and colorful history of the Province of Leyte. Started by former Leyte Governor Remedios Loreto-Petilla, the celebration was first held on May 12, 1996. The festivities weren't always held every June 29th; the first three years saw different dates. It was only in 1999 that it was fixed to June 29, theFeast ofthe Seor Santo Nio de Leyte."Kasadyaan'' in the Visayan tongue means merriment and jollity. Various municipal festivals of Leyte gather together in the original capital of Tacloban City for the celebration. There, lively dance-drama parade of many colors takes place.There is an important role that the festival plays, and it is strengthening the Leyteos' sense of pride. Every municipality mounts a storyline all their own to portray with pride their local folklore and legends.The Festival

ThePintadosfestival ofTacloban City is a Filipino festival with its own unique flavor. ThisPintadosfestival recalls Pre-Spanish history of the native Leytenos from wars, epics and folk religions. The most expected aspect of thePintadosfestival are the festive dancers, paintedfrom head to toewith designs that look like armor to resemble the tattooed warriors of old. During the course of thePintadosfestival, dancers whose bodies are painted in an amazing array of colors fill the streets of Tacloban city. At first sight, they may seem outrageous as grown men pour into the streets decorated in such dazzling colors as luminous blue or neon green. But as one gets used to this and sees the dances depicted, one gets a glimpse of the historyof the peoplethat once lived on the islands of Leyte so long ago.

The folk dances presented bythe dancersportray the many traditions that flourished before the Spaniards came. These include worship of idols, indigenous music and epic stories. The hypnotic rhythms of native instruments beat through the air accompanying the dances performed on the streets as thePintadosfestival goes. Aside from the folk dances, is the much likely parade, which crisscrosses the avenues of Tacloban city. The parade traditionally begins at the Balayuan Towers and proceeds throughout tacloban leyte city. The surprised spectators follow the procession of dancing colors from the beginning to end. ThePintadosfestival concludes in much merrymaking with a signature traditional Filipino fiesta, where everyone is invited to join the fun and celebrate thePintadosFestival.

History

In 1668, the Spaniards came to the Visayas and found in the islands heavily tattooed men and women, whom they calledPintados. These people had a culture of their own, commemorating victories by holding festivals and honoring their gods after a bountiful harvest.It was in 1888 that missionaries from Spain brought the Child Jesus image known as "El Capitan" to the island. It had a rich and colorful background that draw out the devotion and worship of the Leyte natives to the Santo Nio.Then in 1986, thePintadosFoundation, Inc. was founded by civic-minded businessmen and entrepreneurs based in Tacloban City. They began organizing religious cultural activities for the city fiesta in honor of Seor Santo Nio. This marked the advent of thePintadosFestival, which was first celebrated June 29th of the year 1987. Today, it is called the LeytePintados-Kasadyaan Festival and is called as the "Festival ofFestivals."

The namepintados is derived from what the native warriors, whose bodies were adorned with tattoos, were called. In those times, and even in some places today, tattoos were a mark of courage and beauty. Since tattoo-making was not yet as precise as it is today, they were rather painful and one risked the chance of contracting an infection. Therefore, a man who faced the dangers oftattooingand lived was considered to be both strong and brave. But even before the tattoo process itself, one would have to earn them after fighting heroically in wars.

Tattoos (pintados) served as a status symbol; much like a generals badge would today. It wasthe mark ofcourage, rank and strength. The bravest warriors were heavily adorned in tattoos which covered every inch of their bodies, head to foot. Indeed, these men were in fact such an unusual sight that western missionaries considered them frightening and uncivilized upon their first glimpses of these warriors. But as time passed, they learned to see the tattoos as a part of the life of native peoples and even as a sign of beauty for them. With the passing of time, as the story is with all things, the old made way for the new. The traditions oftattooing(pintados) and worshiping earth spirits were replaced as modernization came. But these traditions are still remembered with the celebration of thePintadosfestival.

ThisPintadosfestival helps us to see the worth and beauty of the traditions of the countrys ancestors. It gives us the opportunity to feel a rare first-hand experience, the experience of culture

La Laguna Festival 201310 Comments so farThe La Laguna Festival, is a grand event that unites all the 25 towns and 5 cities of the Province of Laguna in four major events, namely: the Trade Fair Booth Competition, which depicts the deeply-rooted Christian faith in every Laguneo of honoring each towns patron saint; Land Float Competition, Fluvial Parade/Competition, and the Street Dance Competition. Other events to enjoy are the Dragon Boat Race and Banca Race that pays tribute to the remarkable boat riding skills of fisher folks and seaside dwellers of the province. Also included are fun competitions that truly make the festival much more exciting! These competitions include fireworks competition, gay talents, cheer dance, beauty contests,landscape, cooking, flair tending, dog show, Laguna designers competition, among others. Other activities include Bike for fun, marathon, film showing, exhibits, sagala and many more!

La Laguna Festival has been awarded back to back as the Best Tourism Festival by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) in the provincial category.

This year is La Laguna Festivals third year and it carries the theme Sa Puso at Diwa: Una sa Lahat ang Bagong Laguna (In Heart and Mind: The New Laguna is Number One).

Now, the province of Laguna is inviting us to join the 10-day grand celebration of La Laguna Festival 2013! The festival opened yesterday, March 8 and will last until the 17th of March. Most of the events will be held at theprovincial capitol grounds of Sta. Cruz, Laguna. For the complete schedule of events:

Read more:http://www.kurizutin.com/2013/03/la-laguna-festival.html#ixzz2vfMvpYR9

SinulogFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Procession

Fluvial Procession

A woman during the Sinulog Festival 2009.TheSinulogis an annualfestivalheld on the third Sunday of January inCebu City,Maasin City,Southern Leyte, andBalingasag,Misamis Orientalin thePhilippines[1]The festival commemorates theFilipinopeople'spaganorigin, and their acceptance ofRoman Catholicism.The main feature is a street parade with participants in bright coloured costumes dancing to the rhythm ofdrums,trumpetsand nativegongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Nio. There is also a "Sinulog sa Kabataan" performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the parade. Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in theCebu City Sports Complex.Contents[hide] 1Festival 2Background 3History 3.1Arrival of Lpez de Legazpi 3.2Letter to the King of Spain 4Today 5Sinulog coat of arms 6Instrumentation 7References 8External linksFestival[edit]The Sinulog celebration lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. The day before the parade, the Fluvial Procession is held at dawn with a statue of the Santo Nio carried on a pump boat fromMandaue Cityto Cebu City, decked with hundreds of flowers and candles. The procession ends at the Basilica where a re-enactment of the Christianizing (that is, the acceptance of Roman Catholicism) of Cebu is performed. In the afternoon, a more solemn procession takes place along the major streets of the city, which last for hours due to large crowd participating in the event.Background[edit]This sectiondoes notciteanyreferences or sources.Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2011)

The wordSinulogcomes from theCebuanoadverbsulogwhich roughly means "like water current movement;" it describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation, and street dancing. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language.The Sinulog dance steps are believed to originate from Rajah Humabon's adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon's grief when Baladhay was driven sick. Humabon ordered his native tribe to bring Baladhay into a room where the Santo Nio was enthroned, along with the other pagan gods of the native Cebuanos. After a few days passed, Baladhay was heard shouting and was found dancing with utmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to why was he awake and shouting. Pointing to the image of the Santo Nio, Baladhay explained that he had found on top of him a small child trying to wake him and tickling him with the midrib of the coconut. Greatly astonished, he scared the child away by shouting. The little child got up and started making fun of Baladhay. In turn, Baladhay danced with the little child and explained that he was dancing themovements of the river.To this day, the two-steps forward, one-step backward movement is still used by Santo Nio devotees who believe that it was the Santo Nio's choice to have Baladhay dance.History[edit]This sectiondoes notciteanyreferences or sources.Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2011)

On April 15, 1521, thePortugueseexplorerFerdinand Magellanarrived and planted the cross on the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory forSpain. He presented the image of the childJesus, theSanto Nio, as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife ofRajah Humabon. Hara Humamay (or Amihan in some versions) was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, mother ofCarlos I. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also baptized to the Roman Catholic Church. At the moment of receiving the holy image, it was said that Queen Juana danced with joy bearing this image of the child Jesus. With the other natives following her example, this moment was regarded as the first Sinulog.This event is frequently used as basis for most Sinulog dances, which dramatize the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Nio to the Queen. A popular theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Nio in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often afflicted by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirits.

DinagyangFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A participant of Dinagyang FestivalTheDinagyangis a religious andcultural festivalinIloilo City,Philippinesheld on the fourth Sunday of January, or right after the Sinulog In Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan. It is held both to honor theSanto Nioand to celebrate the arrival onPanayof Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by theAtis.Contents[hide] 1History 2Dinagyang Legacy 3Dagoy 4Gallery 4.12009 5See also 6External linksHistory[edit]Dinagyang began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez of a localRoman Catholicparish introduced the devotion toSanto Nioin November 1967. In 1968, a replica of the original image of theSanto Nio de Cebuwas brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez as a gift to the Parish of San Jose. The faithful, led by members of Confradia del Santo Nio de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport and parading down the streets of Iloilo.In the beginning, the observance of the feast was confined to the parish. The Confradia patterned the celebration on theAti-atihanofIbajay, Aklan, where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate the Atis dancing to celebrate the sale of Panay. It was these tribal groups who were the prototype of the present festival.In 1977, theMarcosgovernment ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals or celebrations that could boost tourism and development. The City of Iloilo readily identified the Iloilo Ati-atihan as its project. At the same time the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.The Dinagyang is divided into three Major events: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang.Today, the main part of the festival consists of a number of "tribes", called "tribus", who are supposed to be Ati tribe members dancing in celebration. It should be noted that no actual Ati are involved nor do they benefit in any way from this event. There are a number of requirements, including that the performers must paint their skin brown and that only indigenous materials can be used for the costumes. All dances are performed to drum music. Many tribes are organized by the local high schools. Some tribes receive a subsidiary from the organizers and recruit private sponsors, with the best tribes receiving the most. The current Ati population of Iloilo is not involved with any of the tribes nor are they involved in the festival in any other way.Dinagyang was voted as the best Tourism Event for 2006, 2007 and 2008 by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines. It is the first festival in the world to get the support of the United Nations for the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, and cited by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO cooperatives.Dinagyang Legacy[edit]Dinagyang festival has brought a lot of innovations throughout the years. These innovations has influenced the way other festivals in the country is run. Among these are the following: Carousel Performance- Dinagyang initiated the simultaneous performance of the competing tribes in different judging areas. Mobile Risers- Mobile risers is prominent feature of Dinagyang choreography today. It was introduced by Tribu Bola-bola in 1994. The risers has added depth and has improved the choreography of the dance movements. Dinagyang Pipes- First used by Tribu Ilonganon in 2005, the Dinagyang pipes is made ofPVCpipes and is hammered by rubber paddles. Each pipe produces a distinct sound depending on the length and diameter of each pipe. Dagoy- The first festival mascot in the Philippines..Dagoy[edit]Dagoy is the official festival mascot of Dinagyang. He was born from the promotional sketches of Dinagyang in 2002. The caricature was later adopted as the official logo of the festival. He was introduced to the public in December 14, 2004 in The Fort, Taguig and December 18, 2004 in Iloilo City. Depicted as a young Aeta warrior, Dagoy symbolizes the jollification and friendship of ilonggos and other thousands of tourists flocked to witness the festival.Dagoy stands six feet nine inches tall. He has a dark brown skin tone and wears a headdress with an image of Sto. Nio. He is garb with a camel-colored loincloth which is the typical attire of an Aeta. Dagoy is holding a drum made of fiberglass with the logo of the Iloilo City Government printed at the center. His hands and feet are adorned with multi-colored bracelets, similar to these being worn by a Dinagyang warrior.Dagoy's winsome smile is popular among children as such miniature version of the mascot is marketed as Dagoy Dolls. The mascot has also its mini-event in the festival with Dress-up Dagoy Contest.

Ibalong FestivalFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaTheIbalong Festivalis a non-religious festival inLegazpi City, Albay,Philippinesand is held in August. The festival celebrates the epic storyIbalongwho was accompanied by three legendary heroes, namelyBaltog,Handyong,Bantongand other ancient heroes. People parade in the streets wearing masks and costumes to imitate the appearances of the heroes and the villains, portraying the classic battles that made their way into the history ofBicol. The Ibalong Festival aims to express warmth and goodwill to all people; visitors and tourists are encouraged to celebrate with the Bicolanos.However, according to renowned historians and anthropologists such as Domingo Abella, Luis Camara Dery, Merito Espinas, F. Mallari, Norman Owen, Mariano Goyena del Prado, et al., the present location of the ancient settlement ofIbalongis inMagallanes, Sorsogon

MassKara FestivalFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMasskara Festival

Genrecarnival, parade, street dancing

Datesthird week of October

Location(s)Bacolod City,Philippines

Years active1980 - present

Website

Official website

MassKara Festival street dancing

Winners of the MassKara Queen pageant in 2005TheMasskara Festival(Hiligaynon:Pista sang MassKara,Filipino:Fiesta ng MassKara) is a festival held each year inBacolod,Philippines, every third weekend of October nearest October 19, the city'sCharteranniversary.Contents[hide] 1Etymology 2History 3Masks 4Events 4.1Street Dancing 5See also 6References 7External linksEtymology[edit]The word "Masskara" is aportmanteau, coined by the late artist [Ely Santiago]] frommass(a multitude of people), and theSpanishwordcara(face), thus formingMassKara(a multitude of faces). The word is also a pun onmaskara(Filipino for "mask"), since a prominent feature of the festival are the masks worn by participants, which are always adorned with smiling faces.History[edit]The festival first began in 1980 during a period of crisis. The province relied on sugar cane as its primary agricultural crop, and the price of sugar was at an all-time low due to the introduction of sugar substitutes like high fructosecorn syrupin the United States.[1]It was also a time of tragedy; on April 22 of that year, the inter-island vesselMV Don Juancarrying many Negrenses, including those belonging to prominent families in Bacolod City, collided with the tankerTacloban Cityand sank. An estimated 700 lives were lost in the tragedy.[2]In the midst of these tragic events, the city's artists, local government and civic groups decided to hold afestival of smiles, because the city at that time was also known as theCity of Smiles. They reasoned that a festival was also a good opportunity to pull the residents out of the pervasive gloomy atmosphere. The initial festival was therefore, a declaration by the people of the city that no matter how tough and bad the times were, Bacolod City is going to pull through, survive, and in the end, triumph.Masks[edit]The Masks in the History of the festival is constantly changing from masks influenced by native Filipinos which slowly was then influenced byCarnival of VeniceandRio Carnivalmotifs. Earlier Masks had feathers, native beads, and masks were hand painted while modern masks feature plastic beads, plastic.Events[edit]The festival features a street dance competition where people from all walks of life troop to the streets to see colorfully masked dancers gyrating to the rhythm of Latin musical beats in a display of mastery, gaiety, coordination and stamina. Major activities include the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, carnivals, drum and bugle corps competitions, food festivals, sports events, musical concerts, agriculture-trade fairs, garden shows, and other special events organized ad-hoc every year.Street Dancing[edit]The Street Dancing is divided into two categories; the schools division and the barangays, the latter is considered as the highlight of the street dancing competition.