Filipinos celebrates the "Sinulog Festival" on every month of January to honor the image known as "Santo Nino". It is actually an annual cultural and religious festival that is often held on the 3rd Sunday of January. The main event is conducted at the city of Cebu.
Aside from Cebu City, other places of the country that also celebrates the same festival includes Maasin City, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and Southern Leyte. Each place have their own unique version of celebrating the event.
What really makes Sinulog Festival an interesting event is that, the street parade consists of various participants that comes from different regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. In short, everyone in the Philippines are all invited to join the performance of the fest.
Just like any other cultural events, the Sinulog Festival presents their performances with their bright colored costumes, drums, trumpets and native gongs. But before the grand street parade, the youths will perform their early parade known as the "Sinulog sa Kabataan".
In order to encourage the participants to give their best, there's actually a competition involved. These competitions are divided into three categories and they are the following:
1. Street Dancing Competition
- The participants of the street dancing competitions is actually the main event of the Sinulog Festival. They are being judge according to their costumes, dancing performances and audience impact from the crowd of spectators. And, the street parade usually lasts for 9 to 12 hours.
2. Free Interpretation
- There are actually many participants of the Free Interpretation contest. Most of them comes from other regions of the country. It is really a quite challenging competition because most featured cultural dances are those with fast dance steps. Aside from the steps, the dance also portrays a good storyline.
3. Sinulog Base Categories
- Sinulog Base Category is another cultural dance competition but is it more focused on "Ritual Dance Worship". As for their outfit, they usually wear "Filipiniana" and "Hispanic" costumes.
All participants of the competitions are talented that judges are often given trouble in deciding the best performer. But at the end, they still have to choose one winner. It's because the Grand Champion will be rewarded with a price-money worth of one million pesos (1, 000, 000, 000.00 Php). This reward is only for the participants of the Free Interpretation and Sinulog Base Categories.
What does Sinulog means?
Sinulog is a "Cebuano" term which means "like water current movement". The meaning actually has something to do with the movement of the Sinulog dance. It is a very simple traditional dance consisting of 2 steps forward and 1 step backward. The steps are often accompanied with drums.
Today, many candle vendors at the Basilica are still performing the traditional Sinulog dance while lighting candles for their customers. Along with the dance, they also sing a native song at the same time.
Baladhay and the Santo Nino
According to some sources, the Sinulog dance originated from Baladhay, Rajah Humabon's adviser. The story of Baladhay in relation to the Sinulog Dance started when he got terribly sick. The whole tribe didn't know how to cure his sickness so Raja Humabon had ordered his men to bring Baladhay into the sacred room. Inside the room was the Santo Nino along with the other pagan gods of the native Cebuanos.
Several days later, the tribes suddenly noticed Baladhay shouting and performing the Sinulog dance. They questioned him about his strange behavior and he explained that he came to know a child. At first, he found the child trying to tickle him with the midrib of the coconut. Probably annoyed, he shouted at the child to get away. And when the child moved away from Baladhay, he started to make fun of him.
Anyway, it seems that the child find something that he liked about Baladhay. Thus, he and the child ended up dancing together in which the Sinulog dance was derived.
Queen Juana and the Image of Child Jesus
When the first group of Spaniard Explorers (led by Ferdinand Magellan) came to discover the Philippines in April 15, 1521, they didn't immediately engaged into a battle against Lapu-lapu's tribe. They actually came in peace where they were even the once who offered the image of child Jesus (or Santo Nino) to the wife of Rajah Humabon. She was Hara Amihan (later named as Queen Juana) who accepted the image as a baptismal gift.
Along with the other rulers and natives of the island, the Spaniards baptized them all under the Roman Catholic Church.
The first Sinulog Festival was held from the time that Queen Juana gladly received the image of child Jesus expressing her joy with a dance. As a result, the other natives had followed her example where they had celebrated the very first Sinulog Festival.
When it comes to the Sinulog Base Category competition, most performances involves the portrayal of the Spaniards presenting the Santo Nino to the Queen. Accepting the image with utmost sincerity, Queen Juana is portrayed dancing with the Santo Nino held in her arms. At the same time, she blesses her people who are suffering from sickness and to get rid of the bad evil spirits out from their land.
Before the Sinulog Grand Street parade, an important event is held where the Santo Nino needs to sail from the city of Mandaue to Cebu. The event is called "Fluvial Procession" which is often sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cebu.
The Santo Nino is carried by a well-decorated pump boat. Usually, the deck is filled with flowers and candles. It's final destination is at the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino de Cebu. But the event does not end there yet. There will be performances of re-enactment when Roman Catholicism was accepted in the country. In the afternoon, the procession continues at the major streets of Cebu city. However, the procession is more solemn and could last for several hours which depends on the number of the crowds.
Everyone are actually welcome to join the celebration of the Sinulog Festival either local tourists or foreigners alike. But if it's your first time, there are two important things that you should include on your preparations.
1. Book your Hotel Early
The Sinulog Festival has quite become popular that a large crowd of spectators are often expected. So to ensure your hotel accommodations, it's best book your hotel room at least a month before the event. That will be on the month December.
2. Bring your Camera
Sinulog Festival has a lot of things to offer especially when it comes to interesting performances and colorful costumes of the participants. Make sure that your camera have enough memory storage with fully charged batteries and capture as many beautiful photos as you can.
Aside from Cebu City, other places of the country that also celebrates the same festival includes Maasin City, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental and Southern Leyte. Each place have their own unique version of celebrating the event.
What really makes Sinulog Festival an interesting event is that, the street parade consists of various participants that comes from different regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. In short, everyone in the Philippines are all invited to join the performance of the fest.
Just like any other cultural events, the Sinulog Festival presents their performances with their bright colored costumes, drums, trumpets and native gongs. But before the grand street parade, the youths will perform their early parade known as the "Sinulog sa Kabataan".
In order to encourage the participants to give their best, there's actually a competition involved. These competitions are divided into three categories and they are the following:
1. Street Dancing Competition
- The participants of the street dancing competitions is actually the main event of the Sinulog Festival. They are being judge according to their costumes, dancing performances and audience impact from the crowd of spectators. And, the street parade usually lasts for 9 to 12 hours.
2. Free Interpretation
- There are actually many participants of the Free Interpretation contest. Most of them comes from other regions of the country. It is really a quite challenging competition because most featured cultural dances are those with fast dance steps. Aside from the steps, the dance also portrays a good storyline.
3. Sinulog Base Categories
- Sinulog Base Category is another cultural dance competition but is it more focused on "Ritual Dance Worship". As for their outfit, they usually wear "Filipiniana" and "Hispanic" costumes.
All participants of the competitions are talented that judges are often given trouble in deciding the best performer. But at the end, they still have to choose one winner. It's because the Grand Champion will be rewarded with a price-money worth of one million pesos (1, 000, 000, 000.00 Php). This reward is only for the participants of the Free Interpretation and Sinulog Base Categories.
What does Sinulog means?
Sinulog is a "Cebuano" term which means "like water current movement". The meaning actually has something to do with the movement of the Sinulog dance. It is a very simple traditional dance consisting of 2 steps forward and 1 step backward. The steps are often accompanied with drums.
Today, many candle vendors at the Basilica are still performing the traditional Sinulog dance while lighting candles for their customers. Along with the dance, they also sing a native song at the same time.
Baladhay and the Santo Nino
According to some sources, the Sinulog dance originated from Baladhay, Rajah Humabon's adviser. The story of Baladhay in relation to the Sinulog Dance started when he got terribly sick. The whole tribe didn't know how to cure his sickness so Raja Humabon had ordered his men to bring Baladhay into the sacred room. Inside the room was the Santo Nino along with the other pagan gods of the native Cebuanos.
Several days later, the tribes suddenly noticed Baladhay shouting and performing the Sinulog dance. They questioned him about his strange behavior and he explained that he came to know a child. At first, he found the child trying to tickle him with the midrib of the coconut. Probably annoyed, he shouted at the child to get away. And when the child moved away from Baladhay, he started to make fun of him.
Anyway, it seems that the child find something that he liked about Baladhay. Thus, he and the child ended up dancing together in which the Sinulog dance was derived.
Queen Juana and the Image of Child Jesus
When the first group of Spaniard Explorers (led by Ferdinand Magellan) came to discover the Philippines in April 15, 1521, they didn't immediately engaged into a battle against Lapu-lapu's tribe. They actually came in peace where they were even the once who offered the image of child Jesus (or Santo Nino) to the wife of Rajah Humabon. She was Hara Amihan (later named as Queen Juana) who accepted the image as a baptismal gift.
Along with the other rulers and natives of the island, the Spaniards baptized them all under the Roman Catholic Church.
 |
| Roman Catholic Church |
The first Sinulog Festival was held from the time that Queen Juana gladly received the image of child Jesus expressing her joy with a dance. As a result, the other natives had followed her example where they had celebrated the very first Sinulog Festival.
When it comes to the Sinulog Base Category competition, most performances involves the portrayal of the Spaniards presenting the Santo Nino to the Queen. Accepting the image with utmost sincerity, Queen Juana is portrayed dancing with the Santo Nino held in her arms. At the same time, she blesses her people who are suffering from sickness and to get rid of the bad evil spirits out from their land.
The Day Before the Sinulog Grand Street Parade
Before the Sinulog Grand Street parade, an important event is held where the Santo Nino needs to sail from the city of Mandaue to Cebu. The event is called "Fluvial Procession" which is often sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cebu.
The Santo Nino is carried by a well-decorated pump boat. Usually, the deck is filled with flowers and candles. It's final destination is at the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino de Cebu. But the event does not end there yet. There will be performances of re-enactment when Roman Catholicism was accepted in the country. In the afternoon, the procession continues at the major streets of Cebu city. However, the procession is more solemn and could last for several hours which depends on the number of the crowds.
Are you Planning to Watch the Sinulog Festival?
Everyone are actually welcome to join the celebration of the Sinulog Festival either local tourists or foreigners alike. But if it's your first time, there are two important things that you should include on your preparations.
1. Book your Hotel Early
The Sinulog Festival has quite become popular that a large crowd of spectators are often expected. So to ensure your hotel accommodations, it's best book your hotel room at least a month before the event. That will be on the month December.
2. Bring your Camera
Sinulog Festival has a lot of things to offer especially when it comes to interesting performances and colorful costumes of the participants. Make sure that your camera have enough memory storage with fully charged batteries and capture as many beautiful photos as you can.
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