INDOM, ELEONOR G.

BSMA-3C
DIFFERENT FIESTA AND IT’S ORIGIN
Dinagyang Festival
4th weekend of January | Iloilo City

Dinagyang Festival is Iloilo City's version of the Ati-atihan

festival which is celebrated in different parts of the
Philippines. The word “dinagyang” was coined by an Ilonggo
writer and broadcaster Pacifico Sudario in 1977. It is an Ilonggo
term which means merrymaking or revelry.

The Iloilo Dinagyang Festival 2016 is set on January 23 and 24,

2016 with the theme: "Beyond Fun. Beyond Fame. Beyond
Borders."

The festival is Iloilo City's widest and grandest religious and

cultural celebration in honor of the Santo Niño held every
January.

The Iloilo Dinagyang Festival 2016 also focuses on the Señor Santo Niño: Hope of the People.

So how did the devotion of Santo Niño through our religious festival started most especially in the Visayas
Region?

The devotion to the Santo Niño may have originated at the start of 16th century in Spain and have spread
all over Europe. The Santo Niño de Cebu image is said to come from the Flanders of Belgium. Then from
Europe, it has spread throughout the world.

In the Philippines, it started when the ship of Ferdinand Magellan reached Samar on March 16, 1521. The
Visayan natives approached and were friendly of them that they provided supplies which the Spaniards
bought. Magellan then sailed going to Limasawa and was welcomed by the island's chief, Rajah Awi, and,
with the help of an interpreter, he made his intentions known.

On March 31, 1521, the first mass in the Philippines was celebrated in Limasawa island. The Spaniards,
accompanied by Rajah Awi, then sailed going to Cebu after the mass. The Rajah of Cebu, who was already
used to foreign traders from Asia, was prepared to deal and meet with the Spanish traders. The
involvement of Rajah Awi and the warnings of other traders made Rajah Humabon make peace with the
visitors. Magellan, with the help of an interpreter, gave a short duration catechesis of Christian faith.
Rajah Humabon was the first to be baptized a week after. In the afternoon of that same day, the Queen
and the ladies were also baptized.

The Queen asked for the Santo Niño image after she was baptized and it was given to her. The Queen was
named Doña Juana.

Magellan became the champion of Rajah Humabon that he required all the chiefs to yield and to conform
with the king. But, the chief of Mactan, Lapu-lapu, did not agree. Magellan wanted to impress Rajah
Humabon and to teach Lapu-Lapu a lesson sailed to Mactan.

After 44 years, the Spaniards now headed by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi returned to Cebu. The Spaniards
had to resort to force when they were once again met with resistance. A sailor from Bermio, Vizcaya
named Juan de Camuz found a box in one of the native houses. He opened it and saw an image of the
Santo Niño.

It was shown to Legaspi and the finding of the image became a sensational event among the Spaniards.
They built a camp and temporary chapel where the Santo Niño image was enthroned by Augustinian
priest, Fr. Andres de Urdaneta, with solemn ceremonies. The Cebuano natives slowly emerged from hiding
and joined the ceremonies because of their strong curiosity and was also attracted by the rites. The
Spaniards organized the Confraternity of the Holy Child in honor of the Santo Niño after the natives talked
of peace. Rajah Tupas was informed of Legaspi's intentions to speak of peace and the Spaniards' demand
for a tribute. A church was constructed in honor of the Santo Niño which became the first house of
worship in the Philippines.
The church was later ruined due to fire and another one was built. The church was made of timer and was
more solid but was burned down again. The present Church and monastery where the Santo Niño is kept
and venerated was started about the year 1730. On January 16, 1740, the image of Santo Niño was
finally mounted.

The Dinagyang Festival which was first known as the Iloilo Ati-Atihan was born because of the devotion to
Santo Niño. The festival is an annual religious and socio-cultural gathering held every 4th Sunday of
January, is Iloilo City's widest and grandest celebration in honor of Santo Niño.

Moriones Festival
Holy Week | Boac, Gasan, and Mogpog, Marinduque

The Moriones is a lenten rites held on Holy Week on the island

of Marinduque, Philippines. The "Moriones" are men and
women in costumes and masks replicating the garb of biblical
Roman soldiers as interpreted by local folks. The Moriones or
Moryonan tradition has inspired the creation of other festivals
in the Philippines where cultural practices or folk history is
turned into street festivals.[1]

It is a colorful festival celebrated on the island of Marinduque

in the Philippines. The participants use morion masks to
depict the Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries within the
story of the Passion of the Christ. The mask was named after
the 16th and 17th century Morion helmet.[2] The Moriones
refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march
around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. Morions roam the streets in town from Holy
Monday to Easter Sunday scaring the kids, or engaging in antics or surprises to draw attention. This is a
folk-religious festival that re-enacts the story of Saint Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one
eye. The festival is characterized by colorful Roman costumes, painted masks and helmets, and brightly
colored tunics. The towns of Boac, Gasan, Santa Cruz, Buenavista and Mogpog in the island of Marinduque
become one gigantic stage. The observances form part of the Lenten celebrations of Marinduque. The
various towns also hold the unique tradition of the pabasa or the recitation of Christ's passion in verse.
[3] Then at three o'clock on Good Friday afternoon, the Santo Sepulcro is observed, whereby old women
exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ. One of the highlights of this
festival is the Via Crucis. A re-enactment of the suffering of Christ on his way to the calvary. Men inflict
suffering upon themselves by whipping their backs, carrying a wooden cross and sometimes even
crucifixion. They see this act as their form of atonement for their sins. This weeklong celebration starts on
Holy Monday and ends on Easter Sunday.

Pahiyas Festival
15th of May | Lucban, Quezon

The Philippines is a festival country. Every province in every

region finds a reason to celebrate almost everything – from
the religious feasts to customary traditions, to just about
anything that can be celebrated. You’ve probably heard
about Bangus Festival of Dagupan, Pangasinan, which
celebrates the staple produce of the province – milkfish or
bangus. How about the Flower Festival of Panagbenga in the
country’s summer capital, Baguio? This celebrates the
bountiful flower harvests which is one of the big income
earners in the city.

In Lucban, Quezon, south of Luzon, Pahiyas Festival is

gaining popularity not just from the townsfolks of Quezon,
but even residents from the metropolitan cities, find their
way to join the colorful feast celebrated every 15th of May. The celebration is in honor of San Isidro
Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. The farmers of Lucban, Quezon express their thanksgiving for a
bountiful harvest with a grand display of colorful rice wafers, fruits, vegetables, and handicrafts adorning
every house in the town.
Pahiyas Festival is an ancient celebration dating back to the 16th century. Legends have it that San Isidro
Labrador magically plowed the field every time he went out of the church. This story was passed on by the
Spaniards to the Filipinos during the colonial period. The word “pahiyas” means “precious offering” as
connoted by the root word “hiyas” which means “jewel”. Since then, the people of Lucban and nearby
towns and provinces excitedly await the summer month of May when Pahiyas Festival is held.

Every year, May 15th is marked in the calendar as a day of merriment in Quezon. The streets of historic
Lucban come to life and vibrant colors as people adorn their houses with local agricultural harvests –
fruits, vegetables, rice grains, rice stalks, flowers and ferns. Additionally, colorful rice wafers locally called
“kiping” are arranged in two or three layers of chandeliers. Kiping is made from rice dough and the local
residents use different kinds of leaves to add flavor and color to the thin wafers.

The festival’s highlight is a procession on the streets of Lucban where the image of San Isidro Labrador is
carried by devotees as people eagerly await the passing of the image. The procession features a pair of
giant paper mache figures of a farmer and his wife, which lead the procession, and followed by the
images of San Isidro Labrador and Sta. Maria de la Cabeza, who carries a basket with “triangulo biscuits”,
distributed to the children during the procession. The celebration’s culminating event is a grand food
sharing among the residents and the guests.

Part of the festival is an annual competition which chooses the best decorated house. After the
competition, the decorations (agricultural produce) from the winning house are thrown away to the huge
crowd as free treats. The kipings adorning the other houses will be cooked and eaten as rice chips. During
the procession, people display their harvest in front of their houses so that the parish priest can bless
them when the procession passes by their street.

Pahiyas Festival is the people of Lucban’s way of saying “thank you” for a bountiful harvest

Kadayawan Festival
3rd week of August | Davao City

Kadayawan comes from the Dabawenyo word “madayaw,”

a friendly greeting which means good or beautiful.
Probably the biggest festival in Mindanao, Kadayawan has
everything all other festivals have: street dancing, beauty
pageants, fireworks displays, floral floats. The festival is a
celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature,
the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity
of living. It is held every third week of August.

It is a celebration of Davao‘s as well as the rest of

Mindanao’s abundance; showcasing flowers, fruits, and
other produces that abound the country’s second largest
island. Just two years ago, they even introduced a week-
long street food fiesta in Freedom Park, Roxas Avenue
called Kaan sa Da’n.

Ibalong Festival
Date: October 25-31 Location: Legaspi City

The Ibalong Festival is a non-religious festival in Legazpi

City, Albay, Philippines based on the Ibalong Epic, and is
held on October 25-31. The festival celebrates the epic
story Ibalong who was accompanied by three legendary
heroes, namely Baltog, Handyong, and Bantong. 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 of Bicol. The Ibalong Festival aims to express
warmth and goodwill to all people; visitors and tourists are
encouraged to celebrate with the Bicolanos. The Ibalong
Festival is also known as the Ibalon Festival.