kuwento ni kapitan kokak: Aliwan : Tribal War in the Philippines

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Aliwan : Tribal War in the Philippines

As Aliwan 2013 grand champion, Iloilo's Dinagyang has beaten Cebu's Sinulog , the former with 5 wins while the latter has 3 wins out of the total 11 Years of the Festival.

The month of April is a big treat for those who love a great street dancing showdown. Since 2003 the Aliwan Festival was held n Manila Philippines and drew tens of thousands of spectator, photographers and participants for all the festivities and happenings. Filipinos love festivals and in the modern world where tourism is such an important part of the economies of nations, there is no better way to draw tourists, visitors, and get great press than to have amazing events that highlight the beauty, products, craftsmanship, and heritage of the many cultures that identify themselves as Filipinos.

Is there really a Tribal War? Media Hype or Regional Pride? With the pride of both regions on the line, you be the Judge on the festival Rivalry.. who can help it??

Sinulog2011

sinulog2011

In 2011, i went to Cebu to witness Sinulog festival which is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus. It is essentially a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity. The festival features some the country’s most colorful displays of pomp and pageantry: participants garbed in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. The streets are usually lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing “Sinulog” plainly means “graceful dance” accompanied by drumbeats and a glum holy mass become a crowd-drawing international cultural festival of Cebu

dinagyang2010

In 2010 and 2012, I attended the Dinagyang which is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held 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 the Santo Niño and to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis. The root word is dagyang. In Ilonggo, it means to make happy. Dinagyang is the present progressive word of the Ilonggo word, meaning making merry or merry-making. A religious and cultural activity, it is a celebration of Ilonggos whose bodies are painted with black in effect to imitate the black, small and slender Negritos who are the aborigines of Panay.


dinagyang 2010

The warriors are dressed in fashionable and colorful Aeta costumes and dance artistically and rhythmically with complicated formations along with the loud thrashing and sound of drums.. 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. 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

dinagyang2010

These two festivals have been pitted against each other as to which is better and the best festival in the Philippines. In fact,they have been consistently vying for the top post in the annual Aliwan Fiesta. Aliwan Fiesta is an annual event that gathers different cultural festivals of the Philippines in Star City Complex in Pasay City wherein contingents compete in dance parade and float competitions, as well as in a beauty pageant. the event is dubbed as "The Mother of All Fiestas," with prizes totaling to P3 million. Aliwan Fiesta, which began in 2003, aims to showcase the different Filipino cultures and heritage not only to the people in Metro Manila but also to the rest of the world. The contingents, meanwhile, aim to promote their respective regions both economically and tourism-wise.It was originally organized as a visual extravaganza for the Christmas season, but it has since been held during the summer months of either April or May. Aliwan is a Tagalog word for "entertainment" or "amusement."

sinulog2011

The Dinagyang has 5 wins while Sinulog has 3 wins out of the total 11 Years of the Festival

2003 Halad Festival of North Cotabato

2004 Tribu Atub atub (Dinagyang, Iloilo City)

2005 Pintados de Passi Festival, Passi City, Iloilo

2006 Lumad Basakanon (Sinulog, Cebu City)

2007 Lumad Basakanon (Sinulog , Cebu City)

2008 Lumad Basakanon (Sinulog, Cebu City

2009 : Buyogan Festival (Abuyog, Leyte)
2010 Tribu Paghidaet (Dinagyang, Iloilo)
2011 Tribu Pan-ay (Dinagyang, Iloilo)
2012 Tribu Pan-ay (Dinagyang, Iloilo)
2013 Tribu Panayanon (Dinagyang, Iloilo)

While the Sinulog is a whole day affair on the third Sunday, Dinagyang is held for two half days on the fourth saturday and sunday for the Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Ati-Ati Street Dancing,respectively. Sinulog dancers will have one major performance at the Abellana Stadium while the Dinagyang dancers have four major performance in four major judging stages.

dinagyang2010

sinulog2011

aliwan 2011

Another festival that is much awaited is the Buyogan Festival of Abuyog, Samar who became the champion in 2009. Three years after, in 2012, they got the second place .