Tribal War: Sinulog vs. Dinagyang

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 Sinulog vs Dinagyang Rivalry.. who can help it?

As Aliwan 2012 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 10 Years of the Festival.

Sinulog2011

sinulog2011

                  For two consecutive years (2011 and 2012) , 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 that become a crowd-drawing international cultural festival of Cebu. I am really amazed by their dedication : the Cebuanos dance almost more than twelve hours notwithstanding the weather, may it be too hot or  too rainy.. all for the love of their tradition

Sinulog 2012

sinulog 2012

dinagyang2010

In 2010, 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. 

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

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.

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, like a carousel.

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 (roughly US$70,000). 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 4 wins  while Sinulog has 3 wins out of the total 9  Years of the Festival

2003  Halad Festival of North Cotabato

2004  Tribu Atub atub, Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City

2005 Pintados de Passi Festival, Passi City, Iloilo

2006  Lumad Basakanon Sinulog Festival of Cebu City

2007  Lumad Basakanon Sinulog Festival of Cebu City

2008  Lumad Basakanon Sinulog Festival of Cebu City

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

dinagyang2010

sinulog2011

Dinagyang 2010

Sinulog 2012

For more pics of my Sinulog and Dinagyang trip as well as Aliwan, see the following: 

 Dinagyang 2010  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=142603&id=542932735

Sinulog  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=542932735&aid=268661

 Aliwan  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=165366&id=542932735