Dinagyang Festival Showcases Ilonggo Heritage

Planning a trip? Those who love to travel know the essence of all travel is about you and your enjoyment. Travelers know that the destination is a major part of planning a trip, experiencing and delving deeper into unfamiliar places, people and culture are paramount.

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DINAGYANG FESTIVAL

Photo from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinagyang

The Dinagyang 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 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. Read More: http://philippine-evolution.com/tag/festivals-in-iloilo/

Photo from: http://driftwoodjourneys.com/dinagyang-festival-iloilo-city/

The Iloilo Dinagyang Festival is a showcase of the rich heritage, colorful history, passionate devotion, and fun-loving spirit of the Ilonggo people. The festival traces its roots as a thanksgiving celebration in honor of Senyor Santo Niño, the child Jesus. Today, it has grown to be one of the Philippines’ most spectacular religious and cultural festivals.

Outside the stages, everyone can enjoy the colorful costumes, thundering drum beats, and energetic dances of the performers. The tribes perform street-dance routines along the entire parade route. Vehicles are prohibited to enter the parade route and nearby streets. Walking is the prime mode of transportation within Iloilo City Proper during the festivities. Read More: http://www.exploreiloilo.com/do/info/dinagyang-festival/

Photo from: https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Dinagyang-Festival-2013

Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo is an important function in Philippines’ events calendar. It’s marked on the fourth Sunday of January yearly, right after Sinulog.

The festival is held to show reverence of Santo Nino as well as to mark the onset of the arrival of Malay immigrants. This is an indelible part of Philippines’ history, so much so that locals sometimes use it as a reference point for the historical events that led to the establishment of the festival as a prominent practice.

The celebration of Santo Nino is marked with flamboyant costumes and traditional dances. The fun in this, especially for visitors, lies in getting acquainted with the local culture as well as getting a glimpse into the daily happenings in the country.

This celebration to honour Santo Nino is a three-day affair that is scheduled for January as aforementioned. Those planning to tour Philippines in the first month of the year will be lucky to attend this colourful event. Read More: http://www.philippinestravelhub.com/events/dinagyang-festival/

Photo from: http://www.travelingmorion.com/2017/01/iloilo-city-dinagyang-festival-2017.html