SINULOG BACKGROUNDER:
1. What is the Sinulog Festival all about?
Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous Santo Niño. The basic form is not that hard - two steps forward and one step backward in time with the primal drumbeat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. What does the word "Sinulog" mean?
Since the dance evokes images of the 'sulog' (current) of what was then known as the Pahina River, it's derivative became Sinulog. The significance of the dance is more than the meaning of the word. It is the link between the country's pagan past and its Christian present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. When and how did it start?
Historical accounts show that the natives danced the Sinulog in honor of their wooden idols and anitos before the Europeans ever set foot in cebu. Ferdinand Magellan introduced Christianity to the natives and he gave the Santo Niño to Hara Amihan as a baptismal gift. She was the wife of Rajah Humabon and was later given a Christian name: Queen Juana. Shortly after that, Magellan met his untimely death in the hands of Rajah Lapu-lapu.
At first, the dance continued on as a small ritual. In fact, only candle vendors in front of the church could be seen dancing the Sinulog. During the image's fiesta, which fell on the third Sunday of January, children dressed up in moro-moro costumes and dance the Sinulog.
In 1980 however, David Odilao Jr.,then the Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports and Development (MYSD) , organized the first Sinulog Parade. He gathered a group of students, dressed them up, and taught them the basic steps of the Sinulog. It was just a small assemblage but it captured the imaginations of the people and the city officials. It was then decided that the Sinulog should be developed into an annual fiesta of epic grandeur.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Who's "in" in the Sinulog?
In the Sinulog Festival, all sectors of the Cebuano community are involved. There are also a number of participants coming from the neighboring islands.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Institutionalizing the Sinulog.
To distinguish the festival from the also popular Ati-Atihan Festival in Aklan, the organizers decided to use the parade to depict the Sinulog's history. And as you can see, it is a resounding success and it grows bigger every succeeding year.
Businessmen and civic leaders, determined to institutionalize the Sinulog, organized the Sinulog Foundation Inc., and registered it with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 25, 1984.
ABOUT THE SINULOG:
The Sinulog is a festival held in honor of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The celebrations origins lie in the island of Cebu, located in the southern part of the Philippine Islands.
Explorer Ferdinand Magellan brought the statue of the Infant Jesus and later presented it as a gift to the Rajah's wife, Queen Juana. Tradition says that when Magellan gave the image to Queen Juana, the natives started to move their hands and shuffle their feet. Hence, dancing defines the celebration.
The ceremonies in Cebu begin with an early morning fluvial parade, re-enacting the coming of the Spaniards. The Holy Mass and the Sinulog procession follow, with the people dancing to the distinctive Sinulog rhythm while holding the images of the Santo Niño aloft.
Today, the Sinulog has exploded in popularity. It is now an eagerly aniticipated annual gala in the city of Cebu. Various categories have been developed for artistic competition.
Worldwide interest has continued to grow steadily as Filipinos and foreigners alike flood the city, every year to witness the spectacle.
It is a celebration of thanksgiving, intercession, petition and adoration of the child-king who has touched many lives.
Viva! Pit Señor! Santo Niño!
