I have travel far and wide, seen different places, gone to various events and cultural programs but there is no place to be other than the Cebu’s Sinulog Festival. The festival is breathtaking, amazing and simply splendid. I urge travelers from within and around the world to plan this trip to witness one of the most colorful, bright and spectacular cultural events in the Philippines which is held in early January of a new year.
The Sinulog Festival is held every 3rd (third) Sunday of January in the city of Cebu which is seen to be the biggest festival in the Philippines. The Sinulog festival is known to be a religious event whereby lots of Filipinos look forward to it. The Philippines is known to be a catholic country in which the celebration takes place in the center of Santo Niño. One of the main highlights in which the festival tries to project is the Sinulog Grand Parade; most indigenes and even foreigners are filled with excitement as they try to witness this wonderful event.
The Sinulog festival grand parade which showcases street dancing with several groups of street dancers who are in an array of colorful costumes, with amazing decorated platforms. These dance groups, go through the length of the streets and other areas performing their own dance steps. The dance displayed by the dancers resembles the movement of water which was derived from the Cebuano word “sulog” meaning “like a water current”.
While watching these groups of exotic dancers, you hear them chants words like PIT SENYOR meaning “to call, ask “. According to various myths, they say that the dance has been a part of local tradition way before the Spaniards brought Santo Niño. There are also other versions of the story that explains how the Sinulog started from Rajah Humabon’s adviser who fell ill and was cured when brought to the room where the Santo Niño was in. Keep in mind that there are so many activities displayed and things to do as not only watching those exotic dancers but there are various DJs present playing vibrant urban style music while people dance, laugh and merry.
Witnessing an event such as this has been remarkable as words cannot express the joy I feel each time I come to the event. Even in rain or sunshine, people still troop in their numbers to witness this festival. Lots of crowd out in the street as I try to walk through the crowds. Despite the huge crowd, there was a police presence to keep a check on any security issues raised as well as security forces trying to control the crowd.
 |
| Police Presence at the Sinulog Festival |
Sinulog is a festival that has been attracting lots of tourists yearly. The festival attracts over a million people, lots of crowds which sometimes it can be hard passing through. This celebration can easily rival the colorful Carnival in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil. For tourists who want to experience the entire festival, one should come as early as the third week of January. Cebu’s downtown area will be bustling with life day and night as people converge to the city for various fairs located in Colon street, cultural activities in Osmena Boulevard, street and ritual dancing competitions in Cebu City Sports center participated by different municipalities and towns, as well as a Sinulog idol (singing contest), Sinulog best dance crew, and Sinulog Festival Queen. The highlight is the Sinulog Grand Parade, a carousel of dancing Contingents, showcasing heritage, culture, tradition, and history of their respective areas. Hotels in and around the city are expected to be fully booked as early as December. Vehicles and devotees are strewn throughout the claustrophobic roads from the downtown area leading to the basilica. Restaurants can easily become full and jam-packed, too! Plus, “balikbayan” presents are screaming “SALE” in every mall in the city! Expect swarms of people from the airport, bus terminals, and in tight streets of the metropolis during the festivity.
Post a Comment