CEBU CITY – This city held recently its biggest Sinulog celebration to mark the festival’s silver jubilee anniversary with theme “One Beat. One Dance. One Vision.” Started in 1980, Sinulog is a weeklong religious festival held every 3rd weekend of January to honor the city’s patron Saint, Sto. Niño, the Christ Child, with Sinulog ritual dance and other public celebrations.
It was indeed an unusual experience to be lost in the waves of dancing crowds who made hand gestures as they shuffled their feet to the beating of the drums behind the Sto. Niño image in procession along main city streets. It was a celebration of pageantry of the early Cebuano culture, and the history of the Christianization of Cebu. It is an enduring native expression of prayer bridging the pagan years with the Christian era of today. It was a revival of ancient rituals for the celebration of a bountiful harvest,
On Jan. 11, aboard SuperFerry 19, together with some media and advertising friends, we headed for Cebu City to attend this world-famous Festival. The SF19 has lots of amenities to offer like, grocery store, souvenir shop, parlor, dining room, computer game room, videoke bar and a prayer room. The 21-hour sojourn was not a bore at all. The "Stage Limit Band" composed of Lyn, Richard and Gideon, thrilled us with their powerful renditions of top 40 hits, scintillating songs of the 70’s and the 80’s, plus the modern pop and ballad ditties.
Some 18 contingents from outside Cebu joined this year’s Sinulog including groups from Surigao, Negros Oriental, Camiguin, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Pampanga, Leyte and Samar.
Among the eye-catchers in the parade was Anna Suebzon voted as the year’s Miss Sinulog, runner-up was Christine Bascones. The former is from Surigao del Norte while the latter, from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
The most attended were the two grand firework displays, the most beautiful of which was held at the Ayala Park.
According to my Cebuanao friend, Dr. Edwin A. Pilapil, director of Cultural Affairs of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology System, "the dance movement takes roots from Cebuano word ‘sulog’ meaning ‘water current,’ like a gushing river, its rhythmic movement imitated in dance. The sinulog dance, characterized by mincing movements: Two steps forward and one step backward, with arms and hands swaying."
"The festival is a plethora of colorful costumes, floats, buntings and giants parading through the main streets as curious onlookers watch from the sidelines," he added.
Before the Sinulog was institutionalized in 1980, it was a mere ritual participated in by a few candle vendor devotees outside the church, dancing with gaiety and offering their devotions to Pit Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu. More than two decades ago, students from the public schools also took part in the devotion. With the growing number of participants the city officials agreed to make it the spectacular festival as we know it today. Thus, Sinulog, is not only a religious activity but also, a historical activity.
Among the celebrities we saw that graced the occasion were Bea Alonzo, Boy 2 Quizon, Ogie Alcasid, Sandara Park, Pops Fernandez, Carlo Aquino and his Theory Band and the country’s premiere vocal group, The Company.
We had a grand time watching the festival but we have to catch the 4 p.m. SuperCat trip to Ormoc City, Leyte. The SuperCat 2001, is a two-hour fast track vessel with friendly and hospitable crew. The food and cold drinks at the said vessel are very reasonable. The cushion-seat is very relaxing. Then we headed back to Manila via SuperFerry 12. It’s a larger boat complete with a swimming pool. Memories of "Love Boat" crossed my mind in a haste.
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