Sinulog Festival beyond its unique dance choreography

Sinulog Street Dancing

Just six days more to go and the Filipino Catholics will once again manifest their religiosity through the religious-cultural celebration, the Sinulog Festival. 

Sinug or Sinulog is a festival considered as the mother of all Philippine Festivals owing to its grandeur and significance to the faith and devotion of the Filipino people, the people of Cebu in particular. 

The Sinulog is celebrated in reverence and homage to the Holy Child, Señor Santo Niño. Señor Santo Niño is truly a miraculous Child. 

Healing testimonies of those who have been healed by the Holy Child are testament to the Holy Child’s divine power. In this post we will try to know why do we celebrate the feast of the miraculous child? History

Sinulog Street Dancing 

When Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and his troops landed in the island of Sugbu (former name of Cebu) on 28 Apr 1565, they burned down the whole settlement they found there to drive all residents out of the land. The statue of the Santo Niño was discovered among the ruins by Juan de Camus, one of Legazpi's sailors. 

 

Since his discovery, the locals would take the image of the Holy Child during their religious activities such as the religious processions within the community. The Sinulog celebrations began in the island of Cebu, Philippines in the early 80’s. 

This beautiful, culturally rich island is considered as the “Cradle of Christianity” in Asia having been the first place in the country where the first Christian baptism took place. First Christian Baptism

Religious Image

Five hundred years ago, on April 14, 1521, Cebu chieftain Rajah Humabon, and his wife, Hara Humamay, were baptized together with 800 others by Spanish missionary Father Pedro Valderrama, the chaplain of the expedition led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. 

According to Italian scholar and expedition member Antonio Pigafetta’s accounts, Chief Humabon and Queen Humanay received the Christian names Carlos and Juana respectively. https://catholicnews.sg

Religious Image

In its first few years of celebrations, the Sinulog then had already attracted thousands of devotees, revelers and ordinary spectators. 

Its unique dance choreography of two steps forward and one step backward has become the main attraction to thousands of devotees and revelers from around the world. 

The first Sinulog was just street dancing showcasing the Cebuanos’ dancing talent. Organizers of the Sinulog then invited dancers from various academic institutions within the city to perform street dancing on the city’s major roads. 

Fast forward today, the organizers then never expected that the Sinulog would become this huge. After four decades of existence, what was once a street dance showdown has transformed into a global attraction. 

Today, millions of local and foreign devotees and revelers have participated in the celebrations of the Sinulog. Beyond its unique choreography

The significance of the Sinulog to the Filipino Catholics is beyond street dancing. It is a manifestation of the strong faith and devotion of the Filipino Catholics to the Senor Sto. Nino. 

Undeniably, Filipinos are religious people. They pay homage and respect to any celebration or things associated with their faith and one of which is the Sinulog celebration honoring the miraculous child Señor Santo Niño. 

Manifestation of faith Filipinos manifest their devotion to Sto Nino in different ways such as dancing, singing and praying. In fact, as part of pre-Sinulog celebration festivities, a nine-day Novena Mass leading up to the feast day is offered. 

Fluvial and foot processions in which hundreds of thousands of devotees and parishioners with the image of the holy child are also conducted. This series of church masses have been held at the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Nino Church where the image of the Holy Child is housed. 

Today’s Sinulog 

The Sinulog is celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January. In terms of crowd participation and grandeur, at present, no Philippine religious festival could rival the Sinulog festival. 

Anyway, it is not considered as the country’s mother festival for nothing. Today’s Sinulog celebrations are far different than they were decades ago in terms of crowd participation. 

During its celebrations, the Sinulog managed only to attract a few thousand devotees and revelers. After four (4) decades of celebrations, it has become a global attraction. 

Every year, thousands of foreign nationals participate in the celebrations either as devotees or revelers.

READ: https://epa.culturalcenter.gov.ph 

 

Author: Samuel Astacaan Escabarte, a Filipino licensed English Language and Literature teacher whose hobbies are writing, singing, and domestic traveling. Please follow me as I share with you my country’s rich, diverse culture.