Sinulog is held in celebration of one of the country’s most famous historic relics: the Santo Niño de Cebú. This was the statue of the baby Jesus that was handed to the Rajah Humabon of Cebu by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.
This was one of the most important events in the religious history of the Philippines as it paved the way for the birth of Christianity in the country.
For 32 years, the Sinulog Festival is a traditional celebration in Cebu City held every third Sunday of January to honor the Santo Niño (Child Jesus). Basically, the festival is done through a dance ritual, which tells the story of the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity. The word “Sinulog” means “graceful dance”, wherein it all started in 1980 with a simple dance that represents the “sulog” (or current) of a river in Cebu.
With the celebration’s evolution, the Sinulog Festival has become a month-long tradition in Cebu. The most-awaited feature, nevertheless, is the Sinulog Grand Parade which was held on the 15th day of January. “One Beat, One Dance, One Vision. Cebu – the City of Culture” was the theme adopted for the 2012 Sinulog Festival.
As the festival becomes more and more famous each year, tourists would never want to miss the opportunity to watch it, and became more and more commercialized. The festival now, not only consists of costumes and dances, but also contests, such as art exhibits, beauty pageants, photo contests, and singing and dancing contests. Participants may also join the festival’s activities, such as concerts, cultural shows, fireworks displays, fun runs, and street fairs. For the past 18 years, it has made the Filipinos residing in New Zealand celebrate their own version each year, proof of how big of an influence the festival is. It has also been recognized as the “City of Culture” by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The 2012 Sinulog festival embraced the perks of technology, as it was broadcasted live on major television and, for all the people in the world to see, it was also streamed online.
With the overwhelming amount of people who wish to witness the traditional celebration and the beauty of the culture it depicts, this grand festival remains Cebu’s proudest attraction, along with the beautiful beaches and historical places.
The magnificence of the festival made Filipinos, as well as our fellow Asians, refer to it as the “Mother of all Festivals”. From the colorful and well-made costumes of the dancers to the beautiful dances and to the music brought by the drums, trumpets, and the native gongs, the Sinulog Festival never ceases to amaze its audience.
Sources: Sinulog.ph, Philippine Daily Inquirer
