FESTIVAL

Festivals in the Philippines

Definition of Festival

• A day or period of celebration, typically a religious commemoration.

• Important for expressing heritage, culture, and traditions.

• Festivals help to connect people with families and backgrounds, adding structure to social lives.

Historical Background

• Fiestas introduced to Filipinos by Spaniards in the mid-1500s.

• Celebration of special moments and emotions with loved ones.

Characteristics of Festivals

• Often include parades and dance performances held outdoors for public enjoyment.

• Festival dances performed in the streets to praise patron saints.

• Festival Dance: A specialized form of dance that is an organized community event.

Notable Festivals

Sinulog Festival

• Also known as Santo Niño Festival; an annual religious and cultural event in Cebu.

• Considered one of the most well-known festivals in the Philippines.

• Etymology: Sinulog means "like water current movement" in Cebuano, describing the dance’s forward-backward motions.

• Basic Dance Steps of Sinulog:

  • Step forward, 1 step backward.

  • Step, close, step, close.

  • Step, close, step, turn.

• Origin of Dance Steps: Believed to originate from Baladhay, adviser to Rajah Humabon, who danced after recovering from illness.

Panagbenga Festival

• A month-long flower festival celebrated annually in Baguio.

• Name derived from Malayo-Polynesian, meaning "Season of Blossoming."

• Established in 1996, featuring a float parade with flower-covered floats.

• Street dance performance includes dancers wearing colorful flower costumes inspired by traditional Ibaloi celebrations.

• Basic Steps of Panagbenga Dance:

  • Walking.

  • Turning.

  • Hopping.

  • Marching steps.

• Popular tourist time in February, bridging the inactivity after the Christmas season and before the busy Holy Week and summer season.