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The festival features some the country’s most colorful displays of ceremony and even pageantry.Participants shine in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native tune of every beat of different instrument. The streets are usually lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a Sinulog sa Kabataan, which is performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the Grand Parade.
The Sinulog celebration lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. The day before the parade, the Fluvial Procession is held at dawn with a statue of the Santo Niño carried on a pump boat from Mandaue to Cebu City, decked with hundreds of flowers and candles. The procession ends at the Basilica where a re-enactment of the Christianizing of Cebu is performed. In the afternoon, a more solemn procession takes place along the major streets of the city, which last for hours due to large crowd participating in the event.
This is an event that people are badly waiting to come every year.Savoring the atmosphere it gives and the joy it brings to them despite of all the push-pull way they encounter during the day, setting aside the weather,the quoted quotes of "rain or shine".What matters most to them,us or even me,is to sacrifice a little thing compared to what we believed the sacred child had given for us..
SINULOG HISTORY
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Sinulog' comes from the Cebuano adverb sulky which is "like water current movement," which proficiently describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. Traditionally, the dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of the drums. The dance is classified into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation, and recently a Latin Category, which most people have argued that it had nothing to do with Sinulog tradition. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language.
Historians have renowned that before the first Spaniards came to Cebu, the Sinulog was already danced by the natives in respect of their wooden god called anitos. Then, on April 7, 1521, the Portuguese navigator, Fernando de Magallanes arrived and planted the cross on the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory in the name of the King of Spain. He then offered the image of the child Jesus, the Santo Niño, as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Cebu's Rajah Humanism. Hara Amihan was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, Carlos I's mother. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also baptized to the Christian faith.
This event is often used as foundation for most Sinulog dances, which presents the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to the Queen. A famous theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often worried by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirit.
Historians have renowned that before the first Spaniards came to Cebu, the Sinulog was already danced by the natives in respect of their wooden god called anitos. Then, on April 7, 1521, the Portuguese navigator, Fernando de Magallanes arrived and planted the cross on the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory in the name of the King of Spain. He then offered the image of the child Jesus, the Santo Niño, as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Cebu's Rajah Humanism. Hara Amihan was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, Carlos I's mother. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also baptized to the Christian faith.
This event is often used as foundation for most Sinulog dances, which presents the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to the Queen. A famous theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often worried by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirit.
Cradle Of Christianity
Before the arrival of Spaniards the province of Cebu was known as Zubu was an island inhabited by pagans, and Islamic people who traded with other Asian civilization.
Though the patron saint of Cebu is the Our Lady of Guadalupe, most of the natives honour Santo Nino de Cebu, the Holy Child Jesus as their patron saint. Historical accounts reveal that the wooden Santo Nino was a bequest by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan after his arrival in the Philippine soil on 16 March 1521under the flagship of Spain to the wife of Rajah Humabon, Cebu’s chieftain. The image of Santo Niño became the emblem of friendship, taking, and conversion to Christianity of the natives. For three hundred years, the Philippines was colonised by the Spaniards—and Roman Catholic was a major religion.
The wooden Santo Niño regarded by the Cebuanos as representation of their affection was kept and housed in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño and San Nicholas de Tolentino church. A colourful and overgenerous yearly festivity was conceptualised by the Cebuanos called “Sinulog” become a climactic symbol of their undying devotion to the Santo Nino every third Sunday of January.
“Sinulog” plainly means “graceful dance” accompanied by drumbeats and a glum holy mass become a crowd-drawing international cultural festival of Cebu. Cebu has a Roman Catholic Archdiocese, and has numerous historical churches, including the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the San Carlos Church, the Santo Rosario Parish Church, San José-Recoletos Church, and Sacred Heart Church as well as several other non-Catholic churches, mosques, and temples.
And one of the most remarkable religious landmark of the province aside from the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino is the Magellan’s Cross. It is a wooden tindalo cross said to be the same structure that Ferdinand Magellan planted in the seashore upon his arrival in the Philippines soil in 1521. The antique cross housed in an artistically made shrine became a witness to the rise and blazing progress of Cebu as the civilizing heart of the Philippines.
FLUVIAL PARADE
Fluvial parade? What is it? Fluvial means found in water or stream while parade means an organized procession of people celebrating a special occasion and often includes decorated vehicles or floats. To sum it all, fluvial parade is a procession of people celebrating a special occasion riding or aboard in boats or ships.
It has been a tradition to have the image of the Child Jesus visit His parents before His grand day. The icon will be leaving His home in the Basilica del Sto. Niño which is in the heart of Cebu City and will be paraded to His foster father in the St. Joseph Parish in Mandaue City, another city next to His domicile. A great number of dynamic and lively devotees will be following the Infant, as He make His way, once a year, to His father Joseph. The Niño stays with His father for a day and a night, while believers from nearby cities and municipalities can join with Jesus’ celebration and have a vigil in the parish.
After an overnight stay with His father, He will be voyaging His way to His mother in a nearby island in Lapu-Lapu. The ceremonies in Cebu begin with this early morning fluvial procession, reenacting the coming of the Spaniards.
The Holy Child Jesus is usually kept in a glass case bedecked with blossoming flowers, which will be carried by a “galleon” towards His destination. The sound of drums beating and trumpets roaring in the wee hours of the morning would not affect the solemnity of the ritual. Fireworks, ship’s bullhorns, sirens and yells from the Sto. Nino devotees can add vibrance to the decorated motorboats sailing under a brilliant sun. Air Force helicopters from Mactan Air Base and other private planes will be hovering above and showering petals in the flotilla, which include motorized bancas, passenger boats, yachts, barges and fastcrafts.
SINULOG TRADE FAIR
In celebration of the Sinulog fiesta, several programs and activities are lined up by the Cebu City Government and the Sinulog Foundation. Apart from the main spectacle which is the Sinulog grand parade, various trade fairs and product displays are organized to add vitality and vibrance to the festivity.
One of these highlights is the Sinulog Tourism and Trade Fair. It aims to further promote the unique products created by Filipinos. Since Cebu is the import and export hub of the country, It will be participated in by micro, small, and medium enterprises from different sectors such as accessories; gifts, toys. and house wares ; home furnishings; food. The Sinulog Trade Fair will showcase Cebu’s best quality and reasonably-priced products. It will also be featuring the finest products of the different municipalities all over Cebu Province
In coming out with trade fairs such as these, Cebu will not only be known as world-class tourist destination but also a haven of uniquely designed and top of the line products. Tourist, balikbayans, and other regional visitors will witness and be amazed with all the globally competitive products.
As of today, Cebu has been exporting goods internationally such as furniture, garments and coconut oil. Cebu has also topped the fashion industry with internationally acclaimed designers and interior designers who have created beautiful home improvement equipments. Furniture is one of the best product of filipino's creative mind and industry. .Truly, even the goods alone are enough reason for tourist and travelers to visit Cebu.
FEEL THE BEAUTY OF EVERY RHYTHM OF SINULOG!!!!!!!!
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