Pit Senor!

The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City. It is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The festival honors the child Jesus, known as the Santo Nino (Holy Child), patron of the city of Cebu. It is fundamentally a dance ritual that commemorates the Cebuano people's pagan origin, and their recognition and acceptance of Christianity.

Personally, I was able to experience this festivity in 2007. It was an exciting experience I must say. Though the sun is up and shining brightly and there's a really huge crowd in the streets, you can't help but be amazed with all the colorful costumes and chantings filled with energy.

CREDITS:
FRAME from Learning to Fly Kit by mgl Scraps (Monica Guerra Leiria)
FLOWER TRIM by {Kasia} designs
FONT Buffalo Stance

I was able to experience Sinulog because I took a short vacation in Cebu that year with some friends. Mels, Lala and I stayed with Ms. My's family. This year, from Singapore, Ms. My and family will take another vacation but this time they will stay in Cagayan de Oro. We were invited again to join them but we already checked the plane fare and it is quite high so it's a NO Maybe next time.

Anyway, here are some Wiki Trivia. Did you know that:

~ * ~ The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which is "like water current movement," which describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums.

~ * ~ The Sinulog celebration traditionally lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade.

~ * ~ The festival features a procession, a street parade and dancing competition with participants in bright-colored costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums and native songs, and a fluvial procession. Participants occasionally chants "Pit Senor!" during the celebration.

~ * ~ Though the dance ritual is already being done for ages, the first Sinulog parade was held only in 1980, organized by Dávid Odilao, then Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports, and Youth Development.

Going back to the last trivia, I think Dávid Odilao is the same person that we call "Daddy Dave". If I am not mistaken, he is the nephew of my Mama Nene. I have to double check on this! Nonetheless, reading his name is already making me proud that he is part of the Sinulog history.

As the Cebuano's put it, Pit Senor!!!