Dinagyang 2009… Viva Señor Santo Niño!!!

Dinagyang Festival 2009

The Dinagyang is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on the fourth Sunday of January. It is held both to honor the Santo Niño and to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis.

The Dinagyang is divided into three Major events: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang.

Today, the main part of the festival consists of a number of “tribes”, called “tribus”, who are supposed to be Ati tribe members dancing in celebration. There are a number of requirements, including that the performers must paint their skin brown and that only indigenous materials can be used for the costumes. All dances are performed to drum music. Many tribes are organized by the local high schools. Some tribes receive a subsidiary from the organizers and recruit private sponsors, with the best tribes receiving the most. The current Ati population of Iloilo is not involved with any of the tribes nor are they involved in the festival in any other way.
Dinagyang was voted as the best Tourism Event for 2006,2007 and 2008 by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines.

Source: wikipedia.org
Photo Credits to: http://www.pinoytravelblog.com/travel-destinations/iloilo/438/hala-bira-iloilo-dinagyang-festival-na
And
http://johnross07.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/ivatan-from-batanes-joins-dinagyang/