BOOprints: Travel and Life: Hala Bira ILOILO: Dinagyang Festival

Dinagyang is a celebration and thanksgiving for Sr. Sto Nino, similar to Sinulog of Cebu and Ati-Atihan of Aklan. Held on January, this is an activity-filled month for both the locals and tourists. Highlighted events include the Fluvial Procession, Kasadyahan, and the Ati-Atihan Contest - all of which are held on the fourth week of the month.

Some bits about Dinagyang

The Fluvial procession, held on a Friday, involves devotees carrying images of the Sto Nino on motorized boats. They travel from the mouth of the river towards the pier area where the parade starts, and then back to the church.

The Kasadyahan, held on Saturday, is a cultural parade featuring folk choreography which is both theatrical and extremely lively.

The Ati-atihan contest, held on Sunday, is a widely-known and anticipated event. This year thirteen tribes performed, dancing to the beat of their drums in unique and colorful costumes. Each group follows a parade route, with four pit stops serving as judging areas for their presentations and pre-determined street dance areas between each stop.

Food festivals and concerts are held during the evenings, to let loose with good food, company, and booze.

We were there.

Having been in Guimaras on Friday, we unfortunately missed the Fluvial procession. Cameras on-hand, we were ready for the next two days - Kasadyahan and Ati-atihan contest. Unable to purchase tickets for these events, we settled along J.M Basa corner Aldeguer Street which is one of the areas for the Street dance.

Dancing to similar tunes during the street dance, what makes this event stand out is the opportunity to witness their interpretations of the song or beat of the drums. Each group had a unique way of portraying their culture and history through dance and colorful indigenous costumes.

All the costumes were so vibrant! Definitely a feast for the eyes... not to mention the camera lens.

Despite the scorching heat of the sun, it was worth the sunburnt skin to witness their tenacity and smiles as they danced along the streets of downtown Iloilo.

By night time, we were off to Delgado St for the food festival. Century 21 was our home for the duration of our stay. We were extremely pleased with its location since all the places we wanted to go to was just a few minutes away by walking. This was extremely convenient since a lot of roads were closed to make way for the parade.

The People.

Dinagyang may be the festival that pulls tourists to visit Iloilo, but I have reason to believe that it's the people who will make them want to come back.

Ilonggos are known for their "malambing" (soft spoken melodious) accent. From the few days of being there, we were met with so much hospitality and kindness.

During the Kasadiyahan event, my camera had malfunctioned, thus I was unable to take photos of the parade. Wanting to have it working in time for the Ati-atihan contest the next day, we went to Camerahaus in SM Iloilo where we met Kuya Jet. He immediately knew what was wrong and said it would need parts replacement. Unfortunately, this meant it will be available the next day since it was 6:00pm already. Upon explaining that we were hoping to get it working in time for the contest the next day at 8:00am, he actually went the extra mile by bringing the camera to the hotel in the middle of the night soon after it was repaired. Hence, the photos in this blog. Thank you so much Kuya Jet!

At the food festival, on our first night, we opted to order from a food stand called Monterey which was located a bit far back from the stage (we did not want to squeeze in with the crowded area up front). Their Chicken Inasal was fantastic, and this was where we met Marei Mae Casilao, who was part of the crew. She had a good sense of humor and made sure everything was taken care of at our table. With the good food and service even better, we decided to eat there again the next night.

This was when we got to into talking to Kuya Butch Ramos. We actually ran into each other the first night at a convenience store where he recognized us and invited us to try gelato the next night at the Fiorgelato stand right by Monterey, which turns out is owned by his relative. We were enticed by the thought of gelato and were not disappointed. I personally enjoyed the Chocolate flavor. Yum!

We were pleased to get to know Kuya Butch and Mae. They were extremely kind, genuine, accommodating, and have a way of letting you feel welcome to the place. On our last night for dinner, we went back to the place and they welcomed us like family, with warm smiles on their faces. We even exchanged contact information to keep in touch. Such lovely people.

Tips

After four days in Iloilo, here are a few things learned which hopefully you find helpful when planning your trip to watch Dinagyang:

1) Book early! We booked our hotel November 2011, and we almost ran out of rooms.

2) Wear sunscreen. Bring a hat. Stay Hydrated. It can get really hot.

3) If you have the budget, buy tickets. This year, one ticket was good for both the Saturday and Sunday events. The show should be worth it.

No budget? no worries, do as we did and check out the street dances. The performance may not be as grand as at the judging areas, but it's still an interesting show. Plus, you get to take photos with the dancers up close.

4) Into photography? They hold a photo contest where you can register and get an access pass to all or one of the judging stations. You should be able to get really good shots.

5) Check for information and updates on the event by visiting the official Dinagyang website.

Heat.

For the duration of the event, the sun was unwavering. As troublesome as it may be, it was interesting to see the various ways that the crowd dealt with it - kids and adults alike. Here's a look at some of them to cap this blog post off.