DINAGYANG FESTIVAL

The Dinagyang is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City,

 Philippines held on the fourth Sunday of January, or right after

the Sinulog In Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan. 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.

HISTORY

  
Dinagyang began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez of a local

Roman Catholic parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño

in November 1967. In 1968, a replica of the original image of

the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo by

 Fr. Sulpicio Enderez as a gift to the Parish of San Jose.

The faithful, led by members of Confradia del

Santo Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the

image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport

and parading down the streets of Iloilo.

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. It should be noted that no

actual Ati are involved nor do they benefit in any way from

this event. 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.