MNTravelogue-2012 (Part 1)

ATI -ATIHAN 2012 IN KALIBO

By Wilfredo Valenzuela and Cindy Rivera Valenzuela
Photos by Wilfredo Valenzuela, Iou Valenzuela, Danny Valenzuela and Eddie Flores
January 3 – 17, 2012


Our mother was from the province of Aklan on the island of Panay, Philippines. She and other relatives from the province used to tell us that the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, the capital of Aklan, is very special and unique. I did not truly appreciate how awesome the Ati-Atihan celebration is until nine of us members of the family (sister Quiding, her husband Eddie, brother Boy, his wife Teng, brother Danny, his wife Cindy, brother Jun, his wife Iou, and I) participated this year. Our first cousin Anita Victoria (Vicky) Ramos-Antonino hosted our stay in Kalibo. Vicky co-chairs the Aklan Provincial Tourism Council and the Chair of the Department of Tourism for Western Visayas Region VI Tourism Council..



Upon arrival, we attended a dinner-dance Balikbayan celebration.  Vicky made our stay in Aklan extra special with lunch and dinner invitations from prominent residents of the province including Governor Carlito S. Marquez, Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc, Kalibo Mayor William Lachica, Albert Meñez, Chairman of the Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Foundation Inc. (Kasali), Vice-Gubernatorial candidate Selwyn Ibarreta, Gloria Perez, Warren and Carol Sevilla.






Vicky made sure that we got prime spots to view as well as participate in the Ati-Atihan parade and procession.  With the coming of the early Spanish settlers, the originally pagan celebration took on a Catholic theme --- the veneration of the Santo Niño, the child Jesus.  The celebration incorporates street tribal dancing (known as sadsad), music, costumes and fireworks.  The festival culminates in a religious procession on the third Sunday of January.







We immersed ourselves in the festivities during the parade and procession, with the whole town participating in colorful indigenous costumes, painted bodies and faces, shouting “Viva kay Señor Sto. Niño”.  The infectious beating of drums during the procession and parade that started as early as 5:00 in the morning had the thick crowd dancing in the streets.  We had our own custom-made Ati-Atihan tribal costume – a tribal headdress and a T-shirt that proclaimed on its back “Tribo ni Goding Ramos”.  Godofredo Ramos, our mother’s older brother and Vicky’s father, is known as the Father of Aklan.


  While in Congress, Tay Goding authored the republic act which created the province of Aklan.  President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill in 1956.



MN in YouTube-The Sights and Sounds of Ati Atihan 2012:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DS6Ms8vIMA


http://youtu.be/KfW3CzbTbgE

To be Continued

(Part 2 – BICOL Region  and its CARAMOAN ISLANDS

 

 

 

 

 

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