Ati Atihan Kalibo.

Oct 3
10:25

2016

Brian J White

Brian J White

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The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January honoring the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), concluding on the 3rd Sunday of January, at the island town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines.

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The name “Ati-Atihan” means “to end up like Atis”. They too will be the earliest settlers of Panay Island where in fact the province of Aklan can be found.

The festival contains tribal dancing,Ati Atihan Kalibo. Articles music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and a parade along the road. Christians and non-Christians observe the event with spiritual processions. It has encouraged a great many other Philippine Festivals like the Sinulog Event of Cebu and Dinagyang of Iloilo , both adaptations of the Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan Event. Ati-Atihan legally retains the title of,  “The Mother of Philippine Festivals”.

At 1200 A.D historical information functions to explain the origins of the event. Several Malay chieftains named Datus, fleeing from the island of Borneo settled in the Philippines, and had been granted settlement by the Ati Elders, the tribes ofPanay Island. Datu Puti, Makatunaw’s chief minister built trade relations with the natives and bought the plains for a golden salakot, brass basins and bales of fabric. They gave an extremely valuable  necklace to the wife of the Ati chieftain. Feasting and festivities were enjoyed soon after.

Time goes by, but later, the Ati people were fighting famine as the consequence of an under average harvest. They were pressured to descend from their mountain village in to the settlement below, to pray for the  generosity of the persons who then resided there. The Datus appreciated the situation, and gave them foodstuffs. In exchange, the Ati danced and sang for them, grateful for the gifts that they had been given.

The misoln was at first a pagan festival out of this tribe practicing Animism, and their worshiping their anito god. Spanish missionaries slowly but surely added a Christian Tone to the event, signifying the changing times. Today, the Ati-Atihan can be celebrated as a spiritual festival, where all faiths can be comfortable.

The residents show up at masses for the Santo Niño, and then there are pro dances sponsored by federal government organizations. The formal mass emphasizes the festival’s spiritual event. The procession commences with  rhythmic drumbeats, and dances parading along the road. The second day commences at dawn with a rosary procession, which ends with a network mass, and procession. The expression “Hala Bira! Pwera Pasma!” is at first linked to the Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan Event as the revelers and devotees continue choosing the festivities all around the town from morning hours to the wee time of another morning. Rainfall or sunshine, the event happens for just about a week. They believe the miraculous Baby Jesus will safeguard them from damage and disease. The highlight of the event occurs on the previous day, the 3rd Sunday of January, when organizations representing diverse tribes compete for visitors’ interest and prizes. The event ends with a procession of hundreds of men and women carrying torches and various types of pictures of the Santo Niño. The contest winners will be declared at a masquerade ball which officially ends the event.

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