#dagyang

The Dinagyang Festival is an elaborate cultural and religious celebration that features dramatic dances by dancers adorned in spectacular body art and colorful costumes, in the decorated streets and venues of Iloilo City.   The festival, which is observed every fourth weekend of the month of January tells the captivating story of a merger between the rich cultural history and deep-rooted Catholic…

January 30, 2011

The Philippines is a country full of festivities! Foreigners from all over the world visit our country to witness these events, so why would we miss every chance to do the same?

One of my former co-teachers (Ate Anel) in the academy where I work lives in Cadiz City, home of the famous Dinagsa festival. She has mentioned to me how fun this festivity is so I made her invite us. hahaha! Plus, my students and other teachers who are very close to her.

It is said that this festival is the most colorful compared to other Ati-Atihan Festivals in the Philippines. People garbed in colorful costumes and bodies covered with different colors of paint dance on the street to the deafening beat of the drums. Another highlight of this festivity is the "Lamhitanay" portion where anybody can smear another with water-based paint.

I was afraid to take my students along with me at first because this experience might be completely new and shocking to them. The heat, sweat and crowded streets may not be very appealing. hahaha! But I am just blessed with really amazing students and friends! I think they enjoyed it.(I hope so.)LOL! WE watched the tribes perform and walked the streets where "Lamhitanay" was already taking place. People in Cadiz went crazy over my students dragging them to them to have their pictures taken. They smeared them with paint like they were also Filipinos. hahaha! But there were also those who were so kind, they asked permission before doing the "Lamhit."

When we reached Ate Anel's place for lunch, our faces were unrecognizable. but boy, it was fun. Lunch time was terrific too! Plenty of food was prepared by Ate Anel's family and my students drooled over Mango Float. hahaha! After lunch, Ate Anel's hubby drove us to a karaoke bar, then we sang a little, had coffee and finally ran the streets to take our revenge!