Sinulog Festival dance

HISTORY OF SINULOG

Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Sto. Nino. The dance moves two steps forward and one step backward to the sound of the drums. This resembles the current (Sulog) of what was then known as Cebu’s Pahina River. Thus, in Cebuano, they say it’s Sinulog.

Historical accounts say that before Portuguese navigator came to Cebu on April 7, 1521 to plant the cross on its shore and claim the country for the King of Spain, Sinulog was already danced by the natives in honor of their wooden idols and anitos. Then Magellan came and introduced Christianity. He gave the Sto. Nino (image of the Child Jesus) as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Cubu’s Rajah Humabon who was later named Queen Juana. At that time, not only the rulers were baptized but also about 800 of their subjects. Unfortunately however, shortly after the conversation, Magellan went into reckless adventure by fighting the reigning ruler of Mactan, Rajah Lapu-lapu, with only a handful of men. He died in the encounter. That was last April 27, 1521.

During the 44 years between the coming of Magellan and Legaspi, the natives continued to dance the Sinulog. These time, however, they danced it no longer to worship their native idols but a sign of reverence to the Sto. Nino, which is now enshrined the San Agustin Church (renamed Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino).

Through the years since 1521, the dance was a small ritual danced by a few in front of wooden idols or before the Sto. Nino. In fact, at the Sto. Nino Church where the image is consecrated, only the candle vendors could be seen dancing the Sinulog and making offerings. During the Sto. Nino fiesta which falls on the third Sunday of January, children dressed in moro-moro costumes also dance the Sinulog. This was really no big event for Cebu City. Sinulog '81 was then organized. Practically all sectors in the Cebuano community got involved. To distinguish the festival from the popular Ati-atihan Festival in Aklan, the organizers decided to use the parade to depict the history of the Sinulog which, as had been said, is the dance which links the country’s pagan past and Christian present. Seven floats were created to depict seven different periods of history. Each floats were followed by dancers wearing costumes depicting the periods. They all danced the same beat the Sinulog parade started at 1:00 p.m. at the Cebu Pedro-Plaza Independencia area. And the show continued until the wee hours of the morning.

This made Sinulog the country’s biggest spectacle!