Sinulog is the festival of the Philippines

Thailand has many 'festivities' such as Songkran, Loy Krathong, the flower festival of Chiangmai and the elephant parade in Surin, not to mention the many Buddha days. For the Philippines, Sinulog is the ultimate party of the year.

Bangkok is the hub for anyone who wants to travel a little further than Thailand or who wants to undertake a combination trip. The possibilities are almost limitless. Laos, Cambodia, China, Vietnam and Malaysia are just around the corner. Indonesia and the Philippines can be reached within a few flying hours and low-cost flights are more than sufficiently available.

Rest seeker

This time, after two exciting but extremely tiring days in Bangkok and just as many days in Manila, I choose to find peace on the island of Mactan near the large Philippine city of Cebu. With almost a million inhabitants, it is also called the queen of the south. While preparing for my trip, my eye fell on the Cordova Reef Village Resort, which pretends to be an oasis of tranquility. Take a few extra books with you on your trip. And admittedly the resort is beautiful and if you are looking for peace and quiet a perfect destination. However, there is a hitch in the proverbial cable because, so I hear, the annual Sinulog festival will take place in Cebu this weekend and according to experts I should not miss it under any circumstances.

The Sinulog story

Traditionally, “Sinulog” is a prayer dance performed by the early Cebuanos, the first inhabitants of ancient Sugbu, the former name of the city of Cebu. The first inhabitants of Sugbu were pagans who worshiped the gods, who were believed to live in the rock formations, in large trees and in the rivers. In those places, part of the harvest and the best part of the slaughter were offered.

The Pahina River that runs to the southern plain of Cebu was considered the abode of supernatural powers, so that's where the first inhabitants of Cebu deposited their offerings. To appease the Gods, the Cebuanos performed dances expressing the movement and flow of the river. The flow of water is called “sulog” in Cebuano parlance and its derivation “sinulog.” Thus the prayer dance came to be known by this name.

Due to the Spanish rule, the inhabitants were converted to Christianity in the 16th century, but the implementation of “sinulog” remained. Many may remember the Portuguese navigator Magellan from the history books, who sailed many seas in the service of the Spanish king Charles I. In 1521, Cebu called for help against its archenemy, the nearby island of Mactan. However, the help offered was fatal to Magellan because a poisonous arrow shot at him ended his life.

At the time, the dances were performed in the courtyard of the new Christian church of Saint Augustine, today the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino. The Sinulog dance has become one of the most important parts of the largest festival in the Philippines, which is celebrated annually on the third weekend of January. The basilica with a large open-air courtyard is still the center of the festivities.
No less than two million visitors shared in the joy of dance and many market stalls provided the inner man.

Grandfather of 12 children

Back at the resort I walk through the small town of Cordova and take a picture of a number of children who are having fun by a bicycle with a container attached to it for transporting two people. The means of transport on this island. Show them the result on the screen and the enthusiasm knows no bounds. A hi-five with all the grut that has now grown to twelve. A few seconds later the children come to me one by one, shake hands and press my outstretched hand against their foreheads. I get to hear the meaning from one of the bystanders. The children regard me as their grandfather. When I buy them some sweets at a stall after that happy tidings, the party is complete.

Quickly find my luxurious abode and realize all too well that I am a privileged person.