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SINULOG: A Faithful Event

By EC

SUNRISE, Florida, Jan. 16, 2000 (BPN) - - The Ninth Annual Sinulog Festival, held at the Saint Bernard Catholic Church grounds in Sunrise, Florida, was a success despite being threatened by rain a day before the street dances, parade and festivities.

A tradition of the Filipino faithful in devotion to the Santo Niño of Cebu, the festival celebrates the Santo Niño, patron saint and benefactor in times of need and much worshipped in the predominantly Catholic Philippines. The Santo Niño has been revered in the Philippines for centuries for performing miracles on the island of Cebu. As recorded in authenticated journals of Pigafetta, a clerk in an expedition of Magellan, discoverer of the Philippines for the Spanish throne, an image of the Santo Niño was presented to the Queen of Cebu at her baptism in 1521. Years later, the image was found in a small pine box, preserved in almost perfect condition. The image was then housed in a church built on the exact location it was found. When a bomb fell inside the church during the last world war, the image was found unblemished. This was said to be one of the miracles of the sacred image.

The day’s activities opened with a liturgical procession leading to the Saint Bernard Catholic Church and thereafter a Holy Mass presided by Rev. Fr. Nick Sta. Maria. Gentlemen in their traditional Filipino shirts, the barong tagalog and ladies in their ternos, the traditional Filipina attire were on hand to assist with churchly duties. Highlights of the solemn service included floral and religious offerings by devotees and a choral performance by Dinggin, a well-known Filipino-American singing group, composed of talented men and women of South Florida.

The religious service was followed by a parade participated in by devotees from South Florida and other Florida regions including a delegation from Jacksonville, Northwest Florida. Visitors from other states such as Ohio, Chicago and New York were also seen at the festival celebration.

Organizers from the Santo Niño Sinulog of South Florida, headed by Mrs. Precy Agustin Lim, led hundreds of believers and their visitors in the most colorful and widely participated parade held in this part of Florida.

The parade was a spectacle. Close to over a thousand visitors, participants, onlookers and even passersby

witnessed the kaleidoscopic mass of bodies and floats in the most colorful native adornments and costumes worming slowly across the church streets.

Floral arches held by doting parents and relatives curved over the heads of their children who represented the charm, beauty and strength of the Filipino culture. Though the stretch they negotiated were not as distant as where they came from, they took the time and effort to travel from as far as Duval (Jacksonville) county to participate.

As the cavalcade of angelic images of the Santo Niño slowly progressed along the hot pavement, throngs of men, women and children craned their necks to get a glimpse of the patron saint garbed in traditional sparkling gold, red and white clothing, so brilliant under the bright and sunny sky.

As the succession of Santo Niños faded towards the church hall, loud thuds of feet hitting the ground was heard as the long multicolored column of dancers approached, accompanied by the thundering sounds of the Sinulog drums pounded to the rhythm by the strong arms of its marching drummers charged with chants of "Pit Senyor! Pit Senyor! Viva Santo Niño! Sinulog!"

Amidst the convoy of participants were the well-designed floats. Labors of faith, the floats carried devotees holding the figures of the Santo Niño up high for all to see and give their homage.

It was a very busy afternoon for those who set up tents offering native Filipino food. Some of the favorite delicacies served included adobo, matamis na ginatan, sariwang lumpia, pancit, ensaymada and siopao. "Wala na pong lumpiang sariwa!", announced ‘Manang’ Kathy Rivo to a group of ‘starving’ visitors whose urge for the delicacy had to be suppressed. A festive mood abounded along the tables were food and refreshments were served. However, traditional Filipino jokes such as "puwede bang ilista sa tubig" (I don’t have money now. Remind me to pay you later)" made no marks as it was quickly batted down by "Manang" Kathy Rivo with "hindi puwede! (no!)"

The day-long festivities were highlighted with the Sinulog 2000, a cultural presentation of the history of Christianity, authentic dances from the lower and higher regions of the Philippines. The dance numbers included a few intricate ones like the "Hapatong", performed by Tess Boman, where dressed in a bright red native costume, she initially sits and ultimately stands on two authentic bamboo poles weighed on the shoulders of two male dancers while carrying out deft hand movements.

New this year is the Sinulog Dance for the Millennium which was presented to the hundreds of visitors who arrived for this long awaited event. "All the preparation and hard work we put into this was well worth it," said Jennifer "Airen" Sharma, chairperson of presentations and parade.

The performances were capped by the Grand Sinulog Dance and audience participation. In this dance, the faithful line up in rows and columns waving red handkerchiefs over their heads as they take one step forward and one step backward. A barely audible humming mantra progressed into a fervent reverberating chant, with participants blurting out "Viva Pit Senyor! Viva Pit Senyor! Viva Pit Senyor!" as they ardently leapt and gyrated to the beat of the drums.

The Ninth Annual Fiesta Celebration of the Sinulog was an unprecedented success that even children, teens and adults from far away places participated, danced and learned more about their culture and country in this faithful event.

Organizers of the Sinulog 2000 are dedicated to make the annual Sinulog celebration next year even better and more exciting with more visitors from other places in the country. In addition to the annual festival, the organization makes significant donations to needy seminarians in the Philippines. "The Sinulog is for the people. It is for everyone! I thank all those who helped and participated to make this event possible" said Mrs. Precy Agustin Lim, president of the Santo Niño Sinulog of South Florida, Inc. (BPN)