Just like each and every year I was so excited about the Sinulog, an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. The festival honors the child Jesus, known as the Santo Niño (Holy Child), He used to be the patron Saint of the City of Cebu, “used to be” because Jesus is not a saint but God in Catholic faith. Sinulog, which came from Cebuano word “sulog”, means “water current movement” is a Dance Ritual that commemorates the Cebuano’s Islamic and pagan origin, and their acceptance to Roman Catholism. The Sinulog as a dance describes the forward-backward movement just like the movement of flowing water.
One if not the most anticipated festival in the country, Sinulog celebration last for 9 days, culminating the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. This 9 day long festivity brings lots for opportunities for Photo enthusiast to hone their skills in capturing moments. From shooting the opening novena mass, to the Fluvial Procession held at dawn with the Holy Child carried on a boat decked with flowers and candles and is followed by hundreds of boats while sailing from Mandaue City to Cebu City, and to the Grand Parade where hundreds of dancers in colorful costumes perform on street.
For the 2nd year I was able to participate in most of the activities but missed some major events such as the Fluvial Procession and the re-enactment of the Christianization due to bad weather. Yeah it was all raining during the final days of the festival. It has been observed a lot of times that a threat of bad weather strikes the festivity but will eventually calm down at a certain point, just like this year 2010.
This was taken last year’s Fluvial Procession, I would have love to shoot something like this again but on a different perspective if not for the not so good weather.
Lots of drama can be captured during the rain but I could not afford losing my camera so I decided not to risk it. But my urge to document this once in a year event prevails and so on each of the days during the Sinulog week where I was free and the weather was with me, I manage to capture some of the highlights that I saw on my viewfinder.
My shooting(with camera) spree started when I bought my Sinulog Photocontest ID, the purpose was so I can have easy access on different Sinulog venues, the contest was a second priority, and then I invited some of my photo buddies to do some street photography prior to the Sinulog sa Kabataan-Lalawigan held on the second Saturday of January. The reason was to be prepared for the main event… the Mardi Gras which happened a week later. The itinerary was to shoot the streets of Carbon Market to Colon in the morning and proceed to Sinulog sa Kabataan on the afternoon. It was quite a hauling activity that I was the only one who survived shooting the whole day. :)
During the Sinulog sa Kabataan-Lalawigan
On the next day was the Sinulog sa Kabataan-Dakbayan.
Bad weather also baffled another major activity the Sinulog Festival Queen Night, a pageant search for the modern day Queen Juana --they’re the star dancers of each contingent. These beauties are one of the attractions of the festival at least for me *grins*. Unfortunate for me, I was at work and again the weather was not on my side.
I did have an archive from the last year’s pageant (2009).
The next major activity was the Fluvial Procession, which unfortunately again I was not able to attend due to the weather. Luckily the rain calmed down later that day so I attended the solemn procession at the Basilica del Sto. Niño. This might be the solemn part of the festivity but it is not as solemn as you think since thousands of devotees flock at the limited-spaced basilica to praise the Holy Child.
Then came the Grand Mardi Gras, I would have attended the holy Pontifical Mass at dawn but I was too tired to wake up *laughs*. Lots of Photographers flocked the streets where the carousel was. One might think that documenting the event using a camera is that easy, it isn’t, it was a war out there where each photo enthusiast battle(ok not the literal one) just to get a good angle of their subject. The thought of people blocking your way while framing your shot was so tiring and frustrating yet it was really-really fun.
There might be complains of people and photographers alike blocking the dancers from the spectators view but it is what it is and for me that makes it fun, that makes it more challenging. I was satisfied with my shots and would love to do this the next year.
Pit Senyor!
More of my Sinulog coverage on my flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanjah/
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