Let's Dance!
It's the feast of the Child Jesus!
For most of you guys, the celebration does not go beyond the usual mass, perhaps a short program and some shared meal.In the Philippines particularly in Cebu however, they do this:
copyright by bukidnononline.com
colorful street dances and a lady or a queen dancing with an image of the child Jesus or, as we fondly call him, Santo Nino.
The truth is that, its quite exciting to watch the celebration and most of the people or tourist for that matter only think that its just another "festival" with no cultural significance.
Legend has it that Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer under the command of Queen Isabella of Spain in search for spices arrived in the Philippines.Their original destination was supposed to be in the Spice Islands of Molucca or Moluccas (depending on who you ask!)but instead they ended up in Limasawa, an island near Cebu and claimed the islands in the name of the Spanish crown. They erected the first cross and then, went on in their journey after completing the blood pact or sandugo(more on that later folks!)
Magellan arrived in the island of Cebu and he met Rajah Humabon. Isn't it amazing that he seems to be able to communicate with them perfectly?Well, he acquired a slave named Enrique of Malacca who acted as translator and legend has it has Filipino and Malayan blood.
Rajah Humabon's statue in Rajah Humabon Park
copyright by eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com
Anyway, legend has it that the Rajah and his consort, Hara Humamay converted to Catholicism and was given the name Carlos and his wife, Juana. Rajah Humabon is the grandson of Sri Lumanay from Sumatra and, basically, every ruler including the rajah in Limasawa was his relation. After their baptism, Hara Humanay or Juana was given the image of the child Jesus. Some accounts claim that the couple cannot have child so they opted to convert in the hopes of conceiving one. Anyway, after receiving the image, she danced the "first Sinulog" as we see it today.
The steps in the dance was already danced in the islands in those days in honor of their pagan gods. So I quoted "first Sinulog" because, its how we see it today. People dancing with a woman holding the image of the child Jesus.
After that, Magellan had the unfortunate fate of dying in Mactan, an island near Cebu in the hands of Lapu-lapu, a local chieftain. Thus, his followers fled back to Spain. There are many versions in the story why did Magellan attacked Mactan- the first popular one was that, Humabon asked him to because Lapu-lapu was his bitter enemy. Another version was that Lapu-lapu refused to be converted to Christianity. I'll leave that to you folks because it will not change the fact that in the end, Magellan died!
Lapu-lapu's statue in Cebu
Enrique of Malacca remained behind and, he was never heard again.
Enrique of Malacca- copyright by en.wikipedia.org
It was not until 40 years later when Ruy Lopez de Villalobos that the country did finally became fully a Christian nation. In one of their raids, one of his follower discovered a box containing the image of the Child Jesus along with all the wooden idols in one of the houses in Cebu.
Are you guys curious on how this much talked about image looks like?
copyright by en.wikipedia.org
Of course, the clothes and accessories were recently added. But this was the original image kept inside a bullet proof glass in Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino in Cebu.
I have never been to Cebu guys and, I have never personally witnessed the Sinulug festival - a part from watching on tv live. But looking at this picture, I am simply speechless. I can just marvel that this tiny image (12 inches tall) was one of the oldest known Christian relics in my country and is key to the conversion of our predecessors.
Today, most of the people who participated in the festival (dance)do so out of their devotion to the child Jesus or as an act of thanksgiving or a form of petition. So get your dancing shoes and let's all dance!
copyright by Roland Batulan
Just a little fun fact, there is only one official music played in the whole festival- this is the one and, the dance steps were basically the same.
Another fun fact, the candle vendors in the Basilica Minore Shrine of Sto Nino dance in the feast day as a form of prayer and devotion for their personal intentions and those of their patrons.
the link that features a live stream of Sinulug festival 2019
copyright by SunStar Philippines
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I liked reading the story/legend.
They already had bullet proofed glass at that time?
So actually the picture was standing for the hope of getting pregnant.
It is better to dance and celebrate as to cry and grief
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Actually, it was only now (I think in the last 50 years) that they placed the image in a bullet proofed glass. The image was not just a standing hope for getting pregnant (that was the request of Queen Juana) but, it depends on whatever petitions you wanted to ask. Though I used the term "image," it was actually a statue of the child Jesus. around 12 inches. We Filipino Catholics used the term image when we refer to our religious statues. I am so glad that you love reading the legend part as today, it gets side lined.
Thanks for taking the time to answer and explain a bit more
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No worries. I am sure that you'd do the same if you're on my shoes.
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Good post thanks for sharing.
no worries stever82