© 2015 Lindsay Cope

Ati-Atihan Festival

The Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan is one of the Philippines’ famed events.  The festival celebrates Santo Nino (infant Jesus).  The name of the fiesta, Ati-Atihan, refers to the indigenous people of the Philippines, the Atis.  The simultaneous celebration of indigenous people and catholicism requires some historical contextualizing.

The festival origins begin with the arrival of Malay datus escaping a tyrannical ruler in Borneo.  The settlers exchanged goods with the indigenous Atis for land.  The exchange was celebrated with a  festive feast with song and dance at which the Malay settlers smeared soot from the cook fires onto their skin to appear more like the Atis.
DSCN1634 DSCN1689 DSCN1688 DSCN1683 DSCN1646 DSCN1636 DSCN1635The Philippines has many festivals, and many emulate the original Ati-Atihan.  Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated every January in Kalibo.  Men, women, and children parade through the city streets drumming and dancing covered in black coal or ash.  As with any Filipino celebration, there is plenty of food and drink.  And if you are passing through the crowds without face paint of charcoal, you will receive a complimentary stripe from a passer by.  You can expect another festival attendee to rub a finger over their own blackened skin and transfer some of the ash to yours.

In Kalibo, the drumming groups, representing different barangays, circled the city plaza with fierce drumming and twinkling xylophones, usually to the tune of a top 40s hit.  In Kalibo, festival attendees are welcome to join the “sad-sad” (dance session around the plaza).  We spent the better part of the day dancing around the plaza to the beat of the drums.

Ati-Atihan is a pretty wild festival, with people dressed in costume both traditional for the festival and simply bizarre.  There was copious drinking and many people were vigorously tagaying (tagay is the drinking custom of the Philippines in which a group will drink together, sharing one glass and passing it around) in the mass of music and dance.

 

16 Comments

  1. heart
    Posted August 6, 2020 at 8:12 pm | #

    Everybody knows You and I are suicidal stolen art (oh yeah) Pretty moments sews Stitches into all your bitches broken hearts. skribbl io

  2. beanter8
    Posted August 6, 2020 at 8:11 pm | #

    You can lie but I know that you’re not fine (oh yeah) Every time you talk You talk ’bout me but you swear I’m not on your mind You can pretend you don’t miss me (me) You can pretend you don’t care. tetris

  3. Martin Willliam
    Posted October 29, 2019 at 6:06 am | #

    I am a Senior Web Designer & web designer in dubai. I work with creative agencies in UAE to manage and assist in their projects.

  4. Martin William
    Posted October 29, 2019 at 6:01 am | #

    I am a Senior Web developer & web designer in dubai. I work with creative agencies in UAE to manage and assist in their projects.

  5. Vastu Products
    Posted October 29, 2019 at 3:44 am | #

    Hey, very nice post we have seen on this page. we provide all products related to home accessories.
    https://devotionalkart.com/product-category/vastu-products/

  6. zoter
    Posted October 12, 2019 at 1:02 pm | #

    If your selected online English tutor provides you trial lesson, you can easily express your needs and goals. Different Food in English Vocabulary You may also notice whether the organization or institute is better for you or not. So, don’t miss taking a trial class before joining an English tuition.

  7. Electrician near me
    Posted September 11, 2019 at 4:06 am | #

    It’s new that the settlers exchanged goods with the indigenous Atis for land. Electrician near me

  8. James Bondela
    Posted September 9, 2019 at 4:18 am | #

    These are really astonishing carnival images. Bdw if anyone is looking for best ppc services in Australia visit PPC Services Australia.

  9. Katedaisy
    Posted July 8, 2019 at 3:20 am | #

    Genuinely loved this kind of post. Although I want much more information on like precious subject matter. wuxiaworld

  10. Avneesh panwar
    Posted February 28, 2019 at 1:06 am | #

    nice post.

  11. jacke
    Posted February 28, 2019 at 12:59 am | #

    thanks for this post.

  12. daniel lee
    Posted February 8, 2019 at 4:24 am | #

    ive a complimentary stripe from a passer by. You can expect another festival attendee to rub a finger

  13. Laurel Kase
    Posted February 8, 2019 at 3:17 am | #

    I have been to the real Ati-Atihan in Aklan which is not far off from Kalibo In Ibajay. Bunches of fun, loads of sights, fantastic. On the off chance that you are arranging in 2007, you would do well to get going. Except if you are from that point, lodging could wind up troublesome for either festivity. The one in Ibajay pursues the one in Kalibo. online essay help service.

  14. Antonia Cummins
    Posted January 7, 2019 at 6:04 am | #

    The Thames had huge amounts easily harvested, however after a breakout of food poisoning and a few important deaths it was discovered the sewage waste going into the river was making them Essay 24.

  15. Antonia Cummins
    Posted January 7, 2019 at 6:03 am | #

    The Thames had huge amounts easily harvested, however after a breakout of food poisoning and a few important deaths it was discovered the sewage waste going into the river was making them quality custom essays. After that oysters where only harvested from further afield, driving the price up and thus making them posh

  16. Hard Work
    Posted December 15, 2018 at 12:59 am | #

    After a long hunt here you will be able to find out all those ways to get help windows 10 upgrade as it includes all advantageous information by which your work will be all easier as here you will have all useful information.

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

*
*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Sites DOT MIISThe Middlebury Institute site network.