The Ati-Atihan
Festival is a feast held
annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), concluding on the
third Sunday, in the island and town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines.
The name "Ati-Atihan" means "to be like itas" or "make
believe Ati's". Itas were the primary settlers in the islands according to
history books. They too are the earliest settlers of Panay Island where the
province of Aklan is situated.
The festival consists of tribal dance,
music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and parade along the
street. Christians, and non-Christians observe this day with religious
processions. It has inspired many other Philippine Festivals including the Sinulog
Festival of Cebu and Dinagyang of Iloilo City,
both adaptations of the Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival, and legally holds the title
"Mother of All Philippine Festivals" despite of the other two said
festivals' claims of the same title.
At 13th century (c.1200 A.D.)
event explains the origins of the festival. A group of 10 Malay chieftains called Datus, fleeing from
the island of Borneo settled in the Philippines,
and were granted settlement by the Ati people,
the tribes of Panay Island. Datu Puti, Makatunaw's chief
minister made a trade with the natives and bought the plains for a golden
salakot, brass basins and bales of cloth. They have a very long necklace to the
wife of the Ati cheiftan. Feasting and festivities followed soon after.
Some time later, the Ati people
were struggling with famine as the result of a bad harvest. They were forced to
descend from their mountain village into the settlement below, to seek the
generosity of the people who now lived there. The Datus obliged
and gave them food. In return, the Ati danced and sang for them, grateful for
the gifts they had been given.
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