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UNDYING RHYTHM Tuning up Dinagyang’s heartbeat
CULTURE
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UNDYING RHYTHM:
Tuning up Dinagyang’s heartbeat
words by: MDPN. ALEXIS CARL B. TABASIN & MDPWN. JANNAH MAE S. PIDOY photo manipulation by: MDPN. FRANCIS C. BALDEMOR photo by: MDPN. RENZE IVAN D. GOMEZ
Rolling casters carrying heavy backdrops are gradually being set at the center of the asphalt road. Along with the blistering heat of the untamed sun, lies the burning desire of performing tribes that are yet to grace the stadium.
Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum.
The echoed cue of the tribe leader’s sticks at the center of the enormous crowd vibrates the spectators’ eardrums—a sign that another tribe is about to perform. The crowd went crazy and applauds as they hear the cue.
The Dinagyang Festival is celebrated annually every 4th week of January. Based on a blog published by Cielo Fernando on May 6, 2021, the celebration started in 1967 when an Augustinian priest from Cebu gave a duplicate image of the Santo Nino as a birthday gift to a fellow Augustinian priest in Iloilo. The Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 6 Director, Atty. Helen Catalbas stated that the festival has reached over 250,000 domestic and international tourists in 2019.
“Makabati ako sang drum, gaaliwasa ko na dayon (Every time I hear the sound of drum beats, I feel the adrenaline rush in my veins),” Xandrix Monares blurted out, recalling his odyssey as a festival costume designer.
Despite being a registered nurse, Xandrix has never worked in the medical field because of his commitment to designing festival costumes. Not until the pandemic, when the festivals were put on hold and there were no opportunities coming, he had no choice but to give up his studio and employees.
The pre-pandemic has given him replete opportunities. The creative blood boiling made him exceed his previous masterpieces. Unfortunately, an unforeseen pandemic came into the picture.
“Kami na ang kaluoy sang pag pandemic kay kami ang nauna apektuhan, kami man ang naulihi recover (We pity ourselves because we were the first affected and last to recover),” he said.
The telltale is he spent his own money to book festival attires until there were holes in his pockets. Although he has an upcoming wedding, his efforts and slow attempts to redeem himself went futile. His costumes became covered with dust after two years of idleness—they turned unprofitable.
With locked and numb hands, he relentlessly amalgamated feathers to repeatedly form heavy ornate headdresses, like he can do it even with his eyes closed. His exhaustion is lucid. However, Xandrix is unbothered. His life revolves with designing and creating costumes; that is who he is. The weight of the headdress he makes is as heavy as his responsibility, equivalent to the hundreds of dancers wearing his creation.
He is grasping at straws. For some, his job only exists during the festival season. It is not a regular job that one can hustle on weekdays. But, when his crafty hands touch the tapestry, hygiene and sleep become a luxury. Food even becomes a seemingly plausible option. Instead, he spends it on beads and fabrics in order to conceive a fitting couture from the realms of his imagination. He may be in the background. But his creations, the product of his sleepless nights and devotion, give more life to the tribe performers and add colors to the festivity of Dinagyang.
Xandrix’s undying devotion to Sto. Niño made him quit his profession and continue his passion for costume designing as the first digital Dinagyang was announced. Using the online platform, the Dinagyang transitioned from streets to screens— still in motion.
The Ilonggo Artists Festival Association (IAFA) is a group that supports local artists all throughout the city. It was built when virtual Dinagyang was declared and the initiatives of creativity and solidarity fostered in supporting co-artists.
“Dako gid ang akon pasalamat sa association nga kung sa diin, nahatagan kasanag kag oportunidad sa amon kapin pa sang tyempo sang pandemic (I’m grateful to the association in which they gave us the spotlight and opportunity, especially in this time of pandemic),” Xandrix said with hopeful eyes.
There is no doubt that Ilonggos’ devotion will stand until the end of our generation. Ash-covered locals danced in the street during the early years of Dinagyang, which was originally a parish festival. It has become customary to join the audience in chanting “Hala Bira!” as joyful dancers, dressed in vibrant costumes, dance to the pulse of the drums.
The Ati Tribe dance competition is the highlight of the month-long Dinagyang Festival. The pagan rituals of the Ati tribe and the spread of Catholicism are symbolized by relics of Sto. Niño in all forms and sizes are two recurring elements of the performances at Dinagyang.
A ray of sunshine slaps the disturbance of the pandemic. Foreseeing the crowd that not even a needle can touch the ground is indeed a remarkable day on the calendar. Other than that, the artists’ blood starts to rise, thinking of the best outfit for their dancers and drummers. There, they can start to have their shot at bringing their creative juices to outdo what they have created years ago. The lone streets only with vehicles will be closed as their costumes will ramp the City of Love.
Lub dub. Lub dub. Lub dub.
Days are as fast as his heartbeat, joining the slams of drums with the revival of traditional Dinagyang. Feeling anew. Bare hands are stroking every detail of the textures of his creation, picturing them dancing along with the rhythm of the beats of the rehearsal. The familiar beat has finally revived.
