Feature Story: Dancing Pilgrims:Sinanduloy of Tangub City

Tangub City in Misamis Occidental is not only famous for its glitzy Christmas symbols, having been named as the country’s Christmas Symbols Capital. This urban destination in northern Mindanao is also home to a multi-awarded contingent of the Sinulog Festival - the Sinanduloy Dance Troupe.

Aside from their dancing prowess and superb choreography, one of Tribu Sinanduloy’s secrets in always getting the top prize during the grand parade is their costumes. As part of this year’s Sinulog celebration, Tribu Sinanduloy will share one of their secrets – their costumes – to the public in an exhibit dubbed as “Dancing Pilgrims: Sinanduloy of Tangub City.” The exhibit, which formally opened last January 9 at the second level of SM City Cebu’s The Northwing with no less than Tangub City Mayor Jennifer Wee Tan in attendance, displays the group’s Sinulog costumes since the time they joined the competition up to last year’s ensemble.

“Actually we never had this idea until Sinulog Foundation and SM City Cebu talked about it. When they had this idea, they had only one group in mind to do the exhibit of the costumes and that’s our group. When they called us, ningbalibad man gani ko since we are not really into showing our costumes because it’s a trade secret. Yet I was convinced as talks progressed. We saw it as an avenue for us to promote our city,” said Mayor Tan.

The Tangub City government felt it was about time to share with the Sugbuanons the Tangubanons’ workmanship and ingenuity in the art of costume design. And the secret to their success is: “Ang gumagawa niyan, libre. Love lang gyud nila ang siyudad. You know what, for 15 years I’m not paying these people. Our people are not motivated by money but by commitment. I give them incentives lang kung makadaog. You don’t get that kind of dedication now. Until now, wa gyu’y paglubad, di gyud gihapon magpabayad,” divulged Mayor Tan. She said the retired and unmarried teachers, who they locally call as mangkais are the ones who lead in designing and making the costumes for free because this has become their promise or panaad to the Sto. Nino. Mayor Tan also said that the city government also hires designer Jun Protacio to help.

When making the costumes, the dance troupe does not only consider materials from Mindanao but also from other areas. “We don’t just look in our backyard, we also go beyond. You don’t really have to confine yourself on indigenous materials, the important thing is it goes well with the story of your dance,” added Mayor Tan.

Mayor Tan admitted that the Sinanduloy Dance Troupe had the shortest preparation for the Sinulog this year. It was only in November when the city government decided to join the Sinulog-based category of the competition since there have been apprehensions at first. They felt that they had to prepare to regain the crown. However, they are positive that the crowd will be surprised – with their dance moves and of course, their costumes.