Preserving tradition
The drumbeats are deafening. As one wave ends another one creeps up behind it, challenging its predecessor’s volume. Louder is the only alternative to loud and the throng seems to have been dancing for a week. Their movements are small as they march to the overhanging rhythm, but some people in the crowd are going buck-wild. I notice one guy, who I remember from the previous day because of the chicken heads impaled on his dancing wand. And he is stepping as feverishly as ever, almost like he’s in a trance. Then again, everyone seems to be in a trance. It’s the drums.
The Municipality of Kalibo in the province of Aklan is similar in vibe and atmosphere to any other small provincial town in the Philippines. The roads are not large, and everything is just close by. The classic format of bunching the church, plaza, and market in one area is followed. There are no flyovers, underpasses, or elevated u-turns. Throughout most of the year Kalibo takes a backseat to its more popular neighbors, like Boracay or Iloilo. It’s a quiet place. But every January the drums go on in Kalibo, and this town steps up.
Kalibonhons and Aklanons celebrate every New Year with their local fiesta, the Ati-Atihan. Historically, this was the celebration of a peace pact between native Aetas and the Malays who wanted to settle in the area almost 800 years ago. As the story goes, Datu Puti and his followers, on a journey too seek a better life, discovered these Philippine islands. After negotiating with the Aeta Chieftain Marikudo, the Malays were allowed to occupy certain parcels of land. Datu Puti and his people searched for a way to escape life under the rule of a tyrant in their native land. He found it. And he found dancing, too.
A celebration was inevitable. The Malays found a new place to live and the Aetas got paid. Everyone was a winner. The festivities began with a sumptuous meal accompanied by the unending flow of native wine, or tuba. That definitely got things started. To the beat of ancient drums, the Aetas began doing their sadsad, or the native dance (which, when translated in English means “to stomp your feet.”) Fascinated and in high spirits, Datu Puti and his people couldn’t help but join in. The name Ati-Atihan literally means “to be like the Aeta.” This is what Datu Puti and the other Malays did as they smeared their faces with the soot from the cooking pots and cut a rug. They appreciated their hosts so much that they wanted be just like them.
Both groups had so much fun that they couldn’t wait to do it again the following year. And since then, the merrymaking has become a local tradition. This year’s Ati-Atihan is the 797th commemoration of that first contract between Chieftain Marikudo and Datu Puti. There are no barriers on the street, a testament to the two peace loving leaders- and anyone can join and be part of the dance.
Smart Telecommunications, a significant player in keeping Filipinos in touch, played a large role in this year’s Ati-Atihan festival. Aside from having to assemble another cell site tower to accommodate the number of people that attended, the company also had a hands-on approach to the actual festival. Smart played a part in the street dancing parade, as well as hosted a native dancing competition at Magsaysay Park. To keep safe, they also maintained a first aid station at Pastrana Park for people who partied too much. And to help keep the party going, Smart also brought popular musical groups such as Hale, Spongecola, and Pupil to entertain the locals and their guests. It was a successful mix of modern and native entertainment.
Kalibo Mayor Raymar Rebaldo admits that due to their low Internal Revenue Allotment, the Ati-Atihan is unable to achieve the same competitive publicity that other festivals do. But this is a minor issue when put beside the fervor Kalibonhons possess for their fiesta. “Whether or not the church or the local government can fully support or finance the festival, the Kalibonhons and the Aklanons will continue to go to the street and dance the sadsad while shouting ‘Viva Senor Sto. Nino! Hala bira, pwera pasma!’” says Mayor Rebaldo.
It is significantly important then, that private companies such as Smart help fund and sponsor events like the Ati-Atihan. Yes, this is a business venture, and yes, Smart makes a lot of business. But beyond that, the support to for native culture and heritage is noteworthy. Our traditions are what make us unique as Filipinos, after all. And no matter how loud the Ati-Atihan, or how much the air smells like alcohol and sweat, or how raucous it gets, the festival is part of our national identity. And it deserves to be preserved.
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E-mail me at enricomiguelsubido@yahoo.com.
