Colorful vinta regatta draws thousands to Zamboanga City
October 9, 2016 | 2:06pm
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- The sea gypsy Sama-Badjao people’s traditional colorful vinta sails drew thousands of spectators to the seafront boulevard of this city on Sunday.
The regatta, a tradition in the city and part of the Fiesta Pilar, was participated in by more than 200 entries, mostly from the Sama-Badjao tribe.
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the regatta continues to fascinate tourists and residents annually due to the colorful vinta sails.
“The bursting colorful sails have its own story to tell, a story of unity and diversity of the people in this historical southern port city being one of the last frontiers of the country in the southern region,” Salazar said.
The Sama-Badjao have been using their vintas to venture from island to island.
One of the foreign tourists said it was his first time to see the actual flying colors of the sails on top of the vintas.
“The sail vinta looks like those bigger yachts with sails,” according to a European tourist who asked not to be named.
Security at the venue was tight as thousands of spectators gathered for the race. The city has been on alert against potential attacks by the Abu Sayyaf, which is the subject of intensified military operations in Sulu province.
The spectators were later treated to the longest sardine boodle fight, which stretched almost a kilometer along the seafront boulevard.
The city is home to sardine factories and canneries and is known as the Philippines’ sardine capital.
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