Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival
The
Binatbatan Festival of Arts is held every year in the first week of May in the
heritage city of Vigan. Sto is celebrating Thanksgiving. Cristo Milagroso, also
known as "Apo Lakay," was a Simbaan a Bassit hero in 1756 for
protecting Vigan from an epidemic. Since then, the Bigueos have celebrated May
3rd, or "Tres de Mayo," as a day to remember this brave gesture.
"Binatbatan" is an Ilocano term that depicts the process of pounding
cotton pods with bamboo sticks called "batbat" to manufacture the
indigenous fabric, Abel. The dance event carries this symbolism, with dancers
imitating the pounding of the cotton with two sticks while dressed as Abel.
Binatbatan has become the city's most colorful and vibrant festival, in addition
to other events.most celebrated festival.
The
Bigueos, like every other Filipino, take religious festivities seriously.
Because the majority of the population is Catholic, Misa Concelebrada is
frequently observed in filled churches. The city is buzzing with events and
competitions such Abel decoration and fashion, carabao painting, boklan,
athletics, street dance, and other leisure activities for a week. However,
since the epidemic began in 2020, the Bigueos have had to endure not being able
to fully celebrate two Binatbatan Festivals. Despite this, they were able to
participate in the celebrations, but not in large quantities. The enormous
transformation did not diminish Bigueos' love for the city. Many children and
adults continued to enter these tournaments in order to show off their skills. This
demonstrates that no matter what the obstacle, we Bigueos will always overcome
it.
The
city is ultimately on alert level 1 in 2022, which means it is permissible to
have large gatherings such as festivals. As a festival goer, I can attest that
the Bigueos appreciate and enthusiastically participate in each event that the
city has. It is, indeed, a tapestry of culture and arts created by Vigan's many
generations. Overall, the Binatbatan Festival of Arts is a fantastic
opportunity for individuals to demonstrate their abilities while also learning
about the city's rich culture. May we remain joyful and remember the heroic
actions of others even in times of grief and hardship.
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