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The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and Festival held annually on the fourth Sunday of January in Iloilo City, Philippines, in honor of Santo Niño, the Christ Child, and to commemorate the historic pact between the Malay settlers and the indigenous Ati people of Panay. It is considered one of the largest festivals in the Philippines, attracting 1 to 2 million people during the weekend celebration.
The festival is renowned for its Ati Tribes Competition, where tribu or tribe performers in "Ati warrior" costumes with large feathered headdresses present choreographed formations, rhythmic chanting, and drum performances depicting the history of Panay. Other highlights include the Kasadyahan, which showcases cultural festivals from various parts of Western Visayas, and ILOmination, a night parade with tribal performers in illuminated costumes. The main weekend festivities also include religious processions and street parties.
As the most awarded festival in the country, it has been named the best tourism event by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) for several years. It is also sometimes referred to as the 'Queen of All Philippine Festivals.'
The festival celebrates the Santo Niño, the Holy Child (or Infant Jesus), and marks its arrival in Iloilo, while also commemorating the pact between the Datu and the indigenous Ati people following the arrival of the Malay settlers, the legendary barter of Panay Island from the natives, and the Maragtas story, which, though significant in local tradition, remains debated as either fact or myth.
The people of Iloilo welcomed the image, along with followers from Cebu, upon its arrival at Mandurriao Airport.
In the beginning, the observance of the feast was confined to the parish. The Confradia patterned the celebration on the Ati-Atihan of Ibajay, Aklan, where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate the Ati people dancing to celebrate the sale of Panay. It was these tribal groups who were the prototype of the present festival.. Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Inc. Retrieved on 2014-04-18.
In 1977, the Ferdinand Marcos government ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals or celebrations that could boost tourism and development. The City of Iloilo readily identified the Iloilo Ati-Atihan as its project. At the same time, the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.. Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Inc. Retrieved on 2014-04-18. The late Ilonggo broadcaster and writer Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario coined the term " Dinagyang" in 1977 to differentiate it from Aklan's Ati-Atihan. In that particular year, the Dinagyang organizers and by the Regional Association of National Government Executives invited an actual Ati tribe for the first time from the mountains of Barotac Viejo, and showcase their native dances during the event.
Since 1978, the Dinagyang Festival has grown into a significant religious and cultural event. The festival has now diversified to include other cultural presentations, sports competitions, , a beauty pageant, car shows, , and various side events. The Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) currently manages and organizes the festival. They took over the responsibility from the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI) in 2019 and also manage other major festivals in Iloilo, including the Paraw Regatta and Kasadyahan.
The Opening Salvo of Dinagyang, which takes place annually on the second Friday of January, serves as a proclamation of the official beginning of the highlight week or the main celebration of the festival. It is also a preliminary to the three major events, which held annually every fourth weekend of January: the Ati Tribes Competition (held on a Sunday), the Kasadyahan Festival (held on a Saturday), and the ILOmination and Floats Parade of Lights (held on a Friday). events that are highly celebrated during the highlight week of the festival are Sadsad (merrymaking), Food and Music Festivals, Fluvial and Motorcade Parades, and Miss Iloilo.
As an added attraction to the Ati Tribes competition, the Kasadyahan was introduced to the Dinagyang Festival in the 1980s to showcase the talents of students and the rich cultural heritage of Iloilo province. In its early years, schools from various towns and cities in the province participated in the competition. Over time, it evolved into a regional event, welcoming entries from other provinces in the Western Visayas region and highlighting the region’s diverse cultural and historical heritage.
In Dinagyang 2020, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) removed the Kasadyahan from the Dinagyang Festival. It was replaced by merry-making or the sadsad, a central feature of the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan. Plans were made to celebrate Kasadyahan in a separate month or possibly incorporate it into Iloilo City’s Charter Day festivities. However, these plans were canceled due to the pandemic.
The Kasadyahan Festival returned to the Dinagyang celebration in 2023, held on the Saturday before the main highlights of the Mardi Gras celebration the following day. In 2024, the Iloilo provincial government took over the management of the festival from the city government, rebranding it as Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan. The new iteration showcased various town festivals from Iloilo province competing for the title.
The Floats Parade of Lights is also featured during the event, where gigantic and colorful floats of the sponsors for the Dinagyang Festival are going by the parade. It was first added in the 2018 edition during the 50th anniversary of the Dinagyang Festival.
The ILOmination and Parade of Lights primarily take place in the business districts of Mandurriao, moving through Atria Park District, SM City Iloilo, and Iloilo Business Park.
In the festival's early years, many tribes were formed and organized by or communities around Iloilo City. However, as Dinagyang evolved and the competition gained worldwide fame and recognition, schools began organizing tribes. These school-based tribes introduced dynamic new dance patterns, formations, and choreography. To fund their participation, they solicited sponsorships from private companies to cover expenses.
No actual Ati people are involved in the competition, nor do they directly benefit from it. One of the requirements for participants is to paint their skin black and use indigenous-inspired materials for their costumes. All dances are performed to the rhythm of drum music. While many tribes are organized by local high schools, some tribes in recent years have come from distant provinces, including Batanes in Luzon and Cotabato in Mindanao.
The tribes receive subsidies from the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) and the Iloilo City government, with private sponsors providing additional support. Tribes that perform exceptionally well often attract more sponsorships. The current Ati population in Iloilo does not actively participate in the competition or benefit from it. However, in recent years, the original Ati people from the hinterlands of Panay, particularly from the mountains of Barotac Nuevo and Anilao, have been invited to participate non-competitively. This aims to recognize their cultural significance and highlight their role as the symbolic inspiration for the festival.
The Ati Tribes Competition, along with the Kasadyahan Festival, is primarily held in the Downtown Iloilo, with multiple stages set up on different streets, with the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand as the main stage.
As of Dinagyang 2025, the reigning grand champion is Tribu Paghidaet of La Paz National High School.
It is one of few festivals in the world to get the support of the United Nations for the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, and cited by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO cooperatives.. Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Inc. Retrieved on 2014-04-18.
Dinagyang also holds the record for the most wins in Aliwan Fiesta, an annual “festival of festivals” competition showcasing diverse cultural festivals from across the Philippines. It bagged the titles in 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2023 and 2024.
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