Sinulog: A dance from centuries past

The origin of the sinulog dance is not very clear. But researchers seem certain of one thing-that it has always been an act of worship. They say that the Cebuanos of old performed it as a ritual in order to conciliate with the forces of nature. And, like most ancient rituals, it was probably performed around planting and harvest seasons or in times of hardship in their village.

There is general agreement among scholars that rituals originally came about as man's way of communicating with divine beings and are, therefore, originally religious in nature. But as rituals become an integral part of the people's way of life, some of these often transform into something else. Many ancient rituals have continued into the modern times as public festivals-still with some religious overtones, but only as a matter of historical connection.

It is a widespread belief that sinulog was already performed way back in the time of pagan Cebu. It was a dance of supplication to the pagan idols-for safety, good health, fair weather, and abundant harvest. It derived its name from the sulog (water current), the movement of which the dance mimics. From this, it is not farfetched to think that the river was an important object of worship in those days.

The introduction of Christianity in the Zubu (Cebu) village in 1565 did not stop the deeply entrenched pagan practices of the local people. It had only, perhaps, made way for an important addition to their religious idols at the time-the statue of the Santo Niño, which Ferdinand Magellan gave to Hara Humamai upon her conversion to the new faith as Queen Juana, together with her husband Rajah Humabon and 800 of their subjects.

Upon their acceptance of the new religion, the native Cebuanos began performing the sinulog before the statue of the Santo Niño. They would gather as a group in front of a small shrine where the image was kept, first in Sawang Banawa (today's San Nicolas district) and later at the bigger San Agustin Church, since renamed Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. It is not clear, though, if it was upon the suggestion of the early friars or if the new converts thought on their own that their prayers would be more effective if they came together to dance the sinulog as a group.

There was no uniform choreography; each dancer invented his or her own steps. But their movements looked all the same, overall. This particular sinulog dance, the dance of prayer, is still being performed today by old women selling candles at the Basilica. They would carry small children in their arms when they dance, presenting the little ones before the Señor for blessing. If the dance is in behalf of a person who's too ill to do it, a garment or personal belonging of the sick person is waved before the statue, to seek for healing. But most of the time, candles are offered in the dance.

In 1980, a public festival was created based on the sinulog. The objective was to put Cebu on the map and attract visitors to the city. Organizers timed it during the feast of the Santo Niño. They called it, aptly, as Sinulog Festival. Over the years, the grand event participated in by hundreds of dancers, going around major city streets, has grown in both scale and pageantry. It is, at the present, touted as "the biggest fiesta of the Philippines."

But some people think that it is irreverent to make a religious exercise into something else, like, for instance, in the case of Sinulog. The complaint is mostly coming from hard-nosed Catholic Christians. Yet, it must be remembered, this prayer dance was not Christian in the first place. And, to this day, it is not clear whether the Catholic Church really recognizes the ritual dance as a creditable Christian practice, in that the performance of the sinulog prayer-dance is restricted to a small space fronting the Basilica entrance.

Obviously, the dance being performed by the parade participants departs in some ways from the traditional dance of worship. People's ways are continually evolving. Even traditional customs have a way of changing with the times. Sinulog is no exception.

New practices and styles are emerging as others are fading away. While some things remain unaltered for generations, many of those that survive have taken on different characteristics. Sinulog is an example.

What used to be a simple, solemn act of worship has now become a spectacular public extravaganza. And, with its growth into a full-blown festival, Sinulog becomes many different things to different people. For the parade participants, it's a tonic; for the observers, a fabulous show; for the city, a boost to the local economy.

Yet to the greater majority, this dance from many centuries past remains a personal expression of faith.