Ozamiz holds Subayan Keg Subanon Festival 2012

OZAMIZNONS were treated to fun and entertainment last July 1 to 16 as Ozamiz City celebrated the annual Subayan Keg Subanon Festival.

The locals of the city, both private and government, were united in this grand festivity highlighting the indigenous group Subanon.

The festival was a collaboration of the city’s rich history, religion and cultural milieu as the City Charter Celebration and the Feast of Our Lady of Triumph at the Cotta Shrine were also held.

The festival portrayed the lifestyle and traditions of the Subanons, the first settlers of Ozamiz who are migrants from Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.

The word Subanon was taken from the local word “Suba” which means river.

The Subanon Tribe is one of the cultural and indigenous groups of Northern Mindanao who are referred to as the “River Settlers.”

The tributary waterway of Layawan river, which links the terrestrial and aquatic wonders of the Misamis and Zamboanga peninsula, was once the settlement of the Subanons.

Among the activities held were Miss Ozamiz Tourism 2012 on July 14, Street Dancing Competition on July 15 and the City Charter Parade on July 16.

Every year, the street dancing competition fills the city with performers right at the strike of dawn, signaling the start of the highlight of this remarkable occasion.

The festival culminated with a unique Subanon cultural show at the Cotta. (PR)