Friday, September 29, 2006 Street dancing ushers Iligan festival By Lino dela Cruz Iligan Correspondent
ILIGAN CITY -- Christian, Muslim and Lumad residents here were united as they witnessed the celebration of the "Diyandi Festival and "Kasadya (merry-making) street dancing, one of the highlights of the month-long celebration of the Feast of St. Michael, the Archangel Thursday.
The Feast of St. Michael starts today. The "Diyandi" is a rite performed by the "Dumagats" (now Christians), the Maranaos (Muslims) and the Higaonons (lumads or natives) to jointly pay homage to St. Michael the Archangel, according fo Jojo Boza, a businessman who introduced "Diyandi" as a tourism identification of Iligan City since 2004 when he was fiesta committee chairman.
The "Diyandi" had been passed from generations to generations and became a part of this city's cultural heritage, Boza said.
The City Council here, in 2004, passed and approved a resolution establishing "Diyandi Festival" as a tourism identity of this city.
Meanwhile, the Jaycee International Foundation, incorporated its "Kasadya" street dancing, into the "Diyandi Festival, attracting street dancing contingents from neighboring cities and provinces to compete in the said street dancing which eventually became an annual contest.
Thursday's street dancing competition attracted at least nine contingents, apart from this city's, from the city of Cagayan de Oro, Valencia City, Bukidnon province and Lanao del Norte province.
The "Tribu Kauswagan" of Lanao del Norte, undefeated for three (3) consecutive years as "Kasadya" champion, again garnered yesterday the first place and bagged the P50,000.00 prize money.
"Tribu Kauswagan" has been participating in other festivals in Mindanao and Visayas including the "Sinulog Festival" in Cebu City where it was also a major prize winner.
Most other contingents' theme in yesterday's "Kasadya" street dancing contest was centered on "St. Michael defeating the devil" in their dance interpretations.
Thousands of residents here, Christians, Muslims and lumads, lined the sidewalks of the main streets as the different street dancing contingents performed.
The contingents converged at the Anahaw ampitheater at Buhanginan hills near the city hall where the contingents performed once more before the final judging for the prizes took place.
Department of Tourism region 10 director Catalino Chan supported the "Diyandi Festival" with a counterpart funding from the regional office and by witnessing the event.
"It's wonderful, interesting and colorful" said one of the many foreign tourists who witnessed the "Kasadya" street dancing.
Many "Balikbayans" from this city make their annual visit to their hometowns here to coincide with the month-long festivities of the Feast of St. Michael.
Iligan City mayor Lawrence Lluch Cruz said "Every fiesta celebration, the Christians, Muslims and Lumads show their unity by paying homage to St. Michael the Archangel."
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