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Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Cabaero: Mardi gras capital
By Nini B. Cabaero
Beyond 30
Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon, also known as “Mr. Wow! Philippines,” surprised Cebuanos with his announcement last Sunday to make Cebu the “mardi gras capital of Asia” starting next year.
It was probably the heat of the sun, the excitement of the people enjoying the Sinulog or Gordon’s desire to make an impact on the Sinulog audience and elicit from them a response like “wow.” When I heard it, I did not go “wow,” I went, “Ows?” (As in ‘oh come on.’)
For one, Sinulog organizers many years ago made it a point to educate Cebuanos of the difference between having a mardi gras and holding a Sinulog grand parade as culminating activity on fiesta day. The organizers consistently referred to it as the Sinulog “grand parade” where contingents make their offerings to the Sto. Niño in dances, not a mardi gras usually described as a free-for-all.
Another reason I find Gordon’s idea skewed is the elections this May. A new set of government officials would have already been in place come Sinulog 2005.
The difference between a grand parade and mardi gras goes beyond semantics. Organizers wished to prohibit sexy gyrations of dancers on the streets, the indiscriminate smearing of soot on others and the rowdiness brought about by unrestrained drinking of liquor in public. Organizers wanted the Sinulog culmination to be fun yet with religious meaning. Otherwise, what would make the Sinulog different from other native or tribal celebrations?
The Sinulog celebration started out confused. Sinulog’s early years were marked by riotous dancing with sexual gyrations, intoxicated quarrels and complaints of people taking the black off car exhaust pipes and smearing this on other people’s faces.
Until Sinulog organizers decided that Cebu’s celebration is not like the Ati-Atihan of Aklan, the Dinagyang of Iloilo or the Masskara festival of Bacolod. Sinulog is uniquely Cebu. Sinulog organizers forced Cebuanos on a learning curve to alter their understanding of the culminating activity.
The Sinulog celebration of last Sunday showed that Cebuanos have surmounted the curve. The celebration is not supposed to be rowdy and a free-for-all. It is supposed to be orderly and with religious manifestation in the dances as people pay homage to the Sto. Niño. It is not a mardi gras. It is a grand parade.
Then came Gordon, as head of the country’s tourism program, with his plan to make Cebu the “mardi gras capital of Asia” starting next year, the 25th year of the Sinulog.
He made the promise even as he knew he might not be Tourism secretary anymore with the general elections to be held this May 10. Gordon is running for senator in the elections. How could he make a promise for the next Tourism secretary to fulfill?
Gordon said he will make it part of the “Wow! Philippines” campaign to promote Cebu as the venue for the “Best of the Mardi Gras” festival next year. “Sinulog is a world-class event that should be advertised to the whole world. Like what the President said, I also believe it is time to take it to a higher level. We will make Cebu the grand mardi gras capital of Asia,” he said.
I support moves to promote further the Sinulog here and abroad and to encourage visitors to share in our heritage and help boost the local economy. But these have to be done correctly, without losing sight of what the Sinulog is all about and without committing the error of calling it what it is not.
(e-mail: ninicab@sunstar.com.ph)
(January 20, 2004 issue)
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