Sunday, April 27, 2008 San Nicolas holds Buwad Festival to celebrate discovery of Sto. Niño By Karen D. Nacario UP Mass Comm Intern
THANKING the Señor Sto. Niño for the blessings they received, the San Nicolas Parish and the San Nicolas Proper barangay council held the first ever Buwad Festival at the Taboan Public Market yesterday.
“All our activities today regarding the Kaplag celebration are our ways of thanksgiving to Señor Sto. Niño, including the Buwad Festival,” said Fr. Trinidad Silva, parish priest.
The one-day festival was held in celebration of the Kaplag, or the discovery of the Infant Jesus’ image 443 years ago. The image is believed to have been discovered at the place where the San Nicholas Parish church stands.
Gratitude
“This is originally a parish event, but the archdiocese is very supportive of it, so this festival is our way of showing gratitude for the livelihood Señor Sto. Niño has given through the dried fish,” Silva said.
The Buwad Festival showcased different types of dried fish, including the popular danggit from Bantayan Island.
The celebration included a parade of adorned tartanillas (horse-drawn rigs), free food tasting, and the offering of price discounts.
“The dried fish in Taboan are known already even outside the city, that is why we organized this event to say thanks to Sto. Niño while he is here in our parish,” Silva said.
A dried fish buyer interviewed by Sun.Star Cebu did not know that a festival was scheduled yesterday but said she was very happy to have witnessed it.
“I rarely come here, I only buy dried fish when I travel. I bring it as pasalubong to my relatives” she said.
“The festival is so helpful to the vendors. There were a lot of people who visited the market sa buntag pa lang (even during the morning),” Boy Desamparado said.
Some vendors said the festival indeed helped attract more customers.
Vendor Nining Despabelladero said they had many visitors from outside Cebu.
“Mga Tagalog man to ang uban, naa pu’y tourists (Some were Tagalog-speaking and some were tourists),” she said.
“Makatabang gyud ni para mailhan ug maayo ang Taboan (The festival is a big help to make Taboan Public Market known),” she said.
Early in the morning, there was the Kaplag reenactment and street dancing for the Holy Child.
