Monday, December 11, 2006 Saranggani Festival By Id Acaylar
THE Saranggans, as the people from Saranggani province call themselves, recently celebrated their 4th MunaTo Festival at their provincial capitol grounds in Alabel. I was there just as I was when it was first held four years ago.
This time, again to judge the street dancing Sayew d' Dalan and upon the invitation of its chair, Orly Batobalani.
Festivals are incomplete without street dancing or so it seems. In many festivals it is the piece de resistance and is even considered the barometer for gauging successful celebrations.
MunaTo's street dancing has metamorphosed from being ethnic to being more impressionistic. The wildly colorful and fantasy costumes reflected it. The performers' faces and bodies were generously painted, mostly in white. This reminded me of the Pintados of Leyte. It could also be the antithesis of Ati-atihan in Kalibo.
I feel the organizers should keep this up. It makes their street dancing unique and more interesting. In fact this made up for the fewer participants. There were only five contingents from three of the seven municipalities in the province.
While waiting for the Sayew d' Dalan, I visited the Festival's Cultural Showcase. I was pleased seeing indigenous folks in their village huts weaving, playing their indigenous instruments and dancing. And there were interesting antique implements on display and for sale which I wanted to buy. All of it. Fortunately, I did not have the cash.
My next day stay in Saranggani hinted that it is indeed a land of adventure and opportunity, the same thought shared by the other Dabawenyos I saw in the festival, all travel agents: Susan Palad, Pia Montaño and Ruben Neri.
It was good they too were invited for we realized Saranggani is another good tourism destination especially in summer.
