Let’s move on to the next group that I saw…
That’s her back, and that’s her front! Yep, the Dumaguete festival queen, as has been awarded days before, the photographers’ choice, though she landed 3rd runner up. Here is another proof that most Filipinos (photographers, at least hehe) have a leaning for the mestiza. They (photographers) chose her, while the judges chose the ‘other kind’! And here we caught the Dumaguete lass beautiful and fresh as the morning, before sweating it out in the grand parade. Of course she always got mobbed by most photographers real and not! Good we saw her early on. Still wondering why I chose Imus road? Go ponder more!
8:59AM, here are the dancers of Dumaguete’s Sandurot Festival. Why not, right? Tiring rehearsals last night and the go signal was not yet up, so many of them made the most of the idle time – rest!
And this is the Karatong Festival of Dulag Leyte. Their festival queen is seated btw! These groups have an ingenuous way of making them rest. They just insert a stool under those long flowing gowns and voila, the queen is on her mobile, if temporary throne hehe! Mind you, the jolly lady 4th from left with the purple bag is mom of this festival queen, and proprietor of a business purportedly producing the best-tasting lechon from Dulag. Eh, the girl won 1st runner up. Am sure they’d be celebrating with a lot of lechon once home. Yumminess!
9:05AM, they were still waiting for the go signal from their choreographer. And people couldn’t help but touch and ask if that live Sto. Nino’s hair was real. I myself got curious. And she showed me, yes it is her real hair. She says it was “tissed” (or is it "teased"? Whatever!) And yes, she’s a “she” portraying the Sto Nino! But she looks just like the many images you can buy anywhere!
9:07AM, there goes the Kalivungan Team of Cotabato province! The very first group to actually show everyone the grand parade was on – at least from where we were. That’s the discipline! And what an orderly group. I was not sure they’d win in terms of the dancing, but If there was an award on the most disciplined contingent, I would have given it to this group!
Following Cotabato was everyone’s favorite, “Racrac” (yep, Carcar City)! Very endearing kids as always. You are sure to at least smile while watching them dance. They’re one of the reasons you can say you enjoyed watching the Sinulog. And yes, they’re also one example you can say, even the smiles and facial expressions are choreographed. Only thing is they look real. Call it ‘role internalization’!
And this is Liloy, Zamboanga Del Norte. Oh this is that group that surprised everyone with a 100% fusion music of the Sinulog tune/beat and their very own festival. I think that was lovely and lively! Am not a judge so I don't know what they would have thought about that. Just like Carcar, this group is a performing arts group - Alay Performing Arts. Good dancers.
Pakol Festival of Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental. These were the kids practicing over at the oval I briefly watched last night, remember? The “monkeys” were a real hit to the crowds. Must be hard for human beings running along the parade route on all fours like monkeys do! But those kids did it just the same. Anyway, they could rest when part f their routine calls for them to perch on those banana ‘trees’ while being pushed by their fellow participants. Interesting group!
If you’ll notice, we were still walking along Imus Road. Why? Because, while all groups have already started dancing, it was more of stationary street dancing. They couldn’t move yet aside from a few inches to a few feet. Something up the grand stand area or anywhere along the way must have been holding the ‘carousel’ to start revolving. Probably the welcome remarks, the speeches and so on!
Tribu Lingganay of Alang-alang Leyte was behind Santa Catalina. I had quite a banter with their crews and performers. Contrary to what many folks in this country believe, the warays are not snubs nor grumpy. They are such a happy group of people. Matatapang lang pag hinahamon! Fact is, it was with the Karatong of Dulag and these folks that I had most fun. Good I caught them at a lull, so I got to ask questions and learned a lot. Like? The Lingganay (bell) was used to warn people when bandits would come ashore. Having learned about that, the pirates got the bell and threw it into the town’s river, but until now it has never been found! Oh ha?! Hey, they have a separate make-up artist just for their festival queen and separate artists for the rest of the performers! And even them have to audition! Wow, how “technical” a business this is! Btw, at almost 10AM, snack time came for the group and the parade wasn’t yet moving – they have done their parade routines like 2 or 3 times already!
We have seen "interesting groups’ so far, right? But there were more to come and the parade was not even moving! So we ourselves moved on to see the rest. But this is getting long. Let’s do the rest in the next story?! Yeah, Promise!
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