he 

Kadayawan Festival is an annual festival in the city of Davao in the Philippines. Its name derives
from the friendly greeting "Madayaw", from the Dabawenyo word meaning good, valuable, superior
or beautiful. The festival is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of
culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living. Previously,[2] this festival held in the third week
of August every year which was highlighting the 11 tribes of Davao City. In 2019, the celebration was
extended and held from 2 to 31 August. In 2020, Kadayawan Festival was celebrated from 10 to 17
August.[3][better  source  needed]

History[edit]
The festival’s name is derived from the Mandaya word “madayaw,” meaning treasured or valuable.
In old-time people used to display fruits, vegetables, flowers, rice, and corn grains on mates and
were showing the sign of respect for the great year they have had. Also, people were dancing and
singing in front of their homes, it's continued today as well.
In the year 1970, Mayor Elias B. Lopez had encouraged all the Davao tribes to showcase their
thanksgiving rituals. After that in the year 1986, the Davao City government focused on uniting the
people in the turbulent times of the Martial Law. At this time the festival named "Apo Duwaling". This
name was created as a combination of three natural wonders: Mt. Apo, Durian, and Waling-waling.
In the year 1988, this festival officially named as "Kadayawan Festival"[4] by then Mayor Rodrigo
Duterte. At present, after over 30 years this gets celebrated with the full of enthusiasm and unity in
the people.
The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the third
Sunday of January in Cebu City, and on the fourth Sunday of January in Carmen, Cebu, and is the
centre of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the Philippines.
The festival is considered to be first and Queen of festivals in the Philippines, with every celebration
of the festival routinely attracting around 1 to 2 million people from all over the Philippines every
year.[1] Aside from the religious aspect of the festival, Sinulog is also famous for its street parties,
usually happening at night before and at the night of the main festival.[2]
Other places like General Santos City, Kabankalan City, Maasin City, Balingasag Misamis
Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City and Pagadian City also have their own version of the
festival in honor of Santo Niño.

he word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which roughly means "like water current
movement;" it describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists
of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized
into Sinulog-base, free-interpretation, and street dancing. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to
perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually
accompanied by songs in the native language
Sinulog is the ritual prayer-dance honoring Señor Santo Niño or the Child Jesus. An image of the
Child Jesus is said to be the baptismal gift the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan gave
Hara Amihan (Humanay) of Zebu (now Cebu) in April 1521. The image, believed to be miraculous, is
housed at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in downtown Cebu City.
The Sinulog dance moves are basically two steps forward and one step backward as the dancer
sways to a distinct rhythm of drums. This movement resembles the current (Sulog) of what was
known as Cebu's Pahina River.
According to historical accounts, the Cebu natives already danced the Sinulog in honor of their
animist idols long before the arrival of Magellan who led a Spanish expedition on April 7, 1521.
Magellan did not live long after he introduced Christianity. He died in a failed assault on nearby
Mactan island at the hands of a local chieftain named Lapu-Lapu.
Survivors of Magellan's expedition left behind the image to be discovered 44 years later.
The expedition led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi bombarded the native settlement when they arrived
on April 28, 1565. In one of the burning huts, one of Legazpi's men, Juan Camus, discovered the
image of the Santo Niño inside a wooden box beside other idols. This time however, Legazpi
discovered that the natives already dance the Sinulog honoring the Santo Niño.[3]
Today the Sinulog commemorates the Filipino people's acceptance of Christianity (specifically,
Roman Catholicism), and their rejection of their former animist beliefs (worship of nature).
[neutrality  is  disputed]
 The first of these conversions happened in 1521 on the island of Cebu, when Indianized-
Sanskritized ruler Rajah Humabon and his queen Amihan (Humamay) were baptized along with their
subjects, becoming Carlos and Juana of Cebu.[citation needed]

On March 16, 1521, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived and planted the cross on
the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory for Spain. He presented the image of the Child Jesus to
the Rajah Humabon. Hara Humamay (or Amihan in some versions) was later named, Queen Juana
after Juana, mother of Carlos I. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were
also converted to the Roman Catholic faith.
This event is frequently used as basis for most Sinulog dances, which dramatize the coming of the
Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Niño to the Queen. A popular theme among Sinulog
dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Niño in her arms and using it to bless her people who
were often afflicted with sickness believed to be caused by demons and other evil spirits.
The Sinulog dance steps are believed to originate from Rajah Humabon's adviser, Baladhay.
[dubious  –  discuss]
 It was during Humabon's grief when Baladhay fell sick. Humabon ordered his native tribe
to bring Baladhay into a room where the Santo Niño was enthroned, along with the other pagan
gods of the native Cebuanos. After a few days passed, Baladhay was heard shouting and was found
dancing with utmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to why was he was awake and
shouting. Pointing to the image of the Santo Niño, Baladhay explained that he had found on top of
him a small child trying to wake him and tickling him with the midrib of the coconut. Greatly
astonished, he scared the child away by shouting. The little child got up and started making fun of
Baladhay. In turn, Baladhay danced with the little child and explained that he was dancing
the movements of the river. To this day, the two-steps forward, one-step backward movement is still
used by Santo Niño devotees who believe that it was the Santo Niño's choice to have Baladhay
dance.

Arrival of López de Legazpi[edit]

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The Augustinian friars that accompanied López de Legazpi in his expedition miracles and built a

church on the site where it was found. The church was called San Agustin Church, later
renamed to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.
Letter to the King of Spain[edit]
After Juan Camus found the Santo Niño in the burning village, López de Legazpi was said to have
included the incident in his report, entitled "Relation of Voyage to the Philippine Islands":
"Your Excellency should know that on that day when we entered this village (Cebu City), one
of the soldiers went into a large and well-built house of an indio where he found an image of
the Child Jesus (whose most holy name I pray may be universally worshipped). This was
kept in its cradle, all gilded, just as if it were brought from Spain: and only the little cross,
which is generally placed upon the globe in his hands, was lacking. The image was well kept
in that house, and many flowers were found before it, and no one knows for what object or
purpose. The soldier bowed down before it with all reverence and wonder, and brought the
image to the place where the other soldiers were. I pray to the Holy Name of his image,
which we found here, to help us and to grant us victory, in order that these lost people who
are ignorant of the precious and rich treasure, which was in their possession, may come to
knowledge to him."

Today[edit]
Since the 16th century, there is great devotion to the Santo Niño in Philippine popular piety,
particularly in the Visayas. Pilgrims from different parts of Cebu and the rest of the Philippines
make their yearly journey to the church to take part in the procession and festival. Starting in
1980, the Cebu City government organized the Sinulog Festival and eventually gave incentives
also to tribal dance groups. The first Sinulog parade was held in 1980, organized by Dávid
Odilao, then Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports, and Youth Development. The parade
was composed of students dressed in Knitted Filipiniana costumes, dancing the Sinulog to the
beating of drums.
The idea caught and thus, under the direction of the Cebu City Mayor Florentino Solon with the
help of several influential Cebuanos, Odilao turned over the Sinulog project to the Cebu City
Historical Committee under Kagawad Jesus Garcia. It was the task of the Committee to
conceptualize the Sinulog festival and make it into a yearly event from then on.
In 1981 the following year, the concept of the Sinulog Parade was actualized involving not just
Cebu but also representatives from other provinces in the Philippines . Marking its difference
from another popular festival, the Ati-Atihan in Aklan, the Sinulog focuses not on the ritual itself
but on the historical aspects of the dance, which, as it has been said, represents the link the
country's embrace of Christian faith.
2010-2014 Peace and Order during Sinulog celebration was an issue for years. Gangs and
fraternity wars were rampant during night times. The organization of AITF under the leadership
of PCI Franz Georsua became the key to a peaceful and more meaningful celebration after
controlling most of the street crimes during the said event.
The Devotee City, a temporary accommodation place consisting of reused shipping containers,
has also been created since 1995 to accommodate devotees from far-flung areas who do not
have any accommodation within Cebu City or other nearby areas. It is located in the open space
surrounding the Compania Maritima building, and is only a few meters away from the Magellan's
Cross and the Basilica del Santo Niño.[4][5][6][7]