Dinagyang performers to bid goodbye to black soot
Tribe performers in next year's Dinagyang Festival will wear a dark brown body paint instead of the usual black color.
Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) executive director Ben Jimena said after yesterday's public hearing on the issue that changing the body color of Dinagyang performers to dark brown is logical and would not in any way destroy the festival's image.
He also said that there was no "glaring objection" on the proposal in yesterday's public hearing that was attended by various sectors.
The changing of color was proposed by the foundation in order for Dinagyang Festival to have its own identity. The Dinagyang is always viewed as a copycat of the Ati-atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan.
The public hearing was called per a directive of Mayor Jerry P. Treñas to hear out public opinion on the proposal of the IDFI to change the color of the Dinagyang warriors.
In yesterday's consultation, former Vice Governor and historian Demy Sonza made a very logical explanation about the Dinagyang festival and the implication of the changing of color from black to brown.
Sonza explained that Dinagyang celebration, actually, has no "historical basis." He said, there are no available literature that it was indeed the Aetas who accepted the image of Señor Sto. Nino when the Spaniards came to propagate Christianity.
He said, the Aetas did not play a role in Christianization. "There is no historical document to prove on the Aeta's acceptance of the image," Sonza added.
Sonza stressed the arrival of the Spaniards and of the 10 Bornean Datus are two different things. The devotion to Señor Santo Niño started way back in 1521. While, the arrival of Malays and Chinese happened before the Spaniards came. There were already mestizo's and mestizas as result of the intermarriages, said Sonza.
The image of Santo Niño was given to Queen Juana, wife of King Humabon of Cebu, as a gift after she submitted herself to Christianization through baptism in the Catholic faith.
Sonza said during the 15th century, most of the people who are living in the coastline are "Bisaya." By that time, Aetas, the aborigines of Panay, were pushed towards the interior part of the Panay peninsula. Even before the Spaniards came, there are already Chinese traders who came to the island and even had intermarriage with the locals.
Jimena said the changing of color of Dinagyang performers from black to dark brown will not destroy the Dinagyang Festival's evolution.
On the other hand Sonza also suggested that Dinagyang tribes performers be called Dinagyang warriors, not "Ati warriors".
Sonza cited that the Aetas or Ati are not warriors. They are peace loving people though they usually carry spears, arrows and bolos, he said.
Sonza added, history tells that once a male reaches its manhood, he can bring a bolo or any other instrument. They normally used the spear, arrows and bolos to hunt animals for food.
Sonza said using "Dinagyang warriors" instead of "Ati warriors" would help rectify the misconception that Aetas are warriors.
The term Dinagyang warrior will also give identity to the celebration, he said.
Jimena said they will look into the suggestion of Sonza.