The Ati Atihan Festival - "Mother of All Mardi Gras"

The Philippines is known for its colourful festivals. Edmund Low of Photography Club explores the annual Ati-Atihan Festival.

Known as the "Mother of All Mardi Gras", the Ati-Atihan Festival in Philippines aptly deserves this moniker, as this year is its 797th celebration! It is held annually during the third weekend of January, in the quaint town of Kalibo. This is one of the major festivals in Philippines.

There are a few differing accounts of the festival's origin but here is the most popular one.

In the year 1212, ten Datus from Borneo crossed the sea to escape from the unpopular rule of Sultan Makatunaw and landed in Panay Island in the Philippines. They brokered a deal with the indigenous race of Aetas. In exchange for the plains of Panay, the Aetas retreated to the hinterland and was also presented with a golden salakot (wide-brim hat), brass basins, bales of cloth, a long gold necklace and the harvest for one summer of the sea. The grand celebration to seal this deal was the first Ati-Atihan event. The Malays, in their effort to show sincerity and assimilate with their dark Aetas friends, smeared themselves with soot to look like the Aetas. The term "Ati Atihan" actually means to look like the Aetas.

The religious aspect of the Ati-Atihan was infused in 1750, when Fray Andres de Aguirre, a Basque priest accompanying explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, came to Madyanos, and baptised 1000 locals in a day. This eventful day is celebrated with religious fervour and often associated with miracles of healing.

Throughout the day till night, the streets are filled with dancing people, and the atmosphere is filled with thunderous and rhythmic drumbeats. Groups of people form "tribes" and don on their homemade colourful costumes, mostly hand-made from nuts, shells, leaves etc. It is truly amazing that the people of this small town have so much energy, creativity and music in their blood.

On the last day, groups representing different tribes compete. The highlight is a dance procession of tribes and devotees carrying bamboo torches and different images of St Nino (Holy Child). The contest winners are announced at a ball on Sunday evening, which officially ends the festival.

Quoting from my friend, "As I joined the tribes in dance with streaks of charcoal on my face, I realised that I blended perfectly into the party of the people of Kalibo. I finally understood the saying that goes, "at the Ati-Atihan, there is no audience or tourists, everyone is a participant!""

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