CANTILAN, Surigao del Sur (MindaNews / 17 Aug)—Hundreds of residents here and in nearby towns gathered to witness the revival of Sirong Festival street dancing and grand showdown on Monday, marking the town’s fiesta after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The festival queen of the contingent from the municipality of Cantilan holds an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the grand showdown of the Sirong Festival in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. MindaNews photo by IVY MARIE A. MANGADLAO
The event featured three contingents: Lanuza, Cagwait and Cantilan from Surigao del Sur.
Cantilan Mayor Philip Pichay said that despite the limited number of contingents, these three are the best in the province of Surigao del Sur.
The Lanuza contingent emerged as the champion, receiving a prize of P500,000 and earning special accolades for best in costume, best in street dancing, and their main female performer was named the Sirong Festival queen.
Cantilan secured second place bringing home P300,000, also winning the award for best in musicality; while Cagwait claimed third place with a P200,000 cash prize.
Yolando Uriarte, the head of the festival’s planning section, said that the Sirong dance consists of two core elements: “escrima” and “alabacion.” The former includes men reenacting hand-on-hand combat between early Cantilangnon Christians and Moro raiders, while the latter involves a soliloquy expressing devotion to the Immaculate Conception.
“This dance is truly a Cantilangnon pride and indeed, an example of authentic ‘erencia’ handed down to us by our forefathers. We should preserve its composition, promote its message and make it known once again by reviving its performance in the ‘calles’ of Cantilan,” he added.
Performers give their best during the grand showdown of the Sirong Festival. MindaNews photo by IVY MARIE A. MANGADLAO
The coastal town of Cantilan in Surigao del Sur is known to be the cradle of all the towns in the area, which is now divided into the towns of Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, and Lanuza or better known to locals as CarCanMadCarLan.
Vicente Cirilo Iriberri, event head and former president of the United Bardugs International Association of Cantilan, the organization that spearheaded the revival of the festival, said that Sirong is a commemoration of a crucial phase in Cantilan’s history when early Christians defended themselves against raids by Islamized by the Moros.
“From 1768 to 1830, numerous attacks by the Moros prompted the establishment of the Baluarte de San Miguel, a fortress constructed by the Spanish government and the people of Cantilan,” he added.
Bishop Raul Dael, of the Diocese of Tandag, narrated in an interview the significance of the Sirong Festival, drawing a parallel between its historical roots and its modern-day implications.
He emphasized that while the festival initially commemorated the efforts of the old Cantilangnons in defending Cantilan from Moro raiders, its essence has transformed in contemporary times.
“This year’s fiesta celebration is different from the past years as it highlights and reminds our duty to defend and safeguard the environment, particularly the watershed that sustains us,” he said. (Ivy Marie A. Mangadlao / MindaNews)
