Kannawidan Ylocos
Festival
Ilocos Sur is a
beautiful province located in the northern part of Luzon. It is a province rich
in culture that represents the ancient Spanish and Filipino heritage. To show
and share their treasures to the whole world, the locals conceived a festival
that highlights these cultural traditions and they called it the “Kannadiwan
Festival”.
It is a celebration
that lasts from the last week of January up to the first week of February.
Included in the course of events is the commemoration of the foundation day of
the province.
On the opening day,
there is usually a mass held at the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. It is
followed by a procession of the Patron Saints of the 40 parishes and images of
Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary around the city. It is the Ilocanos' way of giving
thanks to the Almighty not only for the bountiful blessings but also for the
rich heritage of the city, including the close family ties among the Ilocanos.
This event showcases the deep-rooted religiosity of the townsfolk.
One mission of the
festival is paying more attention to the children. It is because of the
observation that many traditions, songs, dances, and other Ilocano culture are
not recognized by the younger generations of the province. Instead, children
are paying more attention to the modern and novelty dances they see television
than the traditional ones. It is one of the reasons why the Kannadiwan Festival
is conducted.
Here, children may
appreciate their rich culture and tradition. Also on the opening day of the
festival, a traditional ritual is performed by the students of the Ilocos Sur,
especially high school students. There are different contests that focus to the
ability and skills of the students. These include traditional tribal rituals,
choir and glee club competition, marching band contest, traditional music
ensemble, dance drama, traditional and folk dances, contemporary dance
competition, and street dancing showdown.
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