Saturday, September 13, 2008

Surigao's Fiesta Season

Surigao City has one of the week-long festivity in the country that runs for two weeks and starts from the Charter Day Celebration every August 31. From end of August, activities are lined up commencing from the Float Parade participated by the different sectors up to the Alumni Homecoming events that stretches even on the post-fiesta days.

Like what i have listed here...

Simple yet elegant designs of floats add color to the Charter Day celebration of Surigao. In the earlier days, Drum and Lyre Corp competition used to be held during this event. So still hope to witness another drum and lyre competition to be conducted next year when the construction of the multi-million funded oval field and gym is done.

Another activity is the Tilaw sa Pagkaong Surigao (A taste of the Surigaonon Food), a food festival showcasing the talents of local chefs in Cooking Show Competition as well as creativeness of the students in the Table Setting and Skirting and Cocktail Competition for.

A Community Night is also conducted not only for nightly entertainment but to foster solidarity among the different sectors of the city ranging from the civil society organizations, NGOs, up to the mining and banking sector by gathering them in one venue and celebrate the good times. Community Nights are held by sector on the nights before the pre-fiesta.

On the 9th of September, Surigao's pre-fiesta day, the Bonok-Bonok Marajaw Karajaw Festival is usually held showcasing the tribal history through the graceful street dances paired with the colorful costumes of participants. This event is one of the anticipated activities in town.

Then on the fiesta day, September 10, several events are hosted in the Luneta Park Plaza for the pleasure of the visitors that includes balikbayans and some foreigners. The organizers call it Pabibo Sa Pyesta, sponsored by the Barbers clan.

One entertaining event is the Tuhog-tuhog Nan Dagum (Thread and Needle Shooting) Competition for the aged groups. Imagine how hard for them to shoot the thread on the hole of the needle with their blurry vision and shaky hands.

Then the Lumba Inom Tuba (Palm Wine Drinking Contest) participated by the drunkards in town. Look how they managed to consume the 2-galloon of palm wine...

..and how their fellow contenders laughed at each other when they seem to vomit the wine they've overdrunk.

And there was this Jagan Paatras (1 km. Reverse Running Contest) which is quite hard to do.

The last activity for the day was the Pasayan (Shrimp) Festival celebrating the abundance of the shrimps in the locality.

They are cooked in different ways and given to the audience after.

And on the 12th of September, my alma mater called for an Alumni Homecoming which i participated for the first time. Compared to the attendance of every batches that jampacked the venue, we quite gathered a good number.

Here we are... the SNNHS Batch 98.

...marched on the presentation of batches

...settled in a bar thereafter

...and when drunk, danced and enjoyed the night.

For 3 days i have experienced how to live without a phone. And i must say, it was a peaceful one. My phone was pickpocketed while i was busy taking pictures of the Palm-Wine Drinking Contest. Aside from that frustrating happening, it was still a very memorable fiesta celebration for me.

13 comments:

Ambo said...

I love to visit Surigao soon! Mukhang masaya ang fiesta dyan brother!

Ishna Probinsyana said...

Ang saya naman! parang gusto ko mapanuod yung Jagan Paatras! Wala bang video? :P Masaya din kapag walang phone no? Ilang beses ko na naexperience yan! Idol mo ko no? Hahahah. Joke lang JP! And honga pala, pareho kayo ng shorts nung kapatid ko! Wahaha

The Islander said...

@ambo.. yeah masaya naman kahit papano. madaming tao. pasabi ka lang pag gusto mo pumunta dito at isasama kita sa mga lakad. para atleast kaw naman mawalan ng cellphone. nyaha joke lang..



@ishna babe.. ibig sabihin pogi din sya? wow madami pala kami. nyahaha.
video ka jan e nawala na mga cp eh. hehe.

escape said...

dami paqlang nangyayari dyan. bibo ang mga tao.

Boying Opaw said...

miss na miss ko na talaga ang mindanao. huhuhuhuhu.

Anonymous said...

kabibo! laman gajud nan Surigao mingaw laman ako anhi huhuhu..ayus imo mga kuha JP punto gajud ka bibo jaon inom nan tuba naka dumdum ak sauna na an nakadaug sa inom tuba tuyog 24 hrs heheheh sa Caraga hospital nahikatuyog hehehe hain man kaw dapit ng huya baja?
sa tourism kaw nag trabaho?

pusangkalye said...

luto luto in the kalye reminds e of the bangus festival in Dagupan where people grill fish BANGUS in long lines......looks like a very festive place

The Islander said...

@dong.. medyo ayos din naman fiesta dito. pero not like the early decades na talagang mas alive. as of the moment kasi ginagawa pa yung multi-million provincial grandstand at gym kaya di maayos ang staging ng activities. pero ayos pa rin naman. masaya.

The Islander said...

@boying.. matagal ka na bang di nakakauwi ng mindanao?



@bomzz.. gun-o pa man baja imo uli diri? hahaha diri baja kaw adto na time? bibo balitaw. grabe kabibo pagsaysay ni lyndon barbers sa nahitabo. kay tagsukot kuno sija nan hubog pagmata didto sa caraga. hain na kuno ija premyo.

hehe dili ko taga tourism. waya ra lamang. blog blog ra about surigao.

The Islander said...

@tonyo.. parang napanuod ko rin yon sa segment ni marc logan. masaya nga ang event na ganito. matao. daming nag aabang ng luto na. haha.

Anonymous said...

ok yung jogging paatras ah! ;-)

The Islander said...

@caryn.. haha! really funny. nakakaaliw.

veta said...

be happy rakan if na snatched u fone kay mas in need cja kaysa sa imu.

why man wala kamu manhagad sa reunion? Batch 98 kaha ako huhuhu..kabibo kaha nijo. c maricel ug karen, what a big smile!