The 20th anniversary celebration of the Cofradia Del Santo Niño (Blacktown) was held last Sunday, 17th January 2010 at Good Shepherd Church at Plumpton.
Better known as the Sinulog Festival, the event honours the infant Jesus, and this year, over 3,000 devotees came to participate in the day of prayer and festivities.
A nine-day novena preceeded the event culminating in a triduum mass. This was followed by the procession and the Sinulog dance ritual performed in synch with the drumbeats.
A sumptous feast was laid out for the devotees and participants as donated by the parishioners. This year, Noble Beverages, came to the party again and provided 960 litres of “Pureau” pure water in casks.
Sinulog comes from a Visayan word, sulog which means ‘water current’ which describes the two-step forward-one-step back of the Sinulog dance which is performed to the beat of the thundering drums.
As tradition dictates, the festival goes back to the arrival of Magellan on Philippine shores. The statue of the infant Jesus was a gift to Hara Amihan (Queen Juana), wife of Rajah Humabon who was converted to catholicism. After her baptism, along with the rulers of the island and some 800 natives, Queen Juana danced in jubilation.
This traditional Philippine festival is held annually and continues to grow every year.
