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Dinagyang

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Dinagyang

The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and cultural festival held annually on the fourth Sunday of January in Iloilo City, Philippines, in honor of Santo Niño, the Holy Child, and to commemorate the historic pact between the Malay settlers and the indigenous Ati people of Panay. It is considered one of the largest festivals in the Philippines, attracting 1 to 2 million people during the weekend celebration.

The festival is renowned for its Ati Tribes Competition, where tribu or tribal performers in "Ati warrior" costumes with large feathered headdresses present choreographed formations, rhythmic chanting, and drum performances depicting the history of Panay. Other highlights include the Kasadyahan Festival, which showcases cultural festivals from various parts of Western Visayas, and ILOmination, a night parade with tribal performers in illuminated costumes. The main weekend festivities also include religious processions and street parties.

As the most awarded festival in the country, it has been named the best tourism event by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) for several years. It is also sometimes referred to as the 'Queen of All Philippine Festivals.'

The word Dinágyang came from a Hiligaynon word extrapolated from dágyang, meaning "merrymaking." The term was coined by the late broadcaster Pacifico Sudario in 1977 to name the festival. Prior to that, the festival was known as the Iloilo Ati-atihan.

The festival celebrates the Santo Niño, the Holy Child (or Infant Jesus), and marks its arrival in Iloilo, while also commemorating the pact between the Datus and the indigenous Ati people following the arrival of the Malay settlers, the legendary barter of Panay Island from the natives, and the Maragtas story, which, though significant in local tradition, remains debated as either fact or myth.

Dinagyang, initially known as Iloilo Ati-Atihan, began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, the first Filipino Rector of the Augustinian Community and Parish Priest of the San Jose Parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in November 1967 after observing the Ati-Atihan Festival in the province of Aklan. On 1968, a replica of the original image of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez.

The people of Iloilo welcomed the image, along with followers from Cebu, upon its arrival at Mandurriao Airport.

"as a gift to the Parish of San Jose. The faithful, led by members of Confradia del Santo Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport and parading down the streets of Iloilo."

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