Ati Atihan 2008

Festival season is upon us! (Although really all year long seems like festival season in the Philippines) We kicked off the season with a bang at the Ati-Atihan Festival on the northern part of our island, Panay. Ati-Atihan is the most popular festival in the Philippines, famous for three days of constant parades and street dancing at all hours of the day or night. Celebrants of all ages paint their faces with black soot and wear bright, outlandish costumes and just dance, dance, dance! The Ati-Atihan, is a feast in honor of the Santo Niño, and you can see Santo Niño statues in people's arms all around the city dressed up just as outlandishly as the people holding it. Shouts of, "Viva kay Senor Santo Nino! Viva!" can be heard over the pounding drums. We had a great time and were happy to join in the dancing, drumming, and drinking that this religious celebration has become.