By Gideon C. Corgue
PAGADIAN CITY – The
opening salvo of “Pangadyian” Festival reenactment was held on Friday afternoon
at Wharf Area here.
The reenactment was performed
by the Melengas dance ensemble of the Western Mindanao State
University-External Studies Unit (WMSU-ESU) with a stage play production in
dances depicting the earliest historical account of Pagadian.
Dressed in their bright colored
costumes, the dancers offered a true-to-life dance ritual depicting the life of
Pagadianon’s in 1950’s and gave thanks to the miraculous Santo Nino for
extending special protection to the Subanons, the first settlers of Pagadian
City.
“Pangadyian festival” is a new
term coined by the Fiesta Executive Council and the city government officials
replacing “Pasalamat Festival”, an annual cultural and religious festival held
on the third Sunday of January, and is the center of the Santo Nino
celebration. Formerly the festival was called “Zambulawan” then it was changed
to “Pasalamat” and lately “Pangadyian.”
Sto. Nino Parish administrator
Rev. Father Rico Sayson, chairman of Fiesta Executive Council 2015 said “Pangadyian,”
according to the research
conducted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), historians,
writers, authors and media in Manila, is a term which connotes a thanksgiving
to patron saint, Sr. Sto. Niño, for all the
blessings received in the year.
Sayson cited two most important historical
accounts, namely, the horrendous Malaria outbreak which claimed hundreds of
lives of the residents, and the crossing over of early settlers on the Illana
Bay which they had experienced strong winds and huge waves every time they
would attempt to cross the sea.
“Because of their strong faith
and devotion to Sr. Santo Niño, the spread of malaria was
completely controlled and the infected malaria patients were miraculously
healed. Also, the early settlers were no longer experienced fear in crossing
the sea because raging storm of wind and waves calmed,” Sayson explained.
Sayson said there is a need for
the faithful Catholics to know the evolution of “Pangadyian Festival” for them
to fully understand that there was festival born in Pagadian, which the
faithful failed to appreciate and recognize in the past decades.
Sayson said during the annual fiesta
celebration, Pagadianons were used to copy the popular “Sinulog Festival” of
Cebu City. “We don’t have our own identity, thus, we need to implement our own
festival here,” he added.
Sayson said the church is
interested in preserving and promoting “Pangadyian” dancing as a living example
of a real and unique Cebuano culture.
In his message, Mayor Romeo
Pulmones was grateful to the Fiesta Executive Council for the reenactment
saying “it has provided the public especially the students a sufficient
knowledge on what the festival is all about.”
Pulmones also expressed his
profound thanks to the owners of business establishments for their active
support and cooperation adding that they have provided sound system in their
respective establishments and played the “Pasalamat Festival” jingle during the
procession of the holy image of Sr. Sto Niño in the major streets.
