The Iloilo City Government is preparing to introduce another festival as another platform for preserving Ilonggo culture and heritage through dances.
The “Saot Ilonggo: Iloilo Traditional Folk Dance Festival” will be formally launched on Friday, said Festival Director Ramil Huyatid.
It will be the youngest festival of Iloilo City, joining the Dinagyang Festival, Iloilo Guimaras Paraw Regatta Festival, Chinese New Year, and the Iloilo Bike Festival, which is happening on the last week of this month.
“Our purpose is to create our own research folk dance. There are a lot that can be the subject of research. Every district of our city has a story worthy of research,” Huyatid said in an interview on Thursday.
Among the possible topics for research dance are the Feast of Candelaria and the all-male saints in Jaro district, the Sta. Ana Church and its all-female saints in Molo, the Chinese invasion also in the district of Molo, the historical Calle Real, street folks, and a lot more, he said.
The book by national artist for dance Francisca Reyes Aquino and other folk dance authorities identified Paseo de Iloilo, La Jota San Joaquiña, Bucasoy, and Kuratza as among the dances from Iloilo, but they came from the municipalities and none in Iloilo City.
Saot Ilonggo will form part of the activities for the Charter Day celebration every August.
During its initial presentation next month, there will be a small competition to introduce the festival.
After the launching on Friday, he said they will gather stakeholders to prepare for the biggest staging in 2025.
“We will be gathering enthusiasts in one venue. We will make this one of the biggest festivals in the city,” he added.PNA
