From the historical point of view as far is tradition is concerned, the Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival in honor of the Sto. Niño is a pagan festival raised to the level of Christianity where human established customs and traditions were transformed in a collective display of faith.

Long before the Ati-Atihan Festival was identified with the Sto. Niño, the Filipinos share a common belief in the redemptive role of the Sto. Niño in the life of a Christian.

The Diocesan Shrine of Kalibo dedicated to the Sto. Ninño becomes the center of the faith of the Aklanos and devotees every third Sunday of January each year.

Various practices such as thepalapak and the pahalik draw a multitude of faithful and believers to the shrine to venerate the image of the Holy Child, who, over the years, has become the image of God’s fatherly love to His children. The Holy Child’s innocent image brought comfort to countless souls in search of repose and solitude. And most of all, we, Filipinos have found refuge in the caring arms of a child who holds the world in His hands.

The Sto. Ninño in his simplicity reminds us subtly that in order for us to go to heaven, we must be like little children who are innocent from sin, oblivious to the wicked ways of this temporal world, and full of hope and trust in God, the Father of us all.

The Ati-Atihan Festival:

The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Nino, concluding on the third Sunday, in the island and town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. The name “Ati-Atihan” means “to be like Aetas” or “make believe Ati’s.” Aetas were the primary settlers in the islands according to history books. They too are the earliest settlers of Panay Island where the province of Aklan is situated.

The festival consists of tribal dance, music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and parade along the street. Christians, and non-Christians observe this day with religious processions.

Kalibo Food Festival:

The food festival began in 1995 at Kalibo’s S. Martelino Street fronting the historic Kalibo Pastrana Park . Through the years, it has become a tourism come-on of the town, aside from the annual Señor Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Festival every third week of January.

Kalibo is also associated with piña cloth industry, perhaps the best example of superb handmade craft. Whatever fashioned into, handkerchiefs exquisitely embroidered, worn by women as delicate baro and protective panuelos sometimes with designs interwoven, or selected as ultra formal Barong Tagalog by the men, sheer piña immediately displays the fortitude and skill needed to leave together such fine fibers extracted from pineapple leaves.

💟Culture/s: Pampanga is known as passion food because they can really cook, so that they call it as Culinary Capital of the Philippines.

💟Belief/s: Most kapampangan people are religious and love the good life. They can’t last a week without “malling,” movies and mahjong. They believe that when they have Nilagang pata to serve on the table when having an event that means they have a good life.

💟Tradition/s: Giant Lantern Festival dancing lights are being judge and display every Saturday before Christmas. The Sabuaga Festival in the town of Santo Tomas in Pampanga is an annual gathering of townsfolk where petals and confetti literally rain on the parade.

💟Custom/s: Kapampangans talk loud when they’re together. They enjoy listening to themselves and to the sound of their language. 

 BELIEFS 

 TRADITIONS 

CUSTOMS 

We have devotion to our traditions.

🧚‍♀️Belief

🥳Tradition

✅Customs

Another most used dialect is Hiligaynon or Ilonggo. Most of the terms in Masbateño are derived from this dialect. This is commonly used in the southwestern part of the peninsula which is pointing towards Panay group of islands.

Another most used dialect is Cebuano. It is commonly used in the southern part of the peninsula which is pointing towards Cebu.  While most people in Burias speak Bicolano, some of them speak Cebuano.

Finally, although quite a few only speaks in this language, one of the most used dialect is Bicolano,  The Bicolano language comes in many forms but the most commonly used in Masbate is similar to that in Legazpi City, Albay.

If you are new in Masbate like me, Masbateños are fluent in tagalog and english so you won’t have a hard time communicating with them.