Canlaon City Festival
" THE PASAYAW FESTIVAL"
" THE PASAYAW FESTIVAL"
Canlaon City
This expression of religious fervor and gratitude, uttered loudly in a high-pitched accent of young performers, has cheered up everyone. The entire city reverberates with the infectious beat of drums as players rhythmically hammer out to the challenge – showing off their vim and vigor.
The participating tribes, with their most vibrant and multi-hued costumes, captivate people’s attention through their breathtaking performances amidst the scorching heat of the sun.
All these fascinating scenes and sights are just part of the whole picture which portrays the rustic splendor of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental. Every year, particularly on the 19th of March, this relaxing and tranquil place transforms into a lively landscape of merriment and enchantment. As a gesture of gratefulness to God for good crops and nature’s bounty, the city government spearheaded a colorful event dubbed as “Pasayaw Festival.” A highlight of the annual fiesta, Pasayaw (a combination of Cebuano words “Pasalamat pinaagi sa Sayaw” or thanksgiving through dance) is one of the most anticipated activities not only for Canlaonians but also those living in nearby towns and provinces.
“Pasayaw is a dance mardi gras in rhythmic movements performed by creative tribes to express joy and jubilation as a thanksgiving to the Almighty (through the intercession of St. Joseph, the city’s patron saint) for a bountiful harvest,” shares Sergio Marcos P. Buenavista, culture and arts officer of the city’s tourism office and artistic director of Pasayaw 2010. “It started as a religious-cultural activity in the late ‘80s and got a good review from both local and national pilgrims. It was eventually adopted by the local government and has become a permanent social attraction during the yearly patronal fiesta every March 19.”
The participation of the 12 barangays in this year’s festivity was overwhelming, where contenders flaunted their dancing flair and gracefulness.
With much passion and bliss painted on their faces, participants brought to the streets the spirit of devotion which rekindled the religiosity among spectators. As part of the contest mechanics, vegetables (as one of the locality’s principal products) and calla lilies (official flower) should be present in every group’s dazzling outfit and in all aspects of the performance. In both “street dancing” and “dance showdown” categories, standard steps were strictly followed and the tribe from Barangay Budlasan emerged as the over-all winner. A hefty P150,000.00 worth of projects through the City Development Council was awarded to the winning group.
“Our endeavors are geared towards tracing the roots of ‘Pasayaw’ and its spiritual dimension so as not to be totally transformed into a more secular festival, just like Sinulog in Cebu which is deeply rooted to its cultural and religious origins,” relates Buenavista. He adds, “I hope that this special event will soon render a more spectacular production similar to that of Bacolod’s Masskara, to be able to divert our farmers’ attention from the hassles of daily toil even just for a single day. This is also one way of filling their weakened psyche with euphoria and be able to share it with others to enjoy the fruits of the festivities.”
Pasayaw Festival merely illustrates how Canlaon moves towards harmonizing the aspirations and commitment of its citizenry for the locality worthy to be labeled as a “Highland Garden City.” A largely agricultural area blessed with cool weather and natural wonders, it is home to the highest peak of Negros island, Mt. Kanlaon. With a total land area of 16,662 hectares, majority of which is devoted to farming, the city is considered as a primary producer of rice, vegetables, sugarcane, and livestock in the province.
Situated 9.5 km from the foot of the majestic Mt.Kanlaon, it is no wonder that Canlaon City is replete with picturesque natural attractions such as waterfalls, hot springs, century-old tree, caves, as well as manmade lake and model farm.
The annual holding of Pasayaw Festival, albeit the little media exposure compared to other festivals in the country, is one avenue to showcase Canlaon City’s rich cultural and religious heritage. “It takes only political will to beat the odds, courage to pursue the event, and innovativeness to explore the diversity of our local traditions to make this event a tourism attraction and an economically viable enterprise,” concludes Buenavista.
