The Radiant Spirit of Binatbatan Festival

Binatbatan Festival Boasts Joyful Colors That Promotes Fabric Culture

Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, a city that’s been preserved in time. It has the street plan of traditional Hispanic checkerboard style. It is unique for having preserved much of its Hispanic colonial character, particularly its grid street pattern and historic urban lay out. Its significance also lies on how the different architectural influences are blended to create a homogenous townscape. The city’s impressive architecture matches its people. Local artists thrive in keeping the city vibrant through Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival of the Arts that is being celebrated from the last week of April to the first week. The said festival boasts joyful colors that envelopes, promotes and preserves the livelihood or industry of the local fabric. The festival’s name was taken from the Ilocano term batbatin which means separating the cotton balls from the seeds from the local fruit kapas sanglay. Binatbatan Festival traces its roots from the abel weaving industry of Vigan which has been in existence even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines.

Culminating this week long celebration, the main highlight is the featuring Binatbatan street dancing, showdown competition wherein participants use "abel" (woven cloth) costumes and sway in their original panagbatbat dances. The street dancing started in front of the Vigan Cathedral, and ended along Crisologo Street, where old houses were festooned with abel iloco decor for the house decorating contest. Street dancers were performing gracefully with their colorful props and costumes that was created with abel as they proudly say “Viva Vigan” also to a magnificent choreography of their performance that was inspired by the weaving process of abel iloko. We can really say that the celebration of festival is very fun, entertaining to watch, holds attention and gives pleasure and delight to the audience.

Nowadays, it is really difficult and critical to celebrate this year’s festival. Life of a festival goer now has seen a dramatic twist with COVID-19 as the diabolical nemesis. All the exciting festivals that one would look forward to in can no longer be experienced this year as public gatherings could only worsen the spread of the virus. However, even though we are in the midst of pandemic right now, the city government were still able to find ways to organize events of this festival by taking things online to guarantee Bigueños to settle and celebrate this special occasion and also to make sure their safety against the virus. 

During the one-week duration of the festival, even though performers and dancers cannot hear and feel the warm applause of audience, they still joyfully and cheerfully wave their "batbat and continued to gracefully perform following the health protocols like social distancing and wearing face shields. The other activities like the Abel House Decor Competition, Boklan Art Competition and Samiweng Chorale Competition were also been able to push through digitally using social media platforms.

The days are colder, the nights are longer and COVID-19 lockdown restrictions continue and although the good old days of celebrating the Binatbatan Festival of Festival were far better than today but still Bigueños made this a memorable one filled with joy, happiness and merriment though a drastic change has occurred. It is important that we hold onto the meaning of these year’s festival celebration all the more if we cannot mark it in the way we might have in the past. The festival signals the continuity of life. The celebration of it means the continuing flow of life’s challenges and triumphs. In simple words, accepting the reality of our situation without holding on to the hope that maybe things will return to ‘normal’ in time. Under and beyond the grandeur of the costumes and props seen in this festival shows the spirit of unity and resiliency.

 

Multimedia Reference:

Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival of Arts Banner

https://www.tuklaserangmatipid.com/2012/05/binatbatan-festival-of-arts.html

Binatbatan Street Dancing Online

https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/balitangamianan/regionaltv/39191/balitang-amianan-binatbatan-festival-2021/video

Boklan Art Competition Home Edition 2021

https://images.app.goo.gl/9SiGMNuJxQN7mF3J6

Binatbatan Festival Street Dancing

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/349943833516938884/