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Published: January 19th 2009
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Dingle, Iloilo
Tita Cyn and Tito Pete's Backyard and their Nepa Hut So we made it to Tita Cyn and Tito Pete's in one piece. The live in the Provence which is like our country side. The roads there are a combination of dirt and cement. Take every pothole in the city of Chicago and put them on one street- thats how it felt driving through some of the provinces. We have potholes because of the snow plows - they have potholes because of all the rain. Apparently typhoon season in the Visayas can get bad. Tita Cyn & Tito Pete have farmland where they grow rice. They harvested it last week so I didn't get the chance to see them harvest it. hehe. They live in Dingle (pronounced Ding-li not like Dingle Berry). They built their house in 2000 and it's so nice. There's coconut trees, papaya trees, jack friut and coco trees on their property just to name a few. So we had fresh buko (young coconut) and Tita Cyn made us hot chocolate from her coco tree. Haha! Don't worry Steve I took pictures of the coco she made us. It's pretty peaceful there (aside from the roosters coo-coo-coo-cooing at 3:30 in the morning) and nothing to do but relax
Aujero Street! Dueñas, Iloilo
The street where Manong Hepti Aujero lives and where my lolo grew up and enjoy the breeze. They laso have a Nepa hut in their back yard! Tito Pete says he and Tita Cyn sometimes fall asleep on the porch of their Nepa Hut because there is a nice breeze there.
We spent most of our time in Iloilo relaxing but also tried to find relatives that my mom and aunties had lost touch with. Not far from where Tita Cyn lives is the town of Dueñas where my Great-lolo lived and where my lolo grew up (Lolo Papang Aujero - mom's side). My mom said she hadn't been there since they were in college. We set out from tita cyns to find a cousin of my moms. Hepti Aujero. When we got into town, my tita mila just asked someone if they new him and they gave us directions to his house. Haha! The town is that small. Luckily he was home and they were all able to reconnect. His house is beautiful and a very traditional style Filipino house that is decorated nepa style. After talking for a bit - mom actually figured out that Manong Hepti is actually her Tito not her cousin (and my lolo, I suppose). After
Lolos Lot
The place where my Lolos House once stood talking for a bit over coffee we took a stroll down the street...only to find the the street was named after my great lolo - Aujero St. Manong Hepti actually lives about 4 lots down from where my lolo's house was. Although it's no longer there and now has a small bahay (house) and a store there, it was nice to see where my lolo grew up and to hear stories of my mom and aunties when they used to visit there. We also tried to seek out another cousin of my mom but could not get in touch with her (also another Aujero).
On Saturday we took a trio out to Kalibo, Aklan for the Ati-Atihan. It's about 3 hours from Dingle, Iloilo. We rented a van and a driver. He picked us up at 4:00am since the festivities began at about 8 or 9am. I thought I would be able to sleep on the ride there but I was sooo wrong. It was probably one of the scariest drives of my life. It's sooo dark in the country side at night with winding roads some paved some dirt and lots and lots of potholes and the driver
Kalibo, Alklan
One of the Tribes in the Ati-Atihan Festival Parade of Tribes was going pretty fast. Hehe. The ride home was much better since the driver could actually see where the potholes were in the road. But we arrived in Kalibo with sore butts safely.
The parade of tribes began at 9:00am so we went into town to the Jolibee (a filipino fast food chain) and had breakfast. The Ati-Atihan was the first festival of its kind (Sinulog in Cebu, Dinagyan in Ilo Ilo, etc. all followed the Ati-Atihan festival). There are many different accounts as to how the festival actually started but the two main beliefs. One is that the festival was first held after a peace pact was reached by the Aetans and the Malay Settlers from Borneo when they reached Panay Island. To celebrate the peace after the years of war and to show unity the Malays covered themselves in soot to represent the Aetans (the aboriginal people were black Filipinos). Another version says that the datus led by Datu Puti were fleeing their homeland from their cruel ruler in 1212 and they landed on Panay Island. They negotiated with the Aeta Cheif for purchase of the island from the Aeatan inhabitants which became known as the "Barer
Dancin' - Tribal Style
Mom, Tita Nen and Me dancing with one of the tribes in the parade of the Panay". This barter was then followed by a festival ceremony said to last several days to honor and welcome the new settlers. In the 18th century it is said that a Spanish Priest moved the date of the festival to coincide with the feast of the Sto. Niño after he baptized 1,000 inhabitants of Kalibo. Which is why the festival is both a religious celebration and "merry making" of the Aetans.
Kalibo was hit very hard this past June by a typhoon Frank that left the city underwater and without power for days. Tita Mila was actually there when they typhoon hit. It was nice to see the city so alive after such devastation. The city streets were jam packed with thousands of tourists to see this festival. The celebration is actually a week long festival but the main attraction is the Ati-Atihan tribe contest where tribes compete in four different categories (Aboriginal, Original Tribe - Small, Original Tribe - Big and Modern). This parade of tribes is the portion we were able to see. It was a very nice experience to see all the different designs in tribes costumes all tribes marched to one same beat (see video). There's also the trademarked step (see video). This festival, unlike the others, you are able to go into the parade and dance with them. So we did. 😊 All in all I am glad we made the horrendous drive to Kalibo to see it - since I never know when I would ever get the chance to go there again.
So today (it's about 11:42am, Monday - 9:42pm, Sunday Chicago Time) Mom, Dad (dad came back from Cebu early, and I wil just relax. I think i will have another in home mani and pedi (the Ati-Atihan was really hard on my feet - hehe.) and get ready for Nancy's arrival! I am so glad she is on her way here as I am starting to get just a little bit homesick....but then I hear reports of the weather and I get oer that pretty quickly. Nancy leaves in just over 24 hours and will make the long journey here. Once she get's here the trip is pretty non stop so I will take this moment to breath and fight off the cold I think I might be getting.
Much love to all of you back home - I will pack some warm weather and bring it home.
xoxo
Peanut
I hope all
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Nancy
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i'm so excited...and i just can't hide it
so it looks like you are having a blast!! i just finished packing and can't wait to leave....well i'm not looking forward to the flight... but **fingers crossed** maybe i'll get an upgrade lololol ... see you soon