The week before
All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, Vigan City, the capital of Ilocos Sur, was
bustling with tourists. They came in droves during what used to be a low season
for the heritage city, famous for having the largest concentration of old
houses in the Philippines and as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. When the dark fell, the
city center became more festive, the locals joining the tourists for the events
and activities of the Raniag: Vigan Twilight Festival, an expanded celebration
of the Undas and Halloween, a Western holiday that has become increasingly
popular in the country.
“Our peak season
used to be summer. Recently, there seems to be no low season,” said Eva Marie
Medina, who had been Vigan City’s mayor for many years.
She credited this
partly to the Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEx), an
88.85-kilometer, four-lane expressway in Central Luzon, which opened a few
years ago and lessened travel time, to Vigan, 408 kilometers from Manila, on
the eastern seaboard of northern Luzon.
Also, aside from
the lovely charm of Vigan’s heritage and Ilocano culture, the tourists are
drawn here by different events.
“We have six
special events in a year. It’s our strategy to bring in more tourists,” Medina
revealed.
The festivities
start with the Longganisa Festival in the middle of January, which leads to the
feast day of the conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle, the city’s patron saint,
on January 25. The Holy Week during the summer also draws lots of crowds and is
full of religious traditions. The Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival of the Arts is
held in the first week of May, with the celebration of the feast day of the
Black Nazarene of Vigan’s Simbaan a Bassit, popularly called Apo Santo Cristo
or Apo Lakay. The UNESCO World Heritage Cities Solidarity Cultural Festival in
turn is held in early September. The Raniag: Vigan Twilight Festival, the
youngest of these festivals which is now on its sixth year, caps off the
year.
“We are thinking
of a food festival to be held in December,” revealed Medina, who also said that
they want to highlight how delicious Ilocano food is and how rich the culinary
traditions are.
This year, the
Raniag Festival is held from October 21 to 31, 2016, incorporating old customs
and traditions of Undas as well as introducing new events.
“When I was
young, when I was studying in Manila, I always looked forward to October, kasi
makikita mo mga relatives mo, mga kaibigan mo. It’s a time
for getting together and merry making while remembering our dearly departed,”
Medina related. “I thought why not create a festival so that homecomings will
be more festive at may relevance talaga. Thus, Raniag Festival
was developed. First, it was a two- to three-day affair. Now, it is a weeklong
festivity.”
Raniag means “light”
in Ilocano and for Medina lights are always connected with All Soul’s Day or Undas.
“We always light candles for our dearly departed,” she said.
Thus, all
activities are held during twilights and nights to emphasize the use and beauty
of lights.
“Many of the
festival’s features have connections to religious activities and local customs
and traditions,” Medina added. “I remember when we were little children, we got
together and played at the plaza. We ate arroz caldo. That’s why we have
the Arrozcalduhan sa Plaza Burgos as well as games and
entertainment.”
The festival was
highlighted by the Raniag Electric Float Parade, in which little floats, with
colorful lights and depicting fictional and urban legend characters related to
Halloween, paraded around the city center. Also a main event was street dancing
competition with several groups of usually students danced with lights and
Halloween themes.
In between, there
was Flight of Sky Lanterns at the modern Jardin de Caridad Memorial Park. The
event was inspired by the Yi Peng Festival of Thailand, famous for its use of
sky lanterns, which is Chinese in origin. The lanterns were adopted for the
local custom.
“It has been a
tradition for people to visit the graves of their loved ones,” Medina said.
“With the sky lanterns, mas madaling umabot sa langit ang prayers and
wishes mo as well as messages to our dearly departed.”
“It is a time for
remembering and for reunions as well as a way of thanking the Lord for giving
us the gift of life,” she added.
Another major
component of the festival was the World Costume Festival. Organized with the
Organization of International Scenographers, Theater Architects and
Technicians, the first World Costume Festival was held in May 2013 in Vigan
with entries from Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, Bangladesh, Georgia and the
Philippines.
“When we first
hosted the World Costume Festival, it was included in the Viva Vigan! Festival
of the Arts, but we thought that it is more appropriate for the Raniag
Festival. Additionally, it is a more comfortable time for foreigners since May
is very hot,” Medina said.
The second
holding of this showcase of imaginative fashion draw participants from
different countries including Indonesia, Japan and the United States. These
were paraded on the streets together with the costumes of co-sponsor GMA
Network’s fantasy television series Encantadia (2005), Indio (2013)
and Kambal Sirena (2014). The entry titled “Prabha” of the
Faculty of Engineering of Yogyakarta State University in Indonesia was adjudged
champion.
Other Raniag
events were the Candle Floater Ceremonies and Acoustic Competition at the
Celedonia Garden in the barangay of Beddeng Laud; the opening of a horror
house at the Leona Florentino House; a trick-or-treat activity around the city;
a Halloween party at the Legacy Superclub on Calle Crisologo; a Pokemon Lure
Party at the city hall; and the Black Light Color Run.
While Raniag:
Vigan Twilight Festival seemed inclined to be more festive, this year’s
celebration acquired an added meaning after typhoon Haima, locally known as
Lawin, the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2016, battered northern
Luzon, including Ilocos Sur, on October 19. According to acting mayor Kisses
Agdamag-Lim, the lights of Raniag Festival came to symbolize hope and rising
from the disaster.
