Nang Titang and the Sinug sa Casa

CEBU, Philippines - Estelita "Nang Titang" Diola and her group of dancers from Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City performed once more the annual "Sinug sa Casa Gorordo."

Eighty-five-year-old Nang Titang, the keeper of the sinug dance and beat, has been doing the ritual (dance offering) since she was a child. She performs the ritual on the Monday after the feast of the Señor Sto. Niño, also a day, according to Catholic tradition, dedicated for the souls of purgatory. Thus, when the dance offering was carried out, names of the dearly departed were read.

She began dancing the sinug at the age of seven. She learned to master the steps and the song prayers from her father, Buenaventura "Toring" Diola and studied how to beat the sinug from Macario "Iklot" Bontilao.

She recalled that before the advent of the Sinulog festival, groups from various barangays like Lahug, Busay, and Guadalupe would converge at the Sto. Niño Church, now Basilica, to perform the sinug ritual.

Sinug is a prayer ritual in a form of a dance performed at the altar or before the image of the Holy Child or the Sto. Niño. "Its precursor may have been a remnant of an indigenous dance practiced by the natives, which evolved from a ritual dance to the gods, to the Child Jesus or Sto. Niño," according to Dr. Joy Gerra of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

The sinug has two basic steps — the natural and the kinampilan. The natural step is the popularly known two steps forward, one step backward routine. The kinampilan has one step right forward and one step backward while the left foot stays in place. The dancers wore costumes that resemble the original outfits of the natives and the Spaniards.

The dance has three main characters — the Christians (dressed as conquistadores), the Muslims (dressed in pre-colonial costumes), and the Batang Hari or Holy Child. The ritual first shows the division of both camps — the Christians and the Muslims — but eventually through the intercession of Sto. Niño, the two rivals become united.

By the way, the Sto. Niño image or icon is placed on an altar, and not carried by the hands, as incorrectly practiced today by most dancers in the Sinulog festivity, this was emphasized.

Nang Titang, with the help of RAFI, continues to train, especially children, the sinug tradition for it to endure in the next years to come.

Sinug sa Casa Gorordo is a house tradition of the Gorordo family that has been continued by RAFI as part of its commitment to preserve the house traditions in its original form.

This activity last January 16 intends to foster the awareness of Cebuano cultural heritage and history among the local and international community.