SUGBUANON CONFUSION OVER SINULOG OR SINUG:TAUSUG HAS THIER OWN DEFINITION!

Neldy Jolo

Cebuanos are debating the correct name to the Cebu Sinulog Festival honouring Señor Santo Niño at Cebu every third Sunday of January according to tradition. Sinulog is also celebrated at Digos, Davao del Sur.

A more than 80 year old lady Estelita Diola or known as Nang Titang pronounced Sinulog as Sinug. Nang Titang is being acknowledged as “the Keeper of the Sinulog Beat” by the Cebuano Studies Center, University of San Carlos.

Jobers Bersales concluded in his article “Sinug or Sinulog?” that “Sinulog is Sinulog and has never been “Sinúg’” Mr. Bersales was surprised as said that Sinulog was once exist as Sinug in the pre-Spanish period.

Mr. Besales also simply said that it was the penchant of Cebuanos in the urban areas to remove letter ‘L’ from almost every Cebuano word.”

Mr. Bernales stressed that, “Whatever the case, the practice has stuck but to say that “Sinúg” is the older word is untenable. No dictionaries of the early missionaries down to the end of the Spanish period ever mention any “Sinúg””

Nang Titang called her dance as “Sinug Dance”, of two steps forward and one step backward. The dance steps are depicting the movements of the sea current called “Sulug” which is the original steps of Sinulog steps.

Mars G. Alison writes, “Sinug is the traditional prayer-dance for people seeking personal intentions...Back then, it was not a contest but purely offering”.

The possibility of the word “Sinulog” to exist accordingly was from the earliest photograph of the “Sinulog” found in Felix Laureano’s “Recuerdos de Filipinas” published in 1895.

In the exact reproduction of the photo in 2001 in the translated book by Felice Noelle Rodrigues labelled it as “Sinulog or Moro-Moro”. It was even describe that “Sinulog or Moro-Moro” as performed during fiestas.

The Cebuanos traces the Sinulog dance from the Raja Humabon’s wife Nuyla or Juana. She dances upon receiving the image of Señor Santo Niño as gift from the group of Ferdinand Magellan after accepting Catholic faith.

Accordingly, historians assumed that traditionally, Cebuanos dancing the same upon seeing the image of “anito.” They also trace the dance in the story of Baladhay; saying while Baladhay was sleeping in the Nuyla’s room suddenly wakes up and dances with Santo Nino.

Sinug in Sulu Archipelago does mean “utterance of Bahasa Sug or Sulu language.” Sinug was a short form of Sinulug from the word Sulug also means sea current. Sinug also mean as “Of Sulu”, “Of Sug” or "Of Sulu language". Like “Of Samal or Of Sama” as Siamal, Sinamal or Sinama.

Sulu people or Tausug is commonly to silent the letter “L” in the middle of the word, thus Sulug shortened to Sug. Sug referring to the sea current and people’s collective identity and Sulu to the country based from the sea current of the Sulu Sea along Sulu Archipelago, thus signifying Sulu as the “Island Country of Southeast Asia.”

To clear out the uncertain origin of the word Sinulog or Sinug in Cebuanos, the Tausug has the point view based from lingual and historical interpretations. It could be interpreted that Sinulog or Sinug dance was performed by the Sugbuanon in the pre-Spanish time when the Sulu diplomat are coming to Sugbu (wave) that time.

The dance could be derived from the dance offering of the Sugbuanon to the Sulu people or Tausug and named it Sinulog or Sinug. They honoured the arrival of the Tausug with the dance as they perhaps then part of the Sulu dominion. They dance with personal intentions to thank the visit of their leaders coming to their island.    

While Sinulog dance was labelled as “Moro-Moro” by the Spanish, the possibility of the named Sinulog was taken from Tausug or Sulu is confirmed per interpretation.

The ambience of the happy offering was changed the perception of the Sugbuanon towards the Tausug. This was happened when the Spanish turned the move of Tausug to combat Spanish colonialism as “Piracy”.

The Spanish colonialism to Visayas was so intense until everybody converted to Christianity. That’s how Spanish changed the culture of the Cebuanos, but failed to subjugate and Christianize Tausug.



Source: http://www.travelph.ganiboi.com/

 When the Tausug arrived to Visayas Island, the people there will be shouting “El Moro! El Moro!” and ran towards the mountain.

The called “Moro Raids” is depicted in the dance in Salakayan Festival being celebrated in Iloilo. Salakayan for Tausug is “Sakayan” meaning outrigger boat.

The legend of Sulu Sail or Layag Sug will be coming soon as independent film. Let us witness and be part of its making. You could be producer, co-producer and many more!