Tan-ok Festival: A celebration of Ilocano greatness

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

On a starry night, the moon shone as performers enter the center stage at the Ferdinand E. Marcos stadium with about 30,000 people cheering for them.

Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag City (Champion) (Tan-ok 2013)

It was a night like no other. The best creative artists and talents from the 21 municipalities and two cities here gave their best to become this year’s grand champion during the December 6 celebration of Ilocos Norte’s “Tan-ok Festival of Festivals”, a celebration of Ilocano greatness shown in exquisite dance moves, unfolding the unique history, culture and tradition of a diverse population occupying this northern gateway of Luzon.

For three years now, the “Tan-ok ni Ilokano Festival of Festivals”, which Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos initiated, aims to rediscover the people of Ilocos Norte’s “sense of pride, unity and greatness” which the Ilocanos can truly be proud of.

Each municipality and city here regardless of their classification showcased their extraordinary dance festivals that reflects “who they are and what they stand for”—be it their unique products, livelihood, history, faith, tradition, natural heritage or a combination of all.

But for the first time this year, VIP tickets were sold at P1,000 each to raise funds for the construction of the new Philippine National Red Cross-Ilocos Norte Chapter building located adjacent to the Gov. Roque B. Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital as their original location at the city proper was already occupied by a big supermarket.

“For the first time, we are helping to raise funds for the Philippine National Red Cross, for their extraordinary efforts not only in times of calamity, but for the health and safety of our families,” Marcos said in her welcome statement.

She also emphasized how the PNRC Ilocos Norte Chapter helped in giving relief and emergency to typhoon Yolanda-affected areas, particularly Tacloban City.

“We thank them also for their unique and lasting contributions to the relief and emergency that is Tacloban City which has a special family connection to me and to all of us,” she added.

Each contingent came up with their own dance interpretations of their respective festivals. These were judged based on concept, particularly its relevance to the theme and clear storyline, performance, choreography, costume and props including originality.

Laoag City’s stellar performance of “Pamulinawen Festival”, a sequel of a courtship tradition by an Ilocano bachelor that fell in love to a girl named “Pamulinawen” who is also being wooed by a Spaniard bested other festivals, defending the title they also won last year.

LC is Tan-ok 2013 champs again 

The show’s biggest surprise, “Tadek Festival” by the Tinguians of Nueva Era ranked second. For the first time in the three-year history of Tan-ok, Nueva Era is so far the only tribal community that topped the competition.

Nueva Era’s Tadek performers gracefully stooped and danced to the beat as their way of celebrating thanksgiving for the new couple who are believed to bring forth blessings to the whole Tinguian community. 

Tadek Festival of Nueva Era (2nd place)

Nueva Era Mayor Aldrin Garvida, an Ilocano by blood and married to a Tinguian, former mayor and now Nueva Era Vice Mayor Carolyn Arzadon-Garvida of  Nueva Era said their presentation focused on their distinct customs and traditions showcasing the rich culture of the Tinguians, refraining from the incorporation of contemporary ideas to avoid confusion.

Batac City’s colorful “Empanada Festival”, which is considered the strongest contingent being on top for all the editions of Tan-ok took the third spot.

Empanada Festival of Batac City (3rd place)

This year, they focused on the joy and fun of making and selling empanada which come with smiling faces, as shown in their dance that showcased many dance genres, including scholarly performed Latin and modern contemporary dances.

Other remarkable presentations were by the municipality of Vintar whose performers flaunted as flaunted as white, red, and brown siwawers (a legendary bird that symbolizes the townsfolk’s valor), Banna town with its adorable ant mascots to showcase the townsfolk’s art of harvesting ‘abuos’ or ant eggs; Pinili was grandiose in presenting their famous white gold harvest known as garlic; Paoay was inviting with their 400-year old Guling-guling festival featuring the UNESCO-world heritage St. Augustine Church as background; Currimao with its Dinaklisan festival that depicts the fun and glory of fishing using the traditional and eco-friendly daklis (fishing net); and the gateway town of Badoc for its artistic interpretation of the legendary arrival of the image of the province’s patroness, La Virgen Milagrosa which at the same time pay tribute to Badoqueńo and Ilocano icon artist, the first global Ilocano painter, Juan Luna.

Siwawer Festival of Vintar (4th)

Panag-abuos Festival of Banna (5th)

Bawang Festival of Pinili  (6th)

Guling-Guling Festival of Paoay (7th)

Dinaklisan Festival of Currimao (8th)

Apparently investing on the Ilocano greatness, Marcos said, “This year we are talking about not merely one night of festivals, spectacles, tremendous dancing, we are speaking of an investment for the days and years to come.”

She added that the event aims to recall what the province stands for and make everyone proud that even if sometimes being a Filipino is confusion; certainly being Ilocano is clear-cut, emphatic, and proud.

This year’s Tan-ok festival became a crowd-drawer as television celebrities and respected personalities from the world of culture and the arts were chosen as judges for the competition.

They are former president and artistic director of Cultural Center of the Philippines Nestor O. Jardin, artistic director of Philippine Ballet Theater Ronilio Jaynario, artistic director, choreographer, and researcher of the Kalilayan Folkloric Group Rommel Serrano, producer of It’s Showtime Fulgencio Coching Follero Jr. and Sebum member Aira Bermudez.

Amian Festival of Bangui

Ani Festival of Dingras

Bac-bacarra Festival of Bacarra

Bado-Badoc Festival of Badoc

Basi Festival of Piddig

Binakol Festival of Sarrat

Damili Festival of San Nicolas

Gameng Festival of Solsona

Kurarapnit Festival of Pagudpud

Magdadaran Talip Festival of Carasi

Mannalon Festival of Marcos

Panagsana Festival of Pasuquin

Panagwawagi Festival of Dumalneg

Rambak ti Arak ken Saplid of Adams

Saniata Festival of Burgos

Returning for the second time as judges were the head of Cultural Center of the Philippines Dance Division Josie Guillen and president of Philippine Folk Dance Society Larry Gabao.

Tan-ok 2013 winners-Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag City

Other awardees are:

*Best Festival Music- Empanada Festival (Batac City)

*Best Female Performer- Judelea Pucan (Batac City)

*Best Male Performer- Mar Joseph Agbayani (Laoag City)

*Best Cultural Community- Dumalneg

*People's Choice Award- Bawang Festival (Pinili)

Prior to the Tan-ok festival competition, “The Ilocano Heroes Walk” was also inaugurated at the Rizal Amusement Park in Laoag City, unveiling at least nine busts of highly-revered Banuar ti Kailokuan (Ilocano heroes) namely: Gregorio Aglipay of Batac, the first Supreme Bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Indepediente, Josefa Llanes Escoda of Sarrat, founder of the Girl Scout of the Philippines, Gen. Artemio Ricarte of Batac, father of the Philippine Army during the Philippine revolution, the Luna brothers of Badoc—Juan and Gen. Antonio, as the first global Filipino and great painter, Teofilo Yldefonso of Piddig, the first Filipino and Southeast Asian Olympic medallist who introduce modern breast stroke in international swimming competition, the late strong man and longest-serving president of the Philippines, Ferdinand E. Marcos of Batac including the less known Anastacia Giron Tupaz of Laoag, founder of the Philippine Nursing Profession and Severino Montano, a nationalist playwright, also a native of Laoag.

The week-long Tan-ok festivity ended at the gateway town of Badoc on December 7 with the blessing and inauguration of its new chapel named after the La Virgen Milagrosa, as tribute to her. 
(Photos from PGIN-CMO and Danny Sabio)