KANNAWIDAN Ylokos Festival

“Festivals are part of one’s custom, culture and traditions. They are there for us to celebrate. It help us forget our routine, it gives us some momentary, mental and physical relaxation and thus frees us from die shackles of monotonous work.”

 

If you are looking for a non-stop place where you can taste and witness different cultures and traditions of Ilocanos. There is one event that is for you to visit and not to miss. KANNAWIDAN Ylokos Festival, yes it is. This occurs annually in the province of Ilocos Sur. This festival aims to inform that we have this beautiful Ilocano culture, introducing it to the world and preserving and strengthening it despite the booming influence of technology.

Annually the provincial government of Ilocos Sur gives lots of effort to arrange this festival to make it incredibly awesome, fun, exciting and educational. To have knowledge about this festival: “KANNAWIDAN is an Iloco term which means “a feast of heritages, practices and products” in Ilocos Sur. This feast is in commemoration of the separation of the province of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte by the virtue of royal decree on February 2, 1818. Prior to this date, the stretch of Bangui in Ilococs Norte to Luna, La Union is called “Ylokos” which means is a term to refer the coastal inhabitants.” The Kannawidan Ylokos Festival was celebrated from January 29-February 13, 2015 that have various activities that surely worth it and as a way to promote tourism.

During the celebration, tribal dances were showcased coming from the tribal communities of the Ilocos Province. These tribal communities displayed their talents as well as their indigenous costumes with fascinated tourists and audiences of the affair. The trade fair, showcased the different One Town One Product (OTOP) of Municipalities constituting the provinces. There was a choir competition which turned the viewers to a WOW. A battles of beauty and brains was witnessed during the Saniata iti Ilocos Sur pageant. Our schoolmates also joined a contest pertaining the history of Ilocos and happily they brought home the bacon.

We, Ilocanos must be proud of to our own town.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN ILOCANO