Similar with several colors representing the Ati-atihan Festival in Panay, the story behind this celebration is full of color,or controversy to put things straight.
While it is always virtuous to grant forgiveness, it is logical to give credit to where it is due.
Today, people are going to ati-atihaan festival with the Sto. Nino in mind. This could be a good point but history will reveal that Ati-atihan Festival is rooted on the friendship between immigrants from Borneo and Ati (Negritos).
According to the history, a group of people from Indonesia bought a piece of land from the Ati. These Ati people are first occupants of the Philippine Island; they are brown in complexion, small, and kinky haired.
On the agreement, the People from Indonesia was able to bought the low lands and the Ati decided to stay on the mountain top. However, famine came. Desperate to survive, the Ati came down to low lands and asked for some food to eat. The other group gladly offered food and from then on, the friendship tie was established.
In celebration of this friendship, the Atis danced in honor of the People from Borneo and the Borneo people painted their faces with black to show the same gratitude.
However, the Spaniard came to the Philippines and inserted religious belief of the celebration. Years passed and the people forgot about the real essence of the the Ati-Atihan Festival.
Today, most tourists who comes to Panay to hop from one island to another or splurge in various hotels boracay are including ati-atihan festival in their list of venues. Every year, people from hotels boracay are washing their feet off to come shoulder to shoulder with other tourist to witness the fetival on the third week of January.
Colorful costumes and tireless dancing characterize this celebration of Filipinos hospitality.
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