First Jinawa Festival

Posted by Steven Egay

For the Gigaquit Civic Club
December 10, 2008

Write-up by Jojo Patosa:

November 1, 2008 / Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, Philippines

Gigaquit is rich with nature’s bounty. Blessed with good people, rich cultural heritage and beautiful tourist spots.

Boosting Gigaquit tourism, JINAWA Festival ’08 came into action. Dated back 1860 during the term of Don Julian Parnada, adventurers people from Bohol landed and dwell in Poblacion Canlagsik and Hinambujan, Parang and Mahanub. The religious Bul-anon’s initiated Minoros and Jinawa to give honor during the feast of Patron Saint Senior San Agustin.

It has been believed that the drama/ theater presentation of Minoros and Jinawa after the procession of Senior San Agustin will give good weather during the Fiesta Celebration.

But oopps!!! It’s not what you’re thinking. I know what’s in your mind. Here’s the story line of JINAWA: The devil is called “Jawa” in the Surigaonon language. Thus, Jinawa means to act like the devil or in this local play, to perform the role of the devil.

Jinawa is a popular presentation or playlet performed in public during the town fiesta in honor of the Patron Saint, Senior San Pedro (St. Peter). As a theater presentation this is very popular most especially in the towns of Gigaquit and Claver, and quite possibly also in the neighboring towns of Bacuag and Placer to the North of Carrascal and Cantilan to the South where it has become a traditional performance have been preserved as such for many, many years and continues today.

Jinawa has a biblical theme and was originally introduced and performed by the early Christians in Gigaquit with the encouragement of the Spanish friars as a form of entertainment during the fiesta.

The Jinawa does not advocate and glorify the devil. On the other hand, its characters especially Lucifer and some of his minions like Rico, Remlan, Kalbunero, etc. try to tempt the faithful to follow them to hell but fail despite their almost irresistible enticement. In the end, good triumphs over evil and the play ends with the “Alabasyon” with the audience giving home mage to the town’s Patron Saint by exalting or shouting in unison: “Viva Kan Senior San Agustin’.

The First Jinawa Festival was held last Nov. 1, 2008 in Gigaquit as a way of reviving this traditional play.

The winners were:
1st place- Brgy. Alambique
2nd place and Best in Production Design- Brgy. Ipil
3rd place- Saint Augustine Parish Contingent
4th place and Best in street Dancing- GNSHI

Saint Augustine Institute did their special performance too.

It was an unforgettable experience for me then. Winning or losing doesn’t matter, what matters most was how we play the game and responded to the call to join the festivity.

Whooaa!!! The festival was indeed an entertainment.


Click this >> to see standard script of a Jinawa Play


Click the image below to enlarge . . .
Click arrow to play videos below . . .

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5

Track 6

Track 7

Track 8

Track 9

Track 10

Track 11

Track 12

Track 13

Track 14

Donors
The prizes for the First Jinawa Festival were donated by the following:
1st prize P10,000 by Gigaquit Civic Club
2nd prize P7,500 by Gigaquit Municipal Government
3rd prize P5,000 by Gigaquit Municipal Government

All other expenses related to decorations, sound system, etc. were shouldered by the Gigaquit municipal government.

In the future, it is hoped that majority of the funding requirements will be borne by the private sector.

Get full DVD copy . . .
Only selected videos of the 1st Jinawa Festival event are included in this topic. To get your complete DVD copy you may buy it from the Gigaquit Tourism Office by contacting Mr. Leslie Pingal at 09193590782.

You may also contact the Gigaquit Civic Club at (632) 8346306 for assistance.


Originally posted by Steve Egay at http://gigaquitnons.ning.com/