🇵🇭 VIGAN • Binatbatan Festival: A Festival of Cottons and Fabric

"Binatbatan Festival traces its roots from the abel weaving industry of Vigan which has been in existence even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines."

The streets were closed, people flocked in certain locations. Drums are beating loud and clear. Colorful costumes are being worn by the street dancers as they proudly proclaim "Viva Vigan!" Binatbatan festival has emerged to be one of the largest cultural gatherings up north the Philippine archipelago.

Wearing clothes made from abel Iloko, a woven fabric endemic in the Ilocos Region, Binatbatan Festival is not merely just a festival. It depicts the rich culture and old industries of Vigan.

Binatbatan Festival traces its roots from the abel weaving industry of Vigan which has been in existence even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines. It comes from the word batbat, a pair of bamboo stick used to separate cotton pods that come from a tall tree called kapas sanglay. The word "kapas" from kapas sanglay means "cotton" in Ilocano.

Street dancers of the Binatbatan Festival joyfully and cheerfully wave their "batbat," some simulate the method done by abel-weavers in separating the cottons as they gracefully perform the process artistically with the beat of the drums and lyres rolling around the historic streets of the heritage city of Vigan.

Binatbatan Street Dancers also carry with them a basket at their back where they place the cotton pods taken from the kapas sanglay tree. Kapas sanglay tree bears fruits that dries up at the branches of the tree itself then just falls off after the fruit splits by itself exposing the seed-filled cottons inside.

The products of the "Binatbatan" process in abel-weaving is now seen at the clothes of the participants of the street dancing -- they are wearing the abel Iloko fabric.

The photo above are street dancers performing in front of Crisologo Museum along Liberation Boulevard in Vigan. Notice, the museum at the background. Abel Iloko fabric is placed hanging at the windows of the ancestral house as seen at the parade route.

It was undeniably a hot day but the street dancers continued to wear smile of pride with their rich culture and heritage. From Vigan's bustling Quezon Avenue, until the busy Liberation Boulevard to the peaceful and quiet Calle Crisologo, the street dancing becomes more exciting overtime.

Even little kids who join the street dancing gave their best shot without any mark of complain or exhaustion at their face.

I am overloading this post with photos and sorry for that :->

This is Binatbatan Festival - a fusion of culture, arts, industry history and heritage under one colorful event.
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