Silhig Festival: Paknaan dancers showcase barangay’s pride

EIGHT dancing contingents with colorful costumes joined the 5th Paknaan Silhig Festival last Sunday.

The program started at 2:30 p.m. with a two-kilometer street dancing from Jayme street to a reclamation area near the Cansaga bridge, where the dance showdown was held.

This year’s festival, with the theme “Silhig: Panaghugpong sa Paknaan Alang sa Mauswagong Kaugmaon” aimed to promote the barangay’s pride as the no. 1 and original maker of silhig lanot (broom made of buri tree fibers). The event was also in celebration of the barangay’s fiesta last Feb. 7.

The participants, all from Paknaan, were Lumad Paknaanon of zones gabi, kamunggay and ube; Tribu Calupi of zones kamote, pechay and luy-a; Pundok Tulaynon of zones kamatis, sibuyas and repolyo; Pundok sa Nagkahiusang Kabatan-onan sa 6.5 of zone ahos; Tribu Mongkarpasa of zones mongos, carots, paliya and sayote; Tribu Sikata of zones sili, kamansi and talong; Tribu Oktaba of zones okra, talong and batong; and Tribu Lumad Kagapihanon of zones okra, sikwa, kalabasa and patatas.

The Lumad Kagapihanon was declared champion with a prize of P25,000. The group also received P15,000 for Best in Silhig steps, Best in Choreography and Best in Street Dancing.

First-runner up Pundok Tulaynon won P20,000, They also won the Best in Andas. The second runner-up was awarded to Pundok sa Nagkahiusang Kabatan-onan sa 6.5 with P15,000 cash prize. The non-winning contingents received P8,000 as consolation prize.

The 2016 Paknaan Silhig Festival Queen was won by Paknaan Elementary School pupil Kyla Tecling of Tribu Mongkarpasa. She received P5,000. The group also won the Best in Costume with P5,000 cash prize.