HALA BIRA-2

HALA BIRA! ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL Group 4 Francisco, Sean Grefalda Lamorena Ramos, Mariel Uy Valdez

HALA BIRA! ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL

HALA BIRA! ATI- ATIHAN FESTIVAL is a celebration in honor of the Infant Jesus, the town’s patron. Ati-Atihan, observed in honor of the Child Jesus. Ati-atihan means ‘making like Atis,’ that is, pretending to be like the aboriginal natives that once inhabited Aklan. This involves smearing oneself with soot to darken the skin and dressing up in tribal finery. The start of the procession is signaled by drums and whistles, and later punctuated by shouts of “Hala Bira!” A week-long festival simultaneously held during the province’s founding anniversary celebration on the 25th of April each year. It is a product showcase of world class craftsmanship and ingenuity using indigenous raw materials such as abaca, piña fiber, and raffia. The festival aims to promote, preserve and develop the loom-weaving industry in the province, hoping to establish Aklan as the handloom-weaving destination in the country.

HALA BIRA! DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUME Ati-atihan festival is known to be a very colorful festival, that’s why people who participate, attend, or celebrate this festival in the province of Aklan, tend to wear colorful patchworks of coconut shells, feathers, fronds, dried banana leaves, woven mat, and many more. Our own version of the costume for the Ati- atihan festival consists of a headdress, an armor-like top, a cape, and some types of “bahag” placed in the lower part of the body. Starting with the headdress, a bunch of colors are placed in the upper part of the headdress. Also, a heart shaped opening is formed in the face of the headdress. While in the upper body part of the costume, it’s an armor-like top with a pointy shoulder, we can also notice that we placed some balls with yarn that is hanging in the shoulder part of the top. Series of colors are placed in the front and the back part of the armor. A cape is also included that has the length of shoulder to feet. Various colors and different designs can be found in our designed cape. Lastly, a group of “bahag” are wrapped around in the lower part of the costume, placed in the thighs and knees, designed with different colors.

HALA BIRA! ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL is a celebration in honor of the Infant Jesus, the town’s patron. Ati-Atihan, observed in honor of the Child Jesus. Ati-atihan means ‘making like Atis,’ that is, pretending to be like the aboriginal natives that once inhabited Aklan. This involves smearing oneself with soot to darken the skin and dressing up in tribal finery. The start of the procession is signaled by drums and whistles, and later punctuated by shouts of “Hala Bira!” A week-long festival simultaneously held during the province’s founding anniversary celebration on the 25th of April each year. It is a product showcase of world class craftsmanship and ingenuity using indigenous raw materials such as abaca, piña fiber, and raffia. The festival aims to promote, preserve and develop the loom-weaving industry in the province, hoping to establish Aklan as the handloom-weaving destination in the country.

HALA BIRA! ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL is a celebration in honor of the Infant Jesus, the town’s patron. Ati-Atihan, observed in honor of the Child Jesus. Ati-atihan means ‘making like Atis,’ that is, pretending to be like the aboriginal natives that once inhabited Aklan. This involves smearing oneself with soot to darken the skin and dressing up in tribal finery. The start of the procession is signaled by drums and whistles, and later punctuated by shouts of “Hala Bira!” A week-long festival simultaneously held during the province’s founding anniversary celebration on the 25th of April each year. It is a product showcase of world class craftsmanship and ingenuity using indigenous raw materials such as abaca, piña fiber, and raffia. The festival aims to promote, preserve and develop the loom-weaving industry in the province, hoping to establish Aklan as the handloom-weaving destination in the country.