KALIBO Ati-atihan History

Ati-Atihan is making one's self like the Ati or Aeta or pretending to be one. Kalibo's "frenzied and raucous" historical and religious festivity observed every second week and culminating on the 3rd Sunday of January came from that intent. Citizens, tourist and pilgrims in this town smear themselves with soot or any blackening substance to look like an Aeta-queer, but true.
Ati-Atihan is believed to have started in the year 1212 when Borneans led by the ten Datus packed themselves in several boats or "baeangays," (barangay) and crossed the seas to escape the unpopular regime of Sultan Makatunaw, Then landed in Panay Island and established the first community of the brown race in this country and the first union of states in Southeast Asia - the Confederation of Madyaas.

Few have the knowledge that the first Ati-Atihan was celebrated to seal a peace pact that united two races and peoples - the Aetas and the Malays with totally different cultures and spiritual creeds to embrace each other and give way to an enduring legacy of reconciliation that gave birth to the Philippine Nation. The commemoration of the Ati-Atihan Festivals in essence has become significant at this point in time when the entire nation is being swept with social, economic and political crises.

The saga od this great migration told and related for generation started in the Court of Brunei under the regime of Sultan Makatunaw whose insecurity and greed for power transformed him into tyrant after the collapse of the Sri-Visayan Empire and the remnants of its vast territory were at the mercy of the conquering hordes of Madjapahit warriors. The widespread discontent under Makatunaw's rule reached the point of a popular uprising and Datu Puti, his chief minister, together with his followers decided to leave and seek for peace in a new land.

One night the rebels under the leadership of Datu Puti, stealthily their "baeangays" and faced the seas for distant unknown destiny. Guided by the stars and favored by tropical winds, they reached the islands of Sugbu (Cebu). Parawan (Palawan) and Buglas (Negros), but the topography and the nearness of this islands to the island where they came from, discouraged their settling down. They were already bound in their direction of the islands of Romren (Romblon) when they were attracted by a silhouette of a mountain summit shaped like a salakot ("mangkusarok") in the horizon. The group that was already plagued by big waves, strong current, diseases, hunger and thirst in the high seas and whose most valued treasure in their possession they brought in their ecape was a "saruk nga bug-os nga bueawan" (golden salakot), interpreted the sighting as a good omen. They changed course and headed towards the beacon of the mountain and landed at the sunrise of the first "Tigueak" in 1212 A.D. in the island of Panay then called Aninipay - (named after a plant that abound in the place and whose fine unwashable bristles causes skin eruption and irritation which could not be easily cured). They named the Island Madyaas or paradise in contrast to the land they left behind.

With the party of Datu Puti and wife Pinangpangan were Datus Sumakwel with wife Kapinangan, Lubay, Balkasua, Bangkaya with wife Katurung, Paiburong, Dumagsol, Dumalugdug and Paduhinog with wife Ribungsapaw and their selected loyal subjects.

After the landing, they sought audience with Ati Chieftain Marikudo and offered to buy the entire island. After several weeks of negotiation, the plains of Panay was offered for peaceful settling of the Malays in exchange for a golden salakot, brass basins, bales of cloth along with a trinket for Maniwangtiwang (wife of Marikudo) the link of which reached her feet and a harvest for one summer of the produce of the sea, while the hinterlands remained for the Aetas.

A glorious celebration to seal the negotiation followed. The unending flow of native wine (tuba) and the sumptuous meal motivated the start of merry-making. The Malays in their effort to show appreciation and sincerity and to further befriend their host smeared themselves with soot from their cooking utensils to look like Aetas. The uninhibited spontaneous dancing of the two races lasted till the wee hours of the morning to the bet and music of native songs, "bagtoes" and drums of the Aetas and the Malays.

Thus started the first Ati-Atihan which was commemorated by Datu Bangkaya when he first established Madyanos or little paradise (later renamed Aclan which was also changed to Kalibo) at the bank of the Aklan River on the second Tagbueukad (Saturday) of Dagangkahoy (February).

When the ten datus founded their own settlements, Datu Bangkaya, the intellectual among the ten and the chief advisor of Datu Puti, established the town of Madyanos (little paradise) i the west bank of the Aklan river and there he commemorated the purchase of every harvest.

On how the Ati-Atihan became a religious feast, Aklanon historian Beato dela Cruz recounts:

"In 1750, one Fray Andres de Aguirre, a Basque companion priest of Fray Andres Urdaneta and explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi baptized in one day 1,000 inhabitants of the town and surrounding settlements in the place. To celebrate the eventful day, the drums of Aklan were sounded for this beneficial event and coincided with the existing Ati-Atihan feast. Thus, the present Ati-Atihan is tinged with religious fervor is now associated with miracles. Devotees nowadays participate in the street dancing, novena and masses or fall in line at the century-old Kalibo Cathedral just to let their bodies be massaged or rubbed with the image of the Sto. Niño" (de Kalibo).

The young however, has abandoned the old culture and religious significance in their street revelry and has adopted the modern stance of the computer age. They no longer smear their faces and bodies with soot but instead wear grotesque make-ups (or none at all) and outstanding costumes of their age. Other prefer mere t-shirt or poncho rather than the tribal garments of the 12th and the 13th centuries.

But the religious belief, the fervor, warmth, fun and gaiety, the pomp and the fun fare, historically and culturally identified with the Ati-Atihan - an expansion of proud customs and traditions and enduring legacy of peace and reconciliation - have remained untarnished through the passing of time from the celebration of the purchase of Panay in the year 1212 from chief Punuan Datu Bangkaya to Aklan Encomiendero Antonio Flores, from Cabeza Juan Matanga to Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo. For culturally, only Kalibonhons throughout the centuries have consistently given significance to this historical legacy as they posses the natural love for festivities. Every Kalibonhon's soul and soaring spirit "has the gift of rhythm and passion for music."