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| photo Libacao, Aklan FB |
Originally, the street-dancing was started sometime in 1987 as conceptualized and initiated through the craftsmanship and artistry of creative and dynamic youth groups of Poblacion.
Bearing the spirit of unity, amity, solidarity and happiness in their minds and hearts, those youths grouped and organized themselves to assemble at the town plaza at dusk and started to beat drums and whatever noise-producing materials just to create noise and lively sounds, then begun to move out the streets chanting and yelling to express contentment, pleasure, cheerfulness and to drive away the evil spirit believed to poison the minds and bring bad omen to mankind.
Street dancers swaying to the tune of drum beats were also carting with them improvised torches to light up their way moving from one street corner to another around the Poblacion area. Participants come from all-walks of life, both young and old from well-off and less fortunate families and never minding of rains during inclement weather but rather felt the resounding joy, cheerfulness and solidarity that street-dancing brings them.
Later on, a group of local professionals advocating the tenacity of the purpose for joyfulness and unitysignified to openly support the street-dancing activity and unanimously resolved to name the festivity as KALI-UGYON, an acronym that means KALIPAY (happiness) and HILIUGYON (unity).
The created name does not only carry with it the literal meanings of the coined words, but rather transcends to its verbatim connotation.
The street-dancing does not only emphasize merry-making but rather exemplifies the Libacaonons’ strong faith and genuine gratitude to the Lord for bringing them His precious gifts as another year is about to peacefully end and yet here they are, still receiving the bounteous blessings of love for their family and mankind, and more significantly is the gift of life and good health.
Meaningfully, the event also demonstrates the sense of belongingness and ownership and social participation among the Libacaonon folks. Engaging in such a big activity entails much effort, patience and financial considerations. Participation is very important as a key to make this activity alive, successful and sustainable. It is understood that this festival is held annually to involve the whole municipality of 24 barangays. United effort must be inculcated in the hearts and minds of each participating group to emerge as a team to beat in the contest that will only fall should UNITY is not the name of the game.
Part also of the celebration is to accord the highest honor to Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the country’s national hero when he was shot to death by the Spanish authorities at the Bagumbayan (now Luneta) last December 30, 1896. A flower wreath is offered by each participating groups to his historical monument found in the town plaza of Libacao that has been preserved and protected by the Local Government in cooperation with the Department of Education.
Proof to this joint endeavour was the Certificate of Honor endowed to the Department of Education (DepEd), District of Libacao in 1998 by the Order of the Knights of Rizal, Supreme Council, Manila as a result of the Search for the Most Beautiful Monument and Park of the National Hero during the Centennial Year of his martyrdom.
The prestigious award shows the constant devotion of the district of Libacao and its people to the hero, its unerring eye to beauty, unique aesthetic sense, passion for cleanliness and orderliness and love for green growing things. It also gave importance to the noble desire to build a niche, a blessed spot, a lovely shrine worthy of a hero; hence a reflection of the love of country, nationalism and patriotism par excellence of the residents of Libacao.##
Rey Z. Orbista, Secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan of Libacao, Aklan
December 27, 2017; Updated: November 13, 2018
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