Sinulog Heritage

The Sinug or sinulog to the Cebuanos was an indigenous dance practised by the native population in pre-hispanic Cebu. The adaptive mechanism of culture evolved this pre-Hispanic ritual dance to the gods to the Child Jesus or Santo Niño. Dancing to the Beat of the drums and to the verbal prayers of praise and thanksgiving, penance, and petition for one's needs is experienced. The supplicant or intercessor shouts the petition or name of the person asking for prayer; for example, "Pit Señor! Kang Juan kini!"

This religious ritual is done on the Monday after the feast of the Santo Niño, a day for souls in Catholic Tradition. The prayers are for the eternal repose of all the souls in purgatory, especially the deceased Gorordos.

About Sinug-Sinulog:
Sinug is a dance ritual as prayer performed at the altar before the image of the Holy Child Jesus or the Santo Niño. It may have its origins in the Pre-catholic Cebu that imitates water current, sug. Today, it is popularly synonymous with the word "Sinulog", a dance mardi gras with steps patterned after the traditional dance form  while holding and lifting the image of the Santo Niño in the parade.

Etymology:
In the Cebuano Language,  the letter "L" is usually not enunciated and can be written off in words that contain the letter in-between. Example: Balay -- Bay (House); Dalan -- Dan (Road); Kalayo -- can be spoken into Kayo (Fire). However, although assumed to be the same at first, the sinulog has become the dance mardi gras  performed during the annual festival, while the sinug retains the traditional dance ritual.

Sinug is popularly belived to be derived from "Sulug" or current, as the basic movements of the dance, which are the forward and backward steps portray the advancing and receding of the sea or river currents.

Legends of the Origin:
One version claims that the word comes from "Sug-sug" or teasing. Humabon's jester, Baladhay became sick and Queen Juana placed the image of the Holy Child in front of a bench where he was laid. He woke up wielding a bolo at the image. He claims that he was teased by the Santo Niño by tickling him using a coconut midrib or "tukog" while he was asleep. In his fury, Baladhay grabbed a bolo trying to strike at the child, but the Santo Niño fondly dodged him in a forward and backward motion, and Baladhay countered every step. Without realizing it, Baladhay was dancing with the boy that looks like the movement of Sinulog.

The Dance, beat and song:
The sinug dance has 2 basic steps. the natural and the kinampilan. The natural step is the popularly known two steps forward, one step backward while the kinampilan has one step right foot forward and one step backward, while the left foot stays in place.

The song prayer "paso Alang sa Pagsaludo sa Señor" (Walk to Honor the Señor) starts the Sinug ritual and ends with the song "Panamilit" (Farewell).

Content Source: SINUG or SINULOG: A Cebuano Tradition