BINATBATAN FESTIVAL



"Binat-batan Festival traces its roots from the abel weaving industry of Vigan which has been in existence even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines."

The streets were closed, people flocked in certain locations. Drums are beating loud and clear. Colorful costumes are being worn by the street dancers as they proudly proclaim "Viva Vigan!" Binat-batan festival has emerged to be one of the largest cultural gatherings up north the Philippine archipelago. 


Wearing clothes made from abel Iloko, a woven fabric endemic in the Ilocos Region, Binat-batan Festival is not merely just a festival. It depicts the rich culture and old industries of Vigan.

Binat-batan Festival traces its roots from the abel weaving industry of Vigan which has been in existence even before the Spaniards came to colonize the Philippines. It comes from the word batbat, a pair of bamboo stick used to separate cotton pods that come from a tall tree called kapas  sanglay. The word "kapas" from kapas sanglay means "cotton" in Ilocano.


Street dancers of the Binatbatan Festival joyfully and cheerfully wave their "batbat," some simulate the method done by abel-weavers in separating the cottons as they gracefully perform the process artistically with the beat of the drums and lyres rolling around the historic streets of the heritage city of Vigan.

Binatbatan Street Dancers also carry with them a basket at their back where they place the cotton pods taken from the kapas sanglay tree. Kapas sanglay tree bears fruits that dries up at the branches of the tree itself then just falls off after the fruit splits by itself exposing the seed-filled cottons inside.




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