CATIGBIAN, Bohol, June 17 (PIA) -- The combined dancers and instrumentalists of barangays Triple Union, Alegria, and Bongbong danced their way to be hailed the Katigbawan Festival 2023 Street Dancing and Showdown champions.

They received two more minor awards to be acclaimed new champions after Catigbian National High School gave way for its students to represent the barangays.

Comprising District 3 in the eight clustered contingent competitions, they also went home with the Best in Street Dancing and Best in Showdown awards, to be the winning contingent two years after the festival went back to the streets after the pandemic.

The festival’s street dancing First Runner Up went to District 1 comprising of Poblacion, Poblacion Weste while the Second Runner Up winners were from District 2 of Sinakayanan, Haguilanan, Ambuan.

Introduced 18 years ago, Katigbawan Festival celebrates tatigbi, tigbaw and kabawan which was coined to mean progress using these three cultural heritage icons of the town.

Katigbi refers to a grass native to the town; Tigbaw is Visayan for caves; and Kabawan refers to the traditional livestock auction market which the town is known for.

While the Katigbawan Festival portrays the deep cultural and traditional heritage, beliefs and practices of the people, the festival was also envisioned to be a tool for the promotion of tourism, ecology, and agriculture.

Profuse in the Katigbawan Festival step, true to its meaning, is the carabao trot and the back kick, which by far also differentiates the authentic festival from the copied dance steps from  alien cultures.

In the recent years, the festival organizing committee also introduced the Festival Queen, one that could have been reflective of the nearby Sinulog.

This year, Erica Bitas of District 2 comprising pf Sinakayanan, Haguilanan and Ambuan took the award.

Meanwhile, as the Katigbawan also celebrates the string agricultural heritage of the town, a festival highlight was Katigbawan Farmers’ Day and Livestock Day which highlights a dressed-up carabao parade and agro-caromata float.

The best agri float went to Brgy. Baang, and then 2nd Placer was Brgy. Poblacion and third went to Brgy. Poblacion Weste.

As the festival also brought out agricultural products from the barangays, these were displayed in agro-industrial fair booths which were also judged.

Best Agro Industrial Fair booth went to Brgy. Candumayao, second was Brgy. Sinakayanan and third was Brgy. Bongbong.

In the dressed up Carabao Parade, the Best in Carabao Costume went to Brgy. Causwagan Norte, second place went to Brgy. Libertad Sur and the third placer was Brgy. Bagtic. (RAHC/PIA Bohol)