California Ati-Atihan festival unfolds on January 9
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – The 19th Ati-Atihan, Dinner and Dance of the Aklan Association of Sacramento and Vicinity, Inc. (AASVI) unfolds on January 9, 2010.
The festival brings together all the Aklanons in Sacramento, California and the Filipino communities, to give life to one of the most colorful cultural events, the world-renowned Aklan Ati-Atihan festival in honor of Señor Sto. Niño.
The Ati-Atihan is held at Jose Rizal Community Center, 7230 Florin Mall Drive, Sacramento, California to accommodate 15 to 20 participating tribos (tribes) and hundreds of Aklanons, majority of which from the Filipino community of Sacramento and neighboring areas of Bay Area, Fresno, Stockton and other locales in California.
Former AASVI president Sarah Tonel said the rich heritage of the Aklan Association of Sacramento and Vicinity, Inc. was brought to Sacramento in 1990 by native Aklanons to preserve their culture and traditions.
“The initial founders of the Aklan Association of Sacramento and Vicinity were very humble in their goals when they founded the organization. They wanted to form a musical group that would preserve their culture through musical presentations that would promote closer ties among the people of Aklan and our descendants for the purpose of preserving our culture and traditions plus educating the Filipino Community at large,” she said.
The festival starts with a traditional Catholic mass followed by a dinner, parade of Señor Sto. Niño images and tribos, entertainment and dancing and the judging of Ati-Atihan participants.
The criteria for judging are Costume, Originality, and Pageantry (50%), Artistic (10%), Performance and Endurance (15%), Discipline (10%), Liveliness and Rhythm (10%) and Participation (10%). The tribos are also competing for special awards – biggest group, most original group, most modern group, most colorful group and the rowdiest group on top of the three major prizes.

Aside from the annual Ati-Atihan festival, AASVI priority projects are the community wide scholarships for Filipino Youth, Barrio Fiesta of Sacramento and Vicinity, Filipino Community Christmas Celebration and help support an orphanage in Aklan.
Last November 29, 2009 at South Villa Filipino/Chinese Restaurant, Sacramento, California, the AASVI inducted the new 2009-2010 officers: Franklin Zabal (president), Ronald Ruiz (1st vice president), Danny Yap Diangco (2nd vice president), Wallaine Bantigue (secretary), Lydia Tonel (assistant secretary), Necita Ruiz (treasurer), Josie Fulgencio (assistant treasurer), Tiva Rogan (auditor), Rolly Rogan (parliamentarian), Pastor Ruiz and Phylisis Antonio (press relations officers), John Taitague, Robert Bantaque and Roderick Ruiz (sergeant-at-arms), Nida Zabal, Marie Solidum and Juliet Tonel (historians), Ciciro Reyes, Sarah Enloe, Venus O’Meara, Elena Magsuci, Necita Ruiz, Blas de la Cruz, Tony Solidum and Dr. Dionisio Tonel (advisors).
California Arnold Schwarzenegger, for his part, lauded all of California’s Filipino-Americans for their hard work and community involvement, saying, “California is the fantastic place it is today thanks to the rich diversity of cultures and customs, and the Ati-Atihan festival celebration is certain to add to that heritage.”
San Francisco Consul General Marciano Paynor, Jr. said “the organization continues to inspire many of fellow Filipinos, Filipino-Americans as well as the local community in the Bay Area by showcasing the best of the Filipino and the best of the Philippines.”