Jagna Festivals

Jagna town has several festivals yet most are centrally focused on one theme, the honouring of their beloved saint, St. Michael the Archangel as patron of Jagna. The latest festival created though is the Pandayan Festival in honor of St. Joseph the Worker, the patron of the parish of barangay Lonoy, Jagna.

The festivals and feast days are rendered with much fanfare which includes the presentation of dances and other competitions aside from the basic activities of novenas, the celebration of the Mass and a procession.

Pandayan Festival

The Pandayan Festival is held at barangay Lonoy, Jagna to celebrate the canonical erection or the parochial anniversary of St. Joseph the Worker Parish. All eight upland barangays of Jagna which is under the parochial jurisdiction of the Parish participates in the activities. Activities include a nine-day novena in honor of the patron saint, a procession of the image of St. Joseph the Worker, Carpentry and Handicrafts Fair, an inter-barangay basketball tournament and last but not least, the street dancing competition.

Sinu-og Festival

The Sinu-og Festival is celebrated at the town of Jagna in honor of their patron saint, St. Michael the Archangel where two groups, one coming from barangay Mayana and the other from Cabungaan, perform a native war dance during the vesper procession and also during the morning fluvial procession on the feast day itself which falls on September 29.This distinct cultural tradition has been observed for more than a century and shows the rich cultural heritage of the town. The native war dance is performed with the accompaniment of a drum depicting the battle between the early Jagnaanon Christians and the invading Muslims from Mindanao. The male dancers representing the Jagnaanons recite verses while mimicking the fight with bolos during the dance.

It is believed that St. Michael the Archangel rescued the people from the hands of the invaders at that time and this belief has been handed down to the present generation of Jagnaanons. Thus, St. Michael theArchangel is much loved and revered by all Jagnaanons and the feast day is celebrated with much fanfare.

Sinu-og Estokada

The Sinu-og Estokada is a modification of the above sinu-og celebration. Here, the native war dance is portrayed as a fight between good and evil where the basic sequence of movements are modified conforming to a rhythm in marching and regular procedure. This festival is joined by the young adolescents of the town.

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