ILOILO CITY – Amid an online word war between the people of Iloilo and Aklan, a mayor said
the word “sádsad” is part of their cultural identity.
“For the people of Aklan, sádsad is more than just a word. It is a pivotal element of our cultural identity, especially highlighted during the Ati-Atihan season,” said Mayor Juris Bautista Sucro of Kalibo, the provincial capital of Aklan, following a continuing debate after the National Museum of the Philippines-Iloilo posted the word on January 24 as part of the vocabulary of the Dinagyang Festival which Iloilo celebrates this weekend.
“We recognize that the term sádsad extends beyond the geographical boundaries of Aklan, serving as a linguistic expression shared across Panay Island. However, our concern primarily lies in how sádsad is contextualized and represented, particularly in relation to Aklanon culture and identity,” Sucro said.
“We aim to emphasize the cultural significance and contextual meaning of sádsad within the Aklanon community,” he added.
While the debate has mainly focused on the usage by the people in Iloilo, others pointed out that sádsad is a word also used by other people in the Visayas.
There is the Sadsad Festival in Oslob town, Cebu province and a side event of the Hil-o Hil-o Festival in Maayon town, Capiz province is also known as sádsad.