For three consecutive years, the Municipality of Currimao won the grand championship of Tan-ok ni Ilocano Festival of Festivals competition.
Now on its fifth year, the Tan-ok ni Ilocano was held last November 28, 2015 at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium, Laoag City.
Currimao’s Dinaklisan Festival impressed the jampacked crowd of estimated more than 60,000 by its performance showing the harmony of rural community and the lengths a parent would go through to see their child’s dreams come true.
The presentation began with a scene of townsfolk helping one another to catch bounty from the sea, creatively using their props to simulate ocean waves. People were portrayed basking in the refreshing water.
Later, it showed a fisherman’s son who wished to see a real kurita (octopus). With the elusiveness of the creature, the father failed to catch one on that day.
Eventually, the child forgot his disappointment while at play, and he fell into a deep sleep. In his fantasy, he entered an underwater paradise full of colorful fish and a giant octopus. He danced with it until he got tired.
In the succeeding scene, it showed his father diving anew through the sea to catch his son’s special wish. He woke his son from sleep and surprised him with the octopus, and with that the child’s wish was realized.
For that impressive Dinaklisan presentation, Currimao, the champion, received P350,00 grand prize. Second placer (‘Tadek Festival’ of Nueva Era) took P250,000 and third placer (‘Ani Festival’ of Dingras) brought home P150,000.
Other winners of this year’s Tan-ok were: ‘Magdadaran Talip Festival’ of Carasi, first runner-up; ‘Pamulinawen Festival’ of Laoag City, second runner-up; ‘Ginginubatan Festival’ of Adams, third runner-up; ‘Siwawer Festival’ of Vintar, fourth runner-up; and ‘Amian Festival’ of Bangui, fifth runner-up.
Minor awards were Best Ensemble (Laoag City), Best Production Design (Dingras), Best Musical Score (‘Damili Festival’ of San Nicolas), and Best Video (Nueva Era). Christian Balite of Bacarra, who performed in the rendition of the ‘Bac-Bacarra Festival,’ won Best Performer.