Feast of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino (Bonok-Bonok Festival) in Surigao City Date in the current year: September 10, 2024

Nicholas of Tolentino was an Italian saint and mystic who gained a reputation as a preacher and confessor of the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine. He was canonized in 1446, becoming the first Augustinian friar to be canonized. Saint Nicholas of Tolentino is venerated as the patron saint of animals, children, merchants, sailors, souls in purgatory, and more. He is also the patron of several cities and municipalities in the Philippines, including Surigao City.

Surigao officially became the permanent residence of Augustinian Recollects in 1752. Two years later, the Augustinians founded its parish and dedicated it to Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. The first church dedicated to the saint was consecrated in 1763. The present-day San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral, also known as the Surigao Cathedral, was consecrated in 1988.

The Feast of Nicholas de Tolentino, also known as the Bonok-Bonok Festival, is a major holiday in Surigao City. Like many celebrations in the Philippines, the Bonok-Bobok Festival is an amalgamation of indigenous traditions and Christianity. Even though it is celebrated on the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, it centers on the traditions and rituals of the indigenous peoples Mamanwa and Manobo.

The feast of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, known locally as San Nicolas de Tolentino, has been celebrated in Surigao since at least the mid-19th century, but the Bonok-Bonok Festival is relatively recent. It was started in 1984 in the aftermath of Typhoon Ike, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Nitang, that destroyed nearly 90% of homes in Surigao City and killed 85 people. The inaugural festival was held to celebrate the resilience of the city and its residents amid the wreckage caused by the typhoon.

The Bonok-Bonok Festival is a multi-day cultural and religious celebration that begins on September 1, immediately following the Surigao City Charter Day celebrations. The next nine days, called the novena, are filled with solemn masses and other religious activities. The novena concludes on September 9, and the main celebration takes place on Saint Nicholas’s feast day, September 10. It begins at dawn, when drummers walk the streets banging their drums to awaken the residents of Surigao from their sleep. The traditional awakening is followed by a mass.

The main highlight of the festival is a traditional dance performed by representatives of the Mamanwa tribe. Back in the day, it was a thanksgiving ritual after a bountiful harvest. It starts out with a slow rhythm of various brass and percussive instruments and gets faster as it progresses. All dancers are clad in vibrant costumes and wear elaborate beaded headdresses called tubaw, bracelets, and anklets. After the dance, major and minor awards are presented in several categories. The festivities also include a beauty pageant, a street parade, musical shows, competitions, fairs, and more.