Traditional Costumes Color Holiday Fete : Ancient Philippine Outfits Mark One of Southland’s Observances

Jonathan Yap’s face glowed as the 8-year-old Filipino-American boy watched traditional dancers in a holiday parade Saturday morning through a small “Philippine Town” district along Temple Street near downtown Los Angeles.

“I like that costume,” Yap said, pointing to a dancer in an oversized chicken outfit, its head made of a painted palm leaf and thick grass, with white dried guavas for the beak.

The parade, one of the more unusual of many holiday events this weekend, included elements associated in the Philippines with the mid-January festival of Ati-Atihan, a celebration resembling Mardi Gras that honors the baby Jesus.

The Ati-Atihan dancers in Saturday’s parade--which also featured community beauty queens--marked “the start of the Christmas celebration,” said Gloria Tamayo, one of the marchers, who wore a spotted orange-and-black costume resembling a leopard skin.

“These are the costumes they used to wear (for festivals) many centuries ago, before the Spanish came to the Philippines,” said Larry Geronca, one of the manok (chicken) dancers. After the Spanish conquest, the ancient traditions merged with Christianity, he said.

Other events Saturday included Huntington Park’s 38th annual “Fabulous Christmas Lane Parade,” which featured marching bands, equestrian units, clowns, classic cars and 22 illuminated floats.

In Long Beach, the “Parade of a Thousand Lights” was to bring Santa Claus ashore Saturday evening after decorated boats sailed past Shoreline Village.

A Christmas show sponsored by the Central City Police Boosters Saturday brought entertainment and gifts to about 1,000 underprivileged children of the Skid Row and Central City areas of Los Angeles. The Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles also held a holiday party in Van Nuys. And members of the Screen Actors Guild joined a Christmas party for patients at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey.

Today, the first day of Hanukkah, an “Arab-Jewish dialogue” will be held at an 8 p.m. public forum at Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino. The speakers will be two Israeli Knesset members and peace activists, Abdel Wahab Darousha, a member of Prime Minister Shimon Peres’ Labor Party who is the founder of the Arab Peace Movement of Israel, and Ora Namir.

The East Los Angeles “Christmas Fantasy” parade will kick off at noon today along Whittier Boulevard, moving from Eastern Avenue to Westside Drive.