Origins

Where the story begins

Celebration of any kind would not be complete without some glimpse of the past. The past provides us the explanation of our existence, cautions us in our present actions and guides us how to plan the future.

There are many tribes who came to migrate to Mindanao. But of all the tribes in the Philippines that has been of greater importance in the peopling of Northern Mindanao has been the Boholanos. It was they, of course, who provided much of the soldiers and seamen of the Spanish conquest in the various parts of the archipelago in its war with the Moros, in building Cottas for the defense of Christian towns, and in populating the hitherto Moro-plundered provinces — and finally, in helping and supporting the spread of Catholicism in this part of the country.

Our grandparents were among them. Coming from the scions of the Acaac Family in Loay, Bohol, they came, settled and lived up with their Catholic faith in line with the traditions of their island homeland.

The tradition they carried

One of the traditions they brought with them was the celebration of the Santacruzan, whose main features are the Novena, the Sinulog dances, and the enthronement of the Cross. Holy Mass was added later. This celebration has come to play a dominant role in the formation of the clan reunion.

Started by Narciso, the primogenitor of the Acaac family in Daisog (now Lopez Jaena), the Santacruzan has grown to serve many purposes: to be an occasion to see and meet long-isolated brothers and sisters, relatives and friends aside from attending and participating in the Santacruzan itself — and most importantly, to convene the groups of Acaac families and relatives in an annual reunion.

For people belonging to the Acaac bloodline, the third day of May is the most memorable day for the descendants of Narciso and Juana.

“

We came, we settled, and we have planted the cross…