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Nestled on a plateau, Piat is a small town, some 40 km. northwest or an hour's ride from the capital city of Tuguegarao. It is accessible from Tuguegarao via concrete roads and over the country's second largest bridge which spans the "Bannag", the river which gave the name "Ybanag" to the early natives. If fame is to be measured by the number of people who visit a town, then Piat is the most famous in Cagayan. For indeed, the influx of people throughout the whole year is unstoppable, most especially during the months of May, June, and July when all roads seem to lead to Piat.
Originally known as the Nuestra Seņora de la Santissimo Rosario, the approximately four-feet tall black image of the Virgin Mary carrying a black infant Jesus on her left arm was brought to the Philippines by the Dominican friars from Macao in 1604. The wooden image was first enthroned in the seat of Nueva Segovia in Lallo, Cagayan then was brought to the Ytawes district in 1620 to help in the conversion of the aggressive Dadayas to Christianity. Since then, numerous miracles took place and these were attributed to the intercession of the Lady. Because of these incidents, the natives fell on their knees to show their love for her and resisted all attempts to transfer permanently the image to other towns. The Lady of Piat was canonically crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth on June 20, 1954 in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. The church started as a small sanctuary built in the early 17th century to house the image of the Lady. It was erected on a cliff overlooking the Rio Chico at the southern part of the poblacion. The chapel though big enough to accommodate the faithful of Piat, was too small for the thousands of devotees and pilgrims who pay homage to the Lady throughout the whole year. So on June 20, 1988, the cornerstone for the Basilica was laid. Construction did not come easy but through concerted efforts, the Basilica Minore has recently been completed and was inaugurated on June 22, 1999. To this date, Piat has become the seat of Marian faith and devotion in the north. The number of devotees has not ceased to increase; neither has the Lady ceased from bestowing her motherly love and blessings on the faithful. From the Basilica, one can view the beauty of the Rio Chico as it blends in perfect harmony with the clear blue skies and the vast cornfields providing a perfect picture of unsullied nature. There is also a recent addition to the Basilica called the "Rosary Walk", a tree-shaded path that leads through life-sized sculptural works depicting the 15 mysteries of the rosary. This well-known church stands not only as proof of the zeal of missionaries but also as a witness to the great devotion of the people of God. In this same shrine, sacred objects are kept and pious practices observed which explain beautifully and forcefully the culture of the people. And foremost of these is the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom the faithful come with full confidence to ask for heavenly blessings. |
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honors Lady of Piatby Jovita A. Alamo |
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The Sambali festival has been revived in 1989 through the initiatives of the late Dr. Alfredo Rommel Reyes Sr. and former Mayor Ruben Casibang because of a firm belief that it would promote identity, unity, and harmony among the people of Piat. Since then, it has been institutionalized as a popular event in the municipality. The festival commemorates the Christianization and unification of the Ytawits. The value of the celebration lies not only in the gathering of all the Ytawits of Piat to thank God, but above all, it is an occasion for them to see themselves as one people of God moving together towards one goal. History says that when the Spaniards set foot in Cagayan in the 16th century, they found out that the Ytawit towns particularly Tuao, Faire, and Piat were inhabited by the Dadayas and Mengals, the aggressive Kalinga sub-ethnic groups that originated from the nearby mountains of Kalinga-Apayao. The Spaniards tried to convert them but they vehemently resisted the Catholic faith, leading to war and bloodshed. However, the Spaniards did not give up. In 1604, when the image of Our Lady of Piat originally known as Nuestra Señora del Santissimo Rosario was brought to the province by friars from Macao, numerous miracles took place, and the natives were gradually converted to Christianity. The Sambali festival therefore, is a weeklong celebration in honor of the Lady of Piat reliving her intercession in the conversion of aggressive tribes to the Catholic faith. The word sambali in the Mallaweg dialect means "war" depicted through dance between the divided Utawits, Dadayas, and the Ytawit converts. The dance starts with two native women called Ayayas, running and shouting to forewarn both camps of an imminent war. The new Catholics and the Dadayas march to the battlefield armed with shields and spears. The Dadaya warriors are clad in predominantly red strings while the Ytawit converts in white camisas and pants. The fight begins and the warriors dance to the ethnic drum and gong beatings. The fight ends with the Christians as victors which symbolizes the reign of Christianity over pagan beliefs. The highlight of the festival is the grand Sambali parade where the war dance is performed in the streets of the town. |
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Jovita A. Alamo loves to illustrate ideas through photography, computer graphics, print, and audiovisual media. She also can't tear herself away from sci-fi espionage, archeological and discovery books, and the video machine. |
There is an explanation to this phenomenon - the Lady on the Hill, housed in a Basilica Minore is a perfect sanctuary for those wanting spiritual renewal and blessings. The Lady of Piat is famous for her intercession for the sick, the poor, and the troubled. 
Every year from June 23 to July 2, the Sambali festival of the Itawes town of Piat brings a spectacle of color and form, of movement and incantation, giving life to a centuries-old cultural tradition which helped shape the faith and fate of its people.