ANTIQUE is one of the provinces comprising Panay Island; the other three are Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan. It is a narrow strip of land stretching along the entire west coast of the island shielded from storms by mountain ranges in the east that cut off the rains of the northwest monsoon and cause a dry season from November to April. The forests in the east and the sea in the west, however, temper the climate with rainfall during the rest of the year.
Although with vast stretches of irrigated rice fields and rich fishing grounds, the people engage in cottage industries basket, hat and mat weaving, pot making, piña and jusi cloth weaving, and salt processing. Classified as the best sacada laborers in the world by the International Labor Organization, they migrate to the sugar cane fields of Negros during harvest season,
The province could be traced from the legendary ten Bornean Datus who landed at Sinugbuhan (near Miag-ao, Iloilo). Their chosen site, after the purchase of Panay with the golden “Salakot’ in the 13th century, was called “Hamtic,” after “hamtic-hamtic,” meaning large ants which were abundant in the place. About three hundred years before the arrival of the Spaniards, Panay was divided into three political units or “sakops.” namely Hamtik, Irong-Irong and Aklan,
Not only rich in history but also in folklore, Antique takes pride in its colorful Binirayan, translated as leisurely boat ride in Kiniray-a, which commemorates the arrival of the ten Bornean Datus in Panay. The festival, climaxed by a Mass in Kiniray-a, is a tour to the scenic Mararison Island, the Bato Cueba, Canagan Waterfalls, the Limpatan Rock, Jurao-jurao Island, and the surrounding beaches along the Antique shorelines.
