PIT SENYOR: The Meaning Behind the Word

 By: Jay Ann Marie Poligrates

Just as the month of January has entered, the streets of Cebu are also getting busier and busier as the feast of Santo Nino kicks off. Night markets, nightly variety shows and colorful buntings are swaying with the wind along the Jones highway the Basilica of Santo Niño de Cebu. As the novena started, 9 days before the feast day, pilgrims started to come into the city which created a crowded yet festive atmosphere in the streets of Cebu.

As the most awaited feats day has come, the festive atmosphere fills the air, the Mardi Gras, drumbeats, street dancing and street parties are everywhere and Chants of “Pit Senyor!” are heard, in fact quite prominently. The phrase has also become a fiesta greeting.

But what does “Pit Senyor” really mean? This question just pops up into my mind  just this recent Sinulogcelebration,upon hearing hearing people’s greeting while me and my friends are walking along the crowded streets. Out of curiosity, I ask one of my friend “ Unsajudkaha’y meaning saSinulog? And he answered  “Ambotlang, wapudkokahibaw, unsadiay?” and we both lauged and said “Mao na! sige ta ug greet- greet, waladiay ta kahibawsa meaning”. So that leads me to do my own research, and I discovered that it is not just about a petty matter because it’s part of our culture and according to an article that I’ve read that “No cultural trait is petty matter; every tiny element is like a strand that contributes to the overall fabric of the shared culture”.

“Pit Senyor” is the short term of “Sangpit sa Senyor,” a phase in Cebuano that means. “to call, ask, and plead to the king.” This call for help brings believers together in the crowded streets of Cebu every third Sunday of January, so it was not supposed to be a greeting for each other instead to be addressed directly to the Santo Niño. But unfortunately, the fact is only few understand what “Pit Senyor” means. The greater majority utter it simply as a fiesta greeting. “Pit Senyor” is not just a simple greeting, it has a beautiful back- story. These words are supposed to be an articulation of the people’s goodwill for one another.

Pit Senyor! This time I hope everyone gets what it means, and thus, mean it when saying the words.