Exploring the mathematics of the Sinulog Festival

Abstract

This study documents mathematical knowledge embedded in the Sinulog Festival through an ethnomathematical lens. Addressing the limited empirical documentation of cultural practices as mathematical systems, the research employed a qualitative ethnographic design over six months of fieldwork in Cebu City. Data were collected through repeated observations, semi-structured interviews with three key festival practitioners (choreographer, logistics coordinator, and historian), artifact analysis, and visual documentation. Thematic coding identified recurring mathematical domains across choreography, costume and prop design, and logistical planning. Findings reveal systematic applications of symmetry, geometric transformations, proportional reasoning, counting systems, measurement, estimation, and optimization. These practices demonstrate that mathematical reasoning operates as functional knowledge within communal cultural performance rather than solely within formal schooling. The study provides empirical evidence that large-scale festivals constitute structured mathematical environments and offers a grounded basis for integrating culturally situated contexts into mathematics education while maintaining conceptual rigor.