PHOTOS: Indigenous Filipinos gather for Dayaw 2012

Around 500 representatives from over 40 groups nationwide gathered in Malolos, Bulacan on Tuesday for Dayaw 2012: Indigenous People’s Festival, an annual celebration and exchange of culture highlighted by song, dance, and crafts.

 

"Hindi sila nandito (sa Dayaw) para maging display lamang," said National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) chairman Felipe M. De Leon Jr. during the opening ceremonies. "They are here so we can learn from them."

 

Students from nearby schools became the immediate audience of shows, which simultaneously happened at various venues within the province's capitol. 

 

Some kids tried their hands at craft-making while most opted to take photos of the performances. 

 

Indigenous products were also available for visitors who want to bring mementos of ethnic culture home. 

 

The three-day Dayaw 2012: Indigenous Peoples’ Festival continues an annual convention started by the NCCA in 2007 to commemorate the National Indigenous People's Month.  It has been called various names like Kalimudan in 2007, Timpuyog in 2008, and Dungod in 2009. Dayaw, which could mean "display" in old Tigaonon and beautiful in Dabawenyo, among its many meanings, has been used since 2010.

 

Here are some scenes from the opening day.  

–KG, GMA News