Mindanao's 'festival of festivals' about to kick off

The country’s largest city is getting ready to celebrate what is famously known as Mindanao’s festival of all festivals – the Kadayawan sa Dabaw. The biggest of the south's festivals is starting earlier this year in Davao City: usually opening on the third week of August, the 2012 celebrations will officially start on August 3 at the fantasy-themed People’s Park at 4 in the afternoon, said Orly Escarilla, the festival spokesperson and director of Museo Dabawenyo.

  “One reason for the early schedule is to give a longer time for our Indigenous Peoples (IPs) to showcase their cultures and traditions through the display and selling of their products in People’s Park and their performances of music and dances to be mounted in various locations in the city," he said.   The festival will showcase the indigenous cuisine that had been part of the festival in the past.   “[It] will give... our IP brothers and sisters [the chance to] showcase their own recipes for everybody’s appreciation,” said Lisette Marques, festival director of Duaw Davao Festival Foundation Inc. Another reason for the early celebration is “to give tourists the opportunity of coming to Davao earlier and still see various Kadayawan activities around the city,” Escarilla said.   He added that all the festival's major and traditional activities and events will be retained, and there will be some new ones as well, such as the Hulagway sa Kadayawan Photo Contest and the Davao City Trivia Exhibit, with the title “Know Your Culture.”   Last year, thousands of people flocked to the city for Kadayawan. One of them was Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero.   “The Kadayawan Festival is getting more beautiful every year and more and more people are visiting Davao City to witness the Kadayawan festival celebration," said the senator, who witnessed the Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan street dancing event. "I hope the celebration will continue to be peaceful and meaningful."   Distinctively Mindanaoan music and costumes make the Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan one of the festival's most popular and widely anticipated events. This year will take place on August 18.   On August 19, the spectacular Pamulak Kadayawan floral and fruit float parade will feature the bounty sustainably enjoyed by the city’s residents.   Escarilla says that the month-long celebrations will bring "more or less" 70,000 visitors to Davao City, based on the figures compiled by the Department of Tourism XI and the City Tourism Operations Office for the festival from 2009 to 2011.   This year’s Kadayawan sa Dabaw theme is "10 tribes, one vibe”. Indigenous groups expected to participate in the festival various activities are the tribes from Ata Manuvu, Kalagan, K’lata, Maguindanao, Maranao, Matigsalog, Sama, Tagabawa, Tausug, and Ubo-Manobo.   Kadayawan is derived from the Mandaya word "dayaw", which means “good”, “beautiful”, ”excellent” or “something that brings good fortune.” It is also used as a welcome greeting or expression of goodwill.   This year's Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival in Davao City will end on August 31. - BM, GMA News