KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL:
• Usually, this festival is held every 3rd week of August. In 2019, this week-long celebration was held during the whole month of August, continuously bringing smiles to everyone who has experienced this wonderful event.
A Story Behind
• Long time ago, ethnic tribes of Davao would gather every after a bountiful harvest to give thanks to their divine protectors particularly their supreme being called “Manama”.
• They do this in a form of a ritual called “pahinungod” where singing, dancing, and offering is a must.
• Various harvest such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, rice and corn grains are also displayed on mats as part of the annual pahinungod.
• In 1970, this annual event of thanksgiving was formally institutionalized by Mayor Elias B. Lopez, a Bagobo.
• This event features Lumads (natives) and Muslim tribes with their own dances and thanksgiving rituals.
• After the People Power Revolution in 1986, “Unlad Proyekto Sa Dabaw” was launched by the government to unite the people of Davao after the turmoils of Martial Law.
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• Part of the said program was their annual thanksgiving festival dubbed as “Apo DuWaling” which came from the famous icons of Davao: Mt. Apo which is the country’s tallest mountain, the king of fruit which is the Durian, and the Walingwaling, the famous queen of orchids.
• Apo DuWaling’s main purpose is to promote Davao as a safe, beautiful, and profitable place after the EDSA Revolution.
• In 1988, the then Mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte renamed the festival Kadayawan sa Davao.
• The term Kadayawan is from a Mandaya word madayaw, the locals’ term equivalent to treasured or valuable.
• They use this term to express deep gratitude for all the blessing they received during the year and to showcase the city’s rich culture.
• The highlight of this joyful celebration is the street dance competition called Indak-indak sa Kadalanan.
• Here, participants represent a tribe with their unique story of thanksgiving.
• One can also witness the musicians using unique handcrafted percussion instruments.