DAVAO CITY — The City Government of Davao projects a Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival that will educate tourists of the 11 tribe's cultural aesthetics.
Following the spate of killings of indigenous people in Mindanao, the committee organizing Davao’s biggest annual event formed a photo exhibit that would expose the daily lives of the Ata, Matigsalug, Ovu-Manuvo, Klata Djangan, Tagabawa, Tausog, Maguindanaon, Maranao, Kagan, Sama, and Iranun tribes.
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“It’s a way to introduce to people, especially the younger ones, the beauty of our tribes’ culture and identities,” Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre said in an interview.
The photo exhibit will be placed in malls, restaurants, and hotels around the city. Other details are yet to be announced by the executive committee.
Art Boncato, co-chairperson of the committee, said he instructed the members of the executive committee to make major decisions on a daily basis, as they want to focus on the promotions and publicity of the festival in the following weeks.
Although the former city mayor has been elected as president, the city will have a more simple yet meaningful celebration this year than the previous years.
Last year, the budget allocated for the celebration was around P15 million but since acting Mayor Paolo Duterte prohibited street parties in the city’s central areas and major parks, this year’s budget for the Kadayawan which falls on August 15-21 would be lowered.
The initial official events for the Kadayawan are the Subang Sinugdanan, Panagtagbo, Hiyas sa Kadayawan, Indak-indak sa Kadalanan, Floral Float Parade and the Pahalipay Concert.
Boncato also said that Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach would probably attend the Hiyas ng Kadayawan on August 19 as a judge.
“We are not sure yet but there are already talks that she will come. By the end of this week, all of the details that need to be implemented for Kadayawan will be finished,” he said.