When I was in my teenage years, I always witness the highlights of Kadayawan Festival in televisions and read its updates on the internet and newspapers. I go out only at night to party, to grab some booze because of the big crowd that explodes. It was only last year that I've started to witness Kadayawan Festival on the streets because I need to cover it as a requirement of my TV class. This year I am witnessing it once again. It is truly an amazing experience that brings culture up to its finest!
Sangguniang Panglungsod in Davao City
Honestly, I've never been to any major festivities around the country. Festivals like Kadayawan makes me feel proud of the culture that we have as Filipinos.
San Pedro Church during Kadayawan Festival
Davao City is a highly urbanize city and it can be accessed by plane. There are direct flights from Manila, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Zamboanga, Iloilo, Bacolod and Clark to Davao International Airport.
A little bit of information
Kadayawan is derived from the word "Madayaw" which is a Mandaya, a local ethnic tribe, greeting which means good. The celebration of Kadayawan resembles harvest festival. Davao City has much to be thankful for because every year bountiful of fruits sells from its streets, progressive economy, peaceful environment and typhoon free city. The festival is held during the third week of August or the weekend closest to August 17 annually. It is a week long celebration of colors, culture, heritage and thanksgiving for bountiful harvest.
Highlights of the Kadayawan Festival
Indak Indak sa Kadalanan is an annual street dancing competition that is held on the streets of downtown Davao. It is participated by people all over Mindanao. It showcases cultural dances and folktales that truly unravels the identity of the great tribe or origin of the town.
Indak Indak Participants
Pamulak sa Kadalanan is the annual floral float parade that features the blooms and fruits of the region.
Hiyas ng Kadayawan is a pageant that features the the ten indigenous tribes of Davao - the Uvo-Manobo, Ata-Manobo, Tagabawa, K'lata, Maguindanao, Tausug, Matigsalog, Maranao, Sama and Kalagan.
During the Festivals
Be sure to ready your fruit baskets to fill in some of the best fruits that the city can offer. From Durian, Mangosteen, Pomelo, Lanzones and Rambutans, name it! The city offers it here at a reasonable and cheap price. The durian would only cost 25php per kilogram at the Kadayawan season and the Mangosteen cost 20-30php per kilogram.
Food trip should be on your itinerary during this festival. This year Roxas Ave., there is street food fiesta called Kaan sa Daan that offers a wide variety of food selection from barbeques, rice meals and even intentional cuisine with a local twist of course!
Pad Thai
I was surprised that one of the stalls there offers Portuguese Chicken and Pad Thai.
Pastil
When you're in Davao, I recommend trying Pastil, a rice topped with soy-sauced chicken meat wrapped with banana leaf.
Party!
Every urbanized city comes with great nightlife. At the Kadayawan Festival, nightlife is at its peak. All the bars are open and busiest as ever. This year was highlighted Spectrum's Kadayawan Invasion one of the biggest rave party in Mindanao with over 5000 participants this year.
And of course Davao City has a strict implementation of a liquor ban at 1am and this is a big non-smoking city and smoke only at designated smoking areas.
Kadayawan is a must see event in Mindanao. colors fly everywhere. Madayaw Dabaw!
No comments:
Post a Comment