Kadayawan 2012

10 cultures, one future

TEN TRIBES, ONE VIBE! This theme most describes the harmonious relationship of various people here in Davao City in line with the celebration of the 27th Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival.

The festival aims to showcase the rich culture of the tribal folks who now live in Davao City, namely, Ata, Matigsalug, Ovu-Manuvo, Bagobo Klata, Bagobo Tagabawa, Tausog, Maguindanao, Maranao, Kagan or Kalagan, and Sama.

Visitor s will once again get the feel of the festival’s rhythms and sound during the Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan on Saturday.

Here, groups from schools and different provinces from all over Mindanao, as well as the tribal folks now residing in the city will showcase their moves in various dance presentations.

Aside from the rhythms and sound, the Indak-indak will also show the profusion of colors – predominantly red and yellow – of ethnic roots.

Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan

Kadayawan wouldn’t be as festive as it is without this dancing spectacle that has been held since the festival’s first celebration. This year’s Indak-Indak, which kicks off on August 18, will feature a total of 21 dance crews set for a showdown of grooves, moves and artistry while parading along the major streets in the heart of the city.

But this wouldn’t be your typical urbanized street dancing showdown like that of the movie “Step Up”. Rather, it will be a showcase of cultural dancing where the contingents will jive to the indigenous or tribal beats and melodies and choreograph a dance number that has a particular theme or storyline.

The dance crews will start at the junction of Magsaysay Ave. and Quezon Blvd at 1 p.m. The teams will then take turns in performing their respective street dances as they parade along Roxas Ave., C.M. Recto St., Bonifacio St. and Legaspi Street.

The final showdown, meanwhile, will be held at the Rizal Park along San Pedro St where each crew will try to get the nod of the judges with their intricate but graceful choreography and vivid props and costumes.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any of the dancing. First reason, the SunStar gave an entirely wrong timetable (see above) of the event so I arrived after the dance through the streets (which started at 8am, not 1pm!), which I had planned to watch. Instead, I made my way to St Pedro St to watch the stage event. I couldn’t see any of the dancing as the crowds were too deep, too many people had their umbrellas up, and I couldn’t get to any place that afforded a view of this fantastic event.

I hope that in future years, the city upgrades the Indak Indak:

I suggest they consider a new location – the backdrop of the city hall has tradition, but the street is just the wrong shape for viewing a stage event. I also feel great sympathy for the teams having to queue for hours in the sun in the backstreets waiting for their turn on the stage.

If the same location is to be used, seating and raised viewing must be introduced so that as many people as possible can watch the spectacular event. Along with many foreigners, I walked around and around in the heat trying to find a place where I could see just a part of the action. In the end, I gave up and went home.

This is not destructive criticism, I think Kadayawan and Indak Indak have enormous potential to draw in tourists from all over the world, but those tourists will never come back if they can’t see the event.

I grabbed a few photos of the dance teams while they waited in the heat of the side streets around St Pedro St.

The most-awaited Agri Fair

THE month-long Davao Agri-Trade Fair, one of the highlights of this year’s 27th Kadayawan Festival, has transformed once again a parking lot to a vast garden that is adorned with native lush vegetation of plants and colorful flowers of different varieties in SM City Grounds.

I decided to go and check this one out today.

Situated in the SM Matina carpark

Orchids for sale

The photo (above) of the unravelling fern has been picked up by an Australian gardening website Garden Drum

Local products showcased in Davao Agri-Trade Fair

The stars are coming as Kadayawan 2012 shifts to high gear

Davao mayor: This year’s Kadayawan is more colorful

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio assured on Monday the Dabawenyos and visitors, who are expected to flock in the city for the 27th Kadayawan sa Dabaw, that this year’s celebration will be more colorful as compared to last year’s.

Duterte-Carpio issued the statement days before the highlights of the festival to be staged this weekend.

Click here to get the latest Kadayawan 2012 updates.

The much-awaited Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan and the Pamulak or the Floral Float Parade are slated on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

70,000 tourists expected during Kadayawan

DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DOT) in Davao Region said it is expecting to surpass its target of 70,000 tourist arrivals in Davao City during the month-long celebration of 27th Kadayawan Festival.

DOT regional director Art Boncato, during Friday’s opening of 27th Kadayawan Festival at the People’s Park, lauded the Davao City Government for extending this year’s…

6-ton ‘Bounty Basket’ is Philippines’ biggest

THE Bounty Basket, a huge basket that highlighted the opening of 27th Kadayawan festival, weighed more than six tons of mixed native agricultural products, a city official said on Friday.

Leonardo Avila III, City Agriculturist Office (CAO) officer-in-charge, during the opening of the 27th Kadayawan sa Dabaw, said the Bounty Basket is said to be the biggest in…

Official website

Photos from last year’s street parade here