Kadayawan fest draws crowds
The festivities would culminate today in a grand floral float parade, which will feature not only the different flowers grown in the area but also the bountiful harvest of fruits, vegetables and seafood in the region.
Kadayawan festival is primarily marked as a thanksgiving ritual to the gods for the abundant harvest of the land and the seas.
City Administrator Wendel Avisado, who also chairs this year’s Kadayawan festival, said the ongoing celebration is a bit different from the usual fanfare the annual activity has been known for.
“We made it a point that this year, we will showcase the culture, traditions and whatever the different local tribes could offer in terms of food, clothes or even music and arts. So, you must have noticed that since the festivities started last Aug. 3, each tribe was given one day to perform and show off their culture in the form of dance, songs and other rituals,” Avisado told The STAR.
Representatives of the Tagabawa, Ovu-Manobo, Tausug, Kalagan, Sama, Maguindanao, Maranaw and Ata tribes were given the opportunity to perform at the
Even the recent Hiyas ng Kadayawan beauty contest was also conducted in a manner representative of the beautiful local maidens who have Lumad roots, which was a return to the original Bya’neng pageant.
“We want to do away with the commercialization of the festival that is why we want to make sure that the tribes and the Indigenous Peoples take center stage,” Avisado added.
Avisado likewise cited the tremendous support the public and the various sponsors have extended to the festival.
“It shows that we have already institutionalized the festival and people really look forward to supporting it and enjoying the celebration itself,” he added.
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