AS TODAY’S youth is engrossed in mobile games and digital media, the Kadayawan Festival executive committee is hopeful that they can also find time to witness the distinct recreational games from Davao City’s Indigenous and Moro communities in the forthcoming “Dula Kadayawan.”
“This is one opportunity for young Dabawenyos to learn about our cultures by supporting and watching the games of our 11 Indigenous and Muslim tribes. More than just recreation, it also a showcase of their rich heritage,” said Gene C. Bangayan, member of the Kadayawan Executive Committee and co-chair of the Meetings Incentives Conference Events (MICE) Board during the festival’s media conference on July 25, Thursday, at Rogen Inn.
The event, scheduled on Aug. 17 at People’s Park, will showcase the following games:
From the Indigenous communities: solopot (blow gun); bibinayo (rice pounding); totaringki (fire making); karang (wooden stilts); kakasing (wooden tops); pana (archery); bubuntug (bamboo spear); sosakoro (water fetching); usuroy (tug of war); siklot (wooden sticks); and sisibow (similar to ‘siatong’).
From the Moro communities: Sipa sa Mangis and Sipa sa Lama (both similar to footbag or hackysack); Kanggarotaya (tug of war); kambaebae (similar to Maria Went to Town); Kagkingking (one-leg relay), and kakokor (coconut grating race).
“These games will surely take their attention off their gadgets. They can learn and maybe even play these games with their friends or during school activities,” Bangayan added.
Tourists and spectators are also invited to interact and try out the games after the competitions.
“We are also delighted that our indigenous and Moro tribes are eagerly working with us, even beyond the festival. We need to do more collaboration with them especially on how we can appropriately promote their cultures,” said Davao City Tourism Operations Office OIC Jennifer R. Romero.
Apart from Dula Kadayawan, other cultural activities of the festival include Bantawan Cultural Celebration and Hiyas sa Kadayawan.
Photos courtesy of Jerome Molina.
