‘Davao Republic’ gears up for Kadayawan

Davao City will pulsate with life, fun, festivities and color as it looks forward to celebrating "Kadayawan Sa Dabaw Festival" on Aug. l5-21.

Anchored on the theme "Subay Sulay sa Buhing Kabilin", the week-long, annual festival will feature a wide array of events.

After the formal opening rituals of the festival with an ecumenical ceremony on Aug. l5, at the PTA Grounds, the Tugtog World Music Festival follows at 7 to 9 p.m. at the NCCC Mall Activity Center. This will be a competition of pop music composition incorporating significant Mindanaoan influences based on indigenous and folk traditions.

For two days (Aug. l5-l6) Rizal Park will be the scene of "Indigay sa Lumadnong Dula" or an array of indigenous and traditional community sports participated by indigenous people, barangay folks and youth to foster cross-cultural relations, cooperation and unity and to nurture the city’s culture of peace.

On the same days, this time at the PTA Grounds, there will be a two-day fiesta of activities for the family featuring hot air balloon tethered flights, inflatables, wall climbing, mini-variety show featuring local artists, health campaign, palarong Pinoy and cultural performances.

Meanwhile, SM City Davao Entertainment Plaza will host on Aug. l3 and l7, a search for the Festival Symbol with Mindanaoan appeal. The search is intended to promote Davao City and Mindanao, its products and industries, particularly fashion, tourism and floriculture to be presented in a pageant and a fashion extravaganza juxtaposed with a tribal folklore.

On Aug. l6, 7 p.m. at the Centennial Park, Tunog Kadayawan will feature a one-and-a-half hour choral concert of 250 voices to serve as the grand recital of 10 participating choirs from all over the city who will undergo an extensive 10-day training conducted by the Philippine Madrigals.

The much-awaited Urog Etnika, a showcase of ingenuity, creativity and artistry of Mindanao-based fashion and floral utilizing locally woven fabrics, fibers and accessories, and other materials endemic to Mindanao will be held on Aug. l7, at the SM City Davao Entertainment Plaza.

The Kadayawan celebration heightens on the third day, Aug. l8, with the holding of the Davao River Festival, 8 a.m. to l2 noon at the Davao River. The festivity will be performed along the historic Davao River bringing to the fore the beginnings of the pioneering communities of Davao and the ecological concerns of the Davaoeños.

Once more, SM City Davao will host on Aug. l9, the Davao Indigenous Peoples Festival and the Mindanao Indigenous Dance Festival.

On Aug. 20, Davao City’s major streets will be the scene of the famous Indak-indak sa Kadalanan, a people’s celebration through street dancing and merriment to the beat of tribal music highlighted by choreographed theatrics. To follow is the Yanog ug Yugyugan sa Kadalanan where there will be disco dancing on selected streets of Davao.

Capping the Kadayawan Festival is the Floral Float Parade, a parade of floral floats of various shapes and sizes showcasing the abundant vegetation of the Davao region, followed by a Parade Band competition.

The grand festivities will end with the Pasalamat Free Concert featuring top entertainment artists at the Rizal Park.