2008 Kadayawan Festival Photos
The annual Kadayawan Festival is underway and I have lots of photos of the street dancing parade (Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan) to share, courtesy of one of our readers.
The term “Kadayawan” is derived from the Mandaya word “madayaw”, a warm and friendly greeting used to explain a thing that is valuable, superior, beautiful, good, or profitable.
In 1988, then City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte renamed the festival as “Kadayawan sa Dabaw” to celebrate the bountiful harvest of Davao’s flowers, fruits and other produce as well as the wealth of the city’s cultures. To this day, the festival continues to honor the city’s richness and diverse artistic, cultural and historical heritage in a grand celebration of thanksgiving for all of Davao City’s blessings.
The Kadayawan Festival is an annual event that runs the third week of August. Events are scheduled throughout, so it’s best to check the website for the calendar of which event you may wish to attend. Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan is a highlight of the festival done towards the end. Pamulak Kadayawan is the grand finale of the Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival, the showing blooming of flowers and ripening of fruits in a floral float parade and competition.
This a very colorful and well attended festival celebrating the uniqueness of the region’s cultural history. I really look forward to attending this on some visit, but if not I will surely make it there once I live in the area.
Take a look look at the beautiful photos of this remarkable event.
Photos courtesy of Ellen (thank you).
Thanks Randy. I’ve always wanted to see the Indak Indak parade, right on the street, not just on TV. Now I did it and these pictures were worth the heat torture where I was.
I was told that some of these kids are really from tribes – they were barefooted on the rough and hot cement!! In fact, the parade started late because some were still arriving from the outskirts, “bukid”.The first prize winner will get P300,000. Each participant gave a few minutes preview of their act before marching on to Rizal Park where the real competition begins and they each have to do a 15 minute presentation.
There were a lot of people there, mostly locals. I saw some tourists or expats too, and they were dancing with them
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Maybe next year, I will go watch the float parade. Thanks again for posting these. Pictures do speak louder, and your readers should click on some of them for a closer view.
Hi Ellen – thanks again for the photos.
This is an important and popular event for Davao. I can tell that by the number of articles I see around the internet regarding it. It certainly is beautiful and colorful.
I would really like to take it in myself one day. My wife wants to schedule our next trip around it, but I’m not so sure that will happen.