“Kadayawan” Madayaw Festival

of Davao
“KADAYAWAN” Madayaw Festival of Davao
Kadayawan comes from the word “Madayaw” meaning thanksgiving for
nature’s gift; warm and friendliness greeting; and to describe things that is
good, valuable, superior, and beautiful. It originated from tribal festivals of
the “Lumads” and Muslim tribes of Davao in the 70’s. It is celebrated in the
3rd week of August yearly.
The distinguishing characteristics of the music of Kadayawan festival is
its use of vibrant and lively music of celebration to give thanks of the gods
(anitos) for the good yield of harvest in Davao.
In every parade, participants play drums or other instruments in
rhythmical patterns together with the use of pentatonic notes that serves
as their music during processions and parades. The tempo varies from
upbeat moderate to upbeat fast to portray gratefulness and thanksgiving.
Let Us Try
1. What is the common rhythm of the music of Kadayawan?
A. upbeat and lively
B. downbeat and mellow
C. upbeat and mellow
D. downbeat and lively
2. What is the Kadayawan festivals commonly used five musical notes?
A. harmonic minor notes
B. melodic minor notes
C. pentatonic notes
D. all choices
3. Kadayawan festival music uses vibrant and lively that is musically
varied in?
A. People
B. Rhythm
C. Place
D. Davao City
4. Kadayawan festival’s music is based on the celebration of
thanksgiving of what?
A. rich people
B. good people
C. good harvest
D. rich soil
5. Kadayawan is a festival celebrated in?
A. Buhangin
B. Davao
C. Sasa
D. none
Let Us Practice More
1. Kadayawan is celebrated in
a. Cebu City
b. Panabo City
c. Davao City
d. None of the choices
2. This City holds this festival to celebrate good harvest with street
dancing in colorful tribal costumes and jewelries together with floats
of fresh fruits and flowers.
a. Araw ng Davao
b. Kadayawan
c. Sinulog
d. None of the choices
3. Kadayawan festival music uses what type of music?
a. Harmonic and vibrant
b. Mellow and melodic
c. Vibrant and lively
d. none of the choices
4. Most tempos of the music of Kadayawan are:
a. Upbeat slow
b. upbeat fast
c. upbeat moderate and
upbeat
d. downbeat moderate
5. Kadayawan music mostly uses these notes.
a. Harmonic notes
b. Pentatonic
c. Melodic notes
d. all of the choices
Based on what you have read and understand from the readings above,
write T if the statement is true and write F if the statement if false.
1. __ Kadayawan is a festival from Visayas.
2. __ Kadayawan music is commonly in pentatonic notes.
3. __ Vibrant and moody is one of the characterics of the music of
Kadayawan.
4. __ Kadayawan is celebrated in the third week of August.
5. __ Kadayawan tempo is usually slow.
6. __ Participants of Kadayawan festival play drums and other
instruments without rhythmical pattern.

KADAYAWAN: Davao’s Pride Festival

KADAYAWAN Festival is celebrated in Davao City, every third (3rd)
week of the month of August since 1986. The festival is a celebration of
thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and celebration of unity among the tribes
who inhabit the city. The festival itself has brought the city its fame
showcasing the different events that would entice the people’s participation
and indulge in its offering of food and delicacies, indigenous cultural practices
and the very enjoying Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan and Pamulak sa
Kadayawan Parade. These are the events that will surely give you a glimpse
of the People of Davao on how we celebrate friendship and embrace the
richness of Davao’s Cultural Heritage.
In old-time, Davao’s Tribe people residing at the foot of Mt. Apo used to
do “pahinungod” or offering to their great god, the Supreme Being or
“Manama” where they display fruits, vegetables, flowers, rice, and corn grains
on mates and were showing the sign of respect for the great year they have
had. Also, people were dancing and singing in front of their homes, which is
still practiced and continued today as well, even more than 30 years after the
festival’s first official acknowledgment.
In the year 1970, then Mayor Elias B. Lopez had encouraged all the
Davao tribes, the Lumads (Non-Islam and Non-Christians) and Muslims to
showcase their thanksgiving rituals. And in the year 1986, after the turbulent
times of the Martial Law, the Davao City government united the people to a
huge gathering of tribes forming a festival with its first name, Apo Duwaling
Festival. This was to showcase the province, despite of the country’s dispute
as a peaceful destination to visit. This festival’s name was created as a
combination of three natural wonders: Mt. Apo, Philippine’s highest peak,
Durian, the king of fruits and Waling-waling, the queen of flowers.
It was officially named and called Kadayawan Festival by then
mayor, Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the year 1988, signifying all the goodness to
the people of Davao and to the fruits of their good labor in the bounty of good
harvest and thanksgiving. The festival’s name is derived from the Mandaya
word “madayaw,” meaning treasured or valuable.