Para games, mixed trio bowling, beach ping pong, chess, airsoft, aero marathon, karatedo, badminton, boxing, push bikes, baseball, badminton, volleyball, golf, football, karatedo, arnis, dancesports, rugby, sepak takraw, softball, endurance ride, skateboarding, athletics, triathlon, tennis, eskrima, swimming.
Those were the sports events lined-up for the 2023 Kadayawan Festival this month.
Great!
This begs the question, though, where are the Indigenous Games?
While the beauty and brains contest has highlighted the best and the brightest from the 11 Tribes of our beloved City of Davao, there are no games organized for our Indigenous Peoples.
Sportsman William “Butch” Ramirez (Yes fellow Dabawenyos, coach Butch, the former Davao City sports coordinator and Philippine Sports Commission chairman) has set the trend of organizing the Indigenous Games in Davao which was warmly welcomed by our tribal and city leaders. It warms my heart that our Indigenous Peoples in Davao are being celebrated and highlighted for their contributions to the growth of the city. Nindot noh?
I was there one time at the Magsaysay Park, talked to some of the guards who told me about the various Tribal Houses on display. “Maayo na, kay ma remind gyud ta sa mga original sa Dabaw”, I said to them. That is how it should be and we praise our city leaders for sharing that culture for the new generation of Dabawenyos.
I do not know if you can still remember that there used to be a Horse Fight event before because that is one “sport” that our IP brothers and sisters organize as part of their culture. And believe me young Dabawenyos, that event was well attended! But due to the opposition of animal rights groups, it was stopped.
To make everybody happy, the “totho”, “bangkaw” throwing, “pana” shooting were instead organized, which is appropriate because those are “netibo isports”. That calmed down the animal rights group.
I perfectly understand that there is extra work to be done if you organize the Indigenous Games. Kapoy ug prepare, set up sa tanan, coordinate with the Deputy Mayors and tribal sports organizers and participants.
But, again, our Indigenous Peoples Ata, Klata, Tagabawa, Ovu Manuvu, Matigsalog, Tausug, Sama, Iranun, Maguindanaoan, Maranao and Kagan would love to have IP Games too. It is Kadayawan, right?
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For comments, email mpb_sports@yahoo.com.
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