Local traditions and customs are strongly ingrained in festivals. Knowing where they came from helps in keeping these aspects of culture alive for upcoming generations.
Understanding when a festival began offers a historical context for comprehending its growth and change throughout history.
For the Kadayawan 2025 Executive Committee (EXECOM), this context is essential for understanding Kadayawan sa Davao’s importance within the community.
One distinct in this year’s celebration is the absence of the year (edition) in the celebration of Kadayawan sa Davao.
Originally anticipated to be the 40th edition of the Kadayawan sa Davao Festival, this year’s celebration will forgo its numerical designation as the ExeCom awaits the findings of a comprehensive study into the festival’s actual beginnings.
Gene Bangayan, Co-Chair of the MICE Board Davao and a member of the Kadayawan ExeCom, explained the decision to temporarily remove the festival’s edition number and just name it Kadayawan 2025.
“We’re revisiting historical narratives to determine the actual start of Kadayawan. While the research is still underway, the executive committee decided to drop the ordinal reference and use ‘Kadayawan 2025’ until we establish definitive historical roots,” Bangayan said.
Oscar “Oca” Casaysay, Officer-in-Charge of the Davao City Culture and Arts Office, underscored efforts to institutionalize the festival, citing the need for proper documentation. Part of this initiative involves passing a resolution through Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Chair of the Tourism and Beautification Committee in the 21st City Council.
“There’s strong evidence suggesting that the celebration didn’t begin in 1985. If previous narratives claimed so, we must ask why. We’ve thoroughly discussed this and resolved to pursue official legislation to anchor Kadayawan historically,” Casaysay noted.
The City Information Office (CIO) posted on the official website of the city government of Davao in 2020 that tribal festivals date back to the 1970s when the late Davao City Mayor Elias B. Lopez, a Bagobo descendant, founded several cultural thanksgiving rituals of Mindanao’s Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and thought to merge these into one celebration.
It was only in 1986, under the late mayor Zafiro Respicio, that only one festival was popularized-the Apo Duwaling to honor Mt. Apo, the Durian fruit, and the Waling-Waling orchid.
From Apo Duwaling, it was changed to Kadayawan sa Dabaw in 1988, honoring the 11 tribes of Davao City: Ata, Maguindanaon, Matigsalug, Bagobo Klata, Maranao, Obo Manuvu, Bagobo-Tagabawa, Tasug, Sama, Iranun, and Kagan.
It was in 1995 that the festival was institutionalized by then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte through his Executive Order No. 10.
Casaysay pointed out that past festivities lacked systematic and scholarly documentation.
Casaysay also paid tribute to Lopez for pioneering the celebration by elevating the Indigenous ritual to a citywide event.
However, emphasized that the historical narratives remain unclear and must be properly captured.
As a response, Casaysay said plans are underway to conduct in-depth research, including potential consultations and public hearings.
“We need to develop a well-rounded historical study. Anyone with insights on Kadayawan’s origins is invited to share their knowledge with the executive committee,” he added.
Despite the renaming, the festival’s shared goals of gratitude and celebration of abundant harvests persist today.
Kadayawan sa Davao still attracts both residents and international visitors to the city as it is still and remained the “King of Festivals.”
