Dayaw Festival

 Celebrating indigenous people's heritage

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) formally opened this year's Dayaw Festival through a cultural showcase at the Rizal Park open air auditorium on the first weekend of October.

Presidential Proclamation 1906 series of 2009 mandated for October as National Indigenous Peoples Month. Thus, the Dayaw Festival came about as the country's annual international indigenous people's festival.

"Dayaw affords Filipinos to show one's pride with dignity, most especially to all indigenous people from different regions of the country. It is also a way of upholding cultural communities for a robust economy," intimated NCCA executive director Oscar Casaysay.

The Dayaw Festival is held in different parts of the country through the years; highlighting creativity, fortitude, and power. This year, the National Capital Region will be hosting the festivities that will culminate on Oct. 23 and 24.

Some of the interesting performances during the opening salvo included a presentation of "Binalog" from the Panay Bukidnon community of Calinog, Iloilo. "Binalog" came from the root word 'banog' or 'hawk,' and accounts for the birdlike movements of the dance. The Manobo Talaandig group of Mindanao also presented their version of the dance.

On the other hand, the Pusaka sa Maguindanao presented a deft performance with the gongs or 'kulintang,' while the Banda Kawayan Pilipinas regaled spectators with several bamboo instruments - like the kumintang, ang klung, and flute - by playing the farmers' ditty, "Magtanum ay Di Biro," as well as the Ilocano kundiman greats like "Ti Ayat Maysa Nga Ubing" and "Pamulinawen," that they played in varying tempos.

The show culminated with folk singer Joey Ayala crooning "Karaniwang Tao" with the Bagong Lumad. He said "bagong lumad" is a term used by Pinoy's who are uncertain of their tribal origins thereby doing away with 'genetic amnesia.'

"Indigenous people's are defined by the richness and culture of its communities. Their valuable resources provide for strength and nation building. After all, a people without knowledge of its roots and history is like a ship without a known course and destination," intoned Jennifer Sinug-las of Central Mindanao's NCIP office.

Several performances from various cultural groups will be presented in venues in and around the NCR throughout the duration of the festival.