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Thursday, March 28, 2024

First Kadayawan Digital Festival, A Success

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The first ever digitalized version of the iconic Kadayawan sa Davao was a success, with hundreds of people participating in its different online activities.

“This is the 35th year of the Kadayawan and this year we commemorated it with a new format as part of the new normal and even though its in the new normal we were able to stage Kadayawan that is why we have this Kadayawan Digital Week. And I would like to thank who supported us in this endeavor,” Gatchi Gatchalian, festival director of the Kadayawan Digital Week said.

The Kadayawan Digital Week was held from August 17-23 in the occasion of the festival which is celebrated by the city featuring its 11 indigenous communities.

Instead of the anticipated massive events such as the Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan (Street Dancing Competition), Pamulak sa Kadalanan (Floral Float Parade) and Hiyas sa Kadayawan. The events of this year’s Kadayawan are held online as the whole world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Davao City has scrapped all major celebrations and festivities until the end of the year. But Kadayawan Digital Week initiated by the private sector was held as a commemoration of the festival which symbolizes unity and diversity among people of different beliefs and culture.

Gatchalian said he is very happy with the turnout of the various online activities such as the Tiktok competitions, music video making contest and the Most Memorable Kadayawan Experience.

“Even with a short time of preparation, Dabawenyos can really come up with artistic and resourceful creations, Dabawenyos are really supportive, if we hold an activity such as these, they will join,” Gatchalian said.

There were about 146 entries in the Kadayawan Tiktok Contest, where participants wearing IP attire and facemask and other Personal Protective Equipment will dance to Kadayawan-inspired music. The Kalumon Performing Ensemble and Koryo Dabaw won prizes from Globe Telecommunications while Team Durian – Davao United Responders Immediate Action Network Group won a prize from Smart for the same event.

For the music video contest, there were 35 entries. The contest involves the creation of a one minute and 30 second music video of a Kadayawan-themed song. A team from the Students Environment Alliance Davao and the duo of Caloy and Batoy won top prizes from Globe for the contest. While Smart Telecommunications awarded the prize to a video made by Icee Vasquez.

For the Most Memorable Kadayawan Experience where participants get to submit old photos and memorabilia relating to Kadayawan, there were 45 who submitted. Anthony Domingo and Stephanie. Rico won prizes from Globe while Everly Uy who submitted an old photo taken during the 1986 Apo Duwaling Festival (the predecessor of Kadayawan) received a prize from Smart.

Aside from the contests, the Kadayawan Digital Weekend also featured photos taken by photographers during the Kadayawan, curated by photographer/writer Jojie Alcantara, around 51 photos were showcased online. While Kadayawan Museonline also curated by Alcantara gathered Kadayawan themed visual artworks. Around 19 art works were shown online.

There were also online discussions participated by city government officials, various tourism stakeholders and the different festival event organizers reminiscing the past stagings of the festival and Kadayawan’s role in the growth of tourism in Davao City.

The Kadayawan Digital Week also   paid tribute to the hero frontliners who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gatchalian said the digital format of the festival will aim to inspire the city and perhaps other cities and localities in the country to come up with online versions of their notable events such as celebrations and festivals as part of the new normal(PIA/RG Alama)

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