kadayawan through the eyes of tasha

Pictures!!! But first a preamble…

Kadayawan Saturdays is probably the city’s busiest time of the year. On this day happens the Indak-Indak or the street dancing contest wherein more than 30 municipalities from all over Mindanao take part. And each of these groups have at least 50 dancers and 10 drumbeaters. There was this one contingent that had 210! Dancing starts from seven in the morning and can last all the way till eight or nine in the evening. Imagine how tired the participants can be!

The rest of Davao gang and guests have begun their solidarity trek with the dancers in the morning. I joined the walk around 3 in the afternoon, lugging along jancam (the manual camera) and tasha (the digital camera) to get as many cool pictures as I can.

Imagine how tired the dancers must be if they have been dancing for more than six hours already. But when we conversed with them or took their pictures, they still had a ready smile for us. Except when they are Muslim princesses. The proud chin is part of the drama.

The Indak-Indak disproves the gang’s idea that we are Davaoeños already because we still get excited by it. Most of the true blue Davaeoeños are smart and watch the Indak-Indak on television while probably sipping a cold drink, totally protected from the harmful rays of the sun. We, on the other hand, go out in the streets with our camera with our caps, shades and sunblock. The epitome of Kadayawan tourist.

It’s fun, it’s tiring, it’s time with friends. ‘Nuff said. That’s about the must justification I can ever give.

I found some children who lived near one of the communities Assisi sponsors. Jerry snapped photos of our conversation. One of them actually remembers me going there.

The salakots they used looked very pretty especially when they spun it around.

Dancing a traditional Muslim wedding ceremony... I think.