Mandaya Weaving

A Mandaya woman uses a traditional loom.

Weaving abaca fiber requires intricate attention and expertise.

Dexterous fingers.

Observe the woman’s abaca inspired attire. Isn’t it colorful? Mandaya tribes primarily originate from the region of Davao Oriental. Found predominantly in Mati, Cateel and Bagangga areas, Mandayas are often named as “people from the uplands”, since Davao Oriental possesses mountainous ranges.

Movement inspires perfection.

Dyed abaca hemp show designs and patterns. From the time the abaca is rigidly stripped (manaksi/taksi-un) of its trunk, the fiber undergoes pounding, combing and dyeing. Corloful and intricate traditional patterns such as a crocodile are finely woven and embossed into the fabric.

The fabric up close.

Wallets, beads, bangles and ladies’ purses. All abaca-inspired.

Beads and more beads!

Colorful necklaces.

Presenting, the Master weaver!

The Mandaya Weaver

Dyed dagmay cloth made from rich abaca hemp fibers are woven into a wonderful clothing material for the Mandaya lumads.

Kadayawan Celebration

Dabawenyong Lumad is pleased to announce that on August 17-19,  2012, the City of Davao will be celebrating its annual “Kadayawan Festival”.

Legally founded in 1986, the word “Kadayawan” is derived substantially from the tribal term, “Madayaw“, which means good or bountiful. The indigenous people of Davao had coined the word”Madayaw” as a way of expressing their gratitude to a bountiful outcome of a harvest. Whether it be rice, fruits, livestock, Davao lumads owe their thanks to their supreme deity popularly known to them as “Manama”.

During the occasion, the tribal people would put forth their generous harvests including their farming tools as offering to their deities and consequently rejoice in the occasion through dances, music and banquets.

This annual thanksgiving usually involve street parades, flower displays, cultural exhibits and market displays of various products and services of the City.

Kadayawan celebrations all through the years, continue to exemplify Davao’s rich and diverse cultural heritage and has promoted the Region as an exceptional tourist destination in the country.

Come join us.

Kulintang

Inset is Ambit Onse (+), Bagobo giangan, who plays the kulintang

The kulintang is a form of musical instrument that is used by the Bagobos, Mandayas, Tagakaolos and Matigsalugs of Davao. Being made up of casted bronze or brass traded to Davao tribal peoples by bartering Muslim tribes from Singapore or Malaysia, it is shaped like a small-rounded sphere with knobs. Whenever an occasion demands that music be heard for such as those of a wedding, harvests or simply in honor of a Datu, a kulintang will be displayed for all to hear and see.

The Bagobo kulintang, differing from its Tausug, Maranaw or Maguindanao counterparts is normally hanged upright . They are neatly and orderly stacked. Using small padded sticks called “tap-tap”, a player will usually play the tune while another player, thumps on the bass gong as accompaniment. The melody usually starts with a solemn, slow and rythmic pounding of the gong and thereby progresses into a much faster, pulsating and cheerful tone. It is at this point that the people begin to be excited and are being invited to dance.

Dances among Davao’s tribes such as the Bagobos involve the rythmic shuffling of the feet, with the woman anticipating the dance movements of man. Both men and women adorned with the traditional Bagobo abaca-textured attire, regaled with colors, beads and brass bells, will be seen swaying beautifully in a ritualistic manner.

There are certainly types of kulintang melodies by which Bagobos express their feelings. For a festive mood, they have the “inday-inday, sowroy or the tagunggo“. At the time of death, the Bagobos also play a certain melody to announce a sad tiding. The playing of the kulintang is unlike the western musical contrivances that involves formal note compositions. The Malayan gong usually employs a “pentatonic-type” of musicality. This is defined in the dictionary as a musical scale with 5 noted per octave in contrast to a heptatonic type or 7-note scale. Because the music is orally transmitted, it has room for further musical elucidation, depending upon the feelings of the player.

The kulintang ever becomes a regal instrument if only it renders a beautiful melody as great as the skill and as lofty as the feelings of the player.

For the Bagobos, the sound of the kulintang does not only rekindle ancient memories and blood ties, but also reminds them of their dignified place in Davao’s history.