Indigenous groups gather in ‘DAYAW SA VISAYAS’

Delegations of different indigenous ethnic groups and cultural communities in central Philippines gathered in Dayaw sa Visayas in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, on 3 and 4 November.

The event was part of the Dayaw Festival, a celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Month spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts' Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts.

The festival has returned onsite after being held virtually due to coronavirus pandemic. This year, it was held in three legs in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Dayaw sa Luzon, spearheaded by SCCTA's National Committee on Northern Cultural Communities, was mounted at Rizal Park in Manila from 23 to 24 October with represenratives of indigenous communities of the Luzon island cluster as well as from other regions of the country.

On the other hand, Dayaw sa Mindanao was held on 6 and 7 November in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Organized by the SCCTA's National Committee on Central Cultural Communities, Dayaw sa Visayas opened with a short program at the Negros Museum.

The program began with a "babaylan" ritual by the Panay Bukidnon group and a welcome message from Pablito Gonzales, vice head of SCCTA and head of the National Committee on Central Cultural Communities, who is from Negros Occidental.

Marichu Tellano, NCCA deputy executive director, and Tanya Lopez, executive director of the Negros Museum, also delivered their messages. Among those who graced the occassion was Dr. Edwin Antonio, head of the National Committee on Northern Cultural Communities.

The program also included traditional performances and the opening of the exhibit, "Mal'am, Maaram, Maalam: Tribute to the SLT Cultural Masters."

The exhibit includes portraits of experienced practitioners and bearers of traditions and crafts, who have become teachers of younger members of their communities in NCCA's flagship program, the School of Living Traditions.

The next day, a forum was held at the museum, which provided delegates the platform to discuss issues as well as to reconnect with each other after the lifting of the two-year restriction on social gatherings and travel guidelines.

In the afternoon, a show was held at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central with a short program consisting of traditional dances and singing. The Waray group from Samar sang a siday or poetry and performed the ismayling while the Panay Bukidnon delegation performed the courthship dance binanog and chanted a story or sugilanon.

The groups of Pala'wan, Guimaras Ati, Jama Mapun and the Sibuyan Mangyan Tagabukid of the province of Romblon showcased their traditional dances.

Dayaw sa Visayas was smaller compared to past events, but they came to manifest what the cultural communities and their traditions still endure through the pandemic and to affirm the theme of event, "Pagtataguyod ng Pamayanang Kultural para sa Isang Matatag na Filipinas" (Upholding cultural communities for a robust Philippines).