DAVAO CITY – The 30th Kadayawan Festival highlights the “Lumadnong Dula” that was participated in by five tribes in Davao City.
The game started with ritual chanting, tribal dance and a cultural presentation from each of the tribes namely, Ata-Manobo, Ovu-Manobo, Matigsalug, Tagabawa and Klata Manobo.
The tribal games aimed to preserve the culture of the indigenous people which are slowly being forgotten.
Charles Raymond Maxey of the Davao City Sports Development Division under the City Mayor’s Office said the city is holding the Lumadnong Dula in observance to the United Nations’ Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples on September 13, 2007.
“Based on that declaration of the United Nations last 2007, during its 61st session in New York, came out this idea. Our aim is to really preserve the culture of the IPs,” Maxey said.
Close to 250 tribal residents joined the 12 tribal games where they displayed their skills. Among the games were water fetching (sosakoro or panikado), fire-making (totaringki or paning), tug of war using abaca rope and various target-hitting games namely sasalid, solopot and bubuntug.
The city government has alloted P589,000 for the cash prizes and food of the participants.
STRENGTH VS STRENGTH. Members of the Ata-Manobo tribe show their strength in a tug of war game during the Lumadnong Dula held at the People’s Park in Davao City on Thursday.
SHARP EYE. A Klata-Manobo focuses on his target using his home-made bow and arrow.
SOLOPOT. A tribal member blows a solopot (blowgun) to hit a target. This weapon is also used in self-defense during tribal war.
BUBUNTUG. One of the players during the Lumadnong Dula uses a spear to hit a ball made of coconut in the game called Bubuntug. Bangkaw or spear is also used for hunting wild boars by the lumads in the countrysides.
KARANG. Karang is bamboo used as stilts. The player who reaches the finish line without falling wins.
FIRE MAKING. The traditional way of making a fire by the lumads in the countryside is by using bamboo sticks, without the use of a lighter or a match. The player who makes a fire as fast as he can wins the game.
KAKASING. Similar to a top, a kakasing uses a wood top and rope.
FINISH LINE. An Ata-Manobo wins the track and field competition in the People’s Park. All of the players ran with bare feet during the game.
SOSAKORO. This Matigsalog woman runs as fast as she can to pour down her water fetched from a fishpond at People’s Park using a bamboo fetcher during the Lumadnong Dula held at the People’s park.
BIBINAYU. Bibinayu is the manual threshing done to remove the hull from rice or corn grains.
