After a two-year hiatus, exciting action awaits participants and spectators of this year’s Dula Kadayawan, which was set for August 19 at the Davao People’s Park, with bigger cash prizes at stake.
Games in-charge Tomas Jose “Tommy” Iñigo said, “Nalipay ang atong mga kaigsoonang lumad ug Muslim kay gitas-an rung tuiga ang cash prizes (Our lumad and Muslim brothers and sisters are happy that this year’s cash prizes were raised).”
He said all events played in the 2019 edition will still be showcased this year except for one Moro event – the two-legged race.
In the 2019 Dula Kadayawan, these were the events played: binibayo (rice pounding) is the traditional way of separating the hull from the rice by pounding it; bubuntug (bamboo spear) or spear throwing – players must hit a rolling target by releasing or throwing spear; kakasing (wooden spinning tops) – playing wooden spinning tops with no nail, the longest to stop spinning wins the game; kanggarotaya (Moro version of tug of war); karang (wooden stilts) – the game is a race to the finish line while participants walk on wooden stilts; pana (bow and arrow) – the players of the game are all in one line as they aim for the target using the primitive weapon for hunting, the bow and arrow; siklot – players balance the stalks of cassava, on one hand, toss it and try to catch as many as he/she can; sipa sa Lama – like our version of “takyan” but with more grace and ceremony; sipa sa mangis (A box is suspended 20 feet or higher from the ground and below the box are hung ball-like figures which correspond to how many points the player gets when hit. Once it falls, the player gets the point); sisibow – similar to the Filipino game called “siatong” where players try to hit a target from a distance; solopot (blowgun) – The winner is determined by who blows the farthest using solopot; sosakaro (water fetching) – the ladies from various tribes also take part in this physical activity, showing their competitive side by using bamboo poles in fetching water; totaringki (fire making) – players will have to try their best to produce fire using indigenous materials; and usuroy (tug of war) – A sport that pits two teams against each other in a test of strength.
Iñigo said, “All 11 indigenous tribes of the city will participate in the indigenous people’s games. Participants will don their colorful tribal gear.”
Dula Kadayawan, spearheaded by the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) in coordination with the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO), will feature the games played by the Ata, Bagobo-Klata, Bagobo-Tagabawa, Iranun, Kagan, Maguindanaon, Maranao, Matigsalug, Obu-Manuvu, Sama, and Tausug.
The IP Games, according to him, will be played in the morning while the Moro events will be held in the afternoon.
A friendly tug-of-war exhibition will pit the IP and Muslim champion teams against each other.
The events are open to IP and Muslim participants aged 18 and above.
Meanwhile, SDD-CMO officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera expressed his excitement over the resumption of the Dula Kadayawan. His office will be providing the logistics and manpower for the overall conduct of the games, as well as the processing of the cash prizes to be given away.
“The games will proceed as planned. Excited kaayo ko and I’m very much happy to see each other again physically. Excited ko makita ang kalipay sa tanang tawo nga duha ka tuig kapin nga wa magkita (I’m very excited and I’m very much happy to see each other again physically. I’m excited to see the joy of people who have not seen others for over two years),” he told the City Information Office (CIO) in a Viber interview on Thursday, July 28.
Aportadera also said that the regular Kadayawan sportsfest will not yet be revived as things could not be prepared in time due to the transition of government but he said it might push through in October with a Davao City sportsfest instead. CIO
