Where I live: Davao City

    

July 12, 2009 by John  
Filed under Feature, John G

Well as most of you know I live in Davao City on the Island of Mindanao, which is honestly a great place for me to live.

Even though its a huge city in terms of area, it is so friendly compared to my experiences in places like London, where big seems to be equated to “not friendly”, a bit like most big cities around the world.

Over the years I have lived here I have been invited to fiestas where the whole of that community get together and open all their homes for people to come party and eat, remember some of these people have very little but allow people (even me) into their homes where they do everything to keep you in food and drink and to party.

You will see those more fortunate providing food to strangers and even people from outside the local community can walk in uninvited to partake in the celebrations and food and dancing.

Music will thump into your ear drums into the Early hours, but I have never seen aggressive behavior, and the Police who pass by seem more likely to join in the celebration’s too. Most events seem to be around the basketball courts, where hundreds and hundreds of people dance and sing from the little kids right up to the oldest person. No age barriers here.

Fiestas are ongoing everywhere in the Philippines, but also here in Davao City we also have a specific celebration that brings in thousands and thousands of people from all over Mindanao, the Kadayawan festival, where the streets and Malls are full for a few days.

The event in  August, with  its dancing and parades and there are major shows in the city all revolve around the indigenous peoples of the Island. The festival has its roots as a thanksgiving to the Lord for providing a good harvest and and non stop colorful street dancing from people that hardly ever see a city.

Some of the people come from such remote areas, including people from the mountains who go to great effort to dress in fantastic costumes and build floats from anything they can find. Tractors, old carts, anything that can move is made into floats and along with  the beating of drums all day makes Davao the place to be.

The whole event is televised live across the country and also across the Pinoy international network , but to see it on TV is just not right. To see it in person makes you feel the warmth and the spirit of the people of Mindanao.

The parades that stretch for miles are exhausting  just to watch let alone be involved with.

Click here to see a video I made of the Festival and then book your tickets for August.

And this is the official site of the Kadaywan

About the Author:  John is always finding something new to share with the readers here. John is from Great Britain where he has a background in Retail, Banking and other endeavors. John is a member of the Gay community and writes for gay blogs in the Philippines.