Festivals in Davao Region Essay

Held annually in the city of Tagum, Davao del Norte during February 21-27, Musikahan Festival also known as Musikahan sa Tagum, is a distinct cultural event celebrating Filipino excellence in music through composition, performance and production, providing the youth with more opportunities in the music industry as its goal. Local government of Tagum provides musical instruments to public schools aiming to amplify music appreciation and enhance the skills in performance of the youth in the field of music and prepare them for a bright future in music career. Also, Tagum City facilitates the participation of local barangay units in various music competitons not only to enrich cultural literacy but also as an opportunity to gain support in the development projects of local communities. Musikahan Festival is a weeklong musical celebration that also aims to promote Tagum City as the Music Capital of Mindanao and have now finally made a mark in the music scene as Department of Tourism have officially included the event as one of the country’s pride festivals .Already earning popularism, the city of Tagum plans to bid for a Guinness Record for the longest nonstop live concert in the world. Current holder of the title is Japan with a record of 184 hours. About 5,000 members of contingents from the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Marawi, Cotabato, Butuan, and Davao, of participants alone not including the visitors, compete in various musical contests which is expected to triple the income of business establishments in Tagum City. Musikahan Festival also aims to provide employment and livelihood for the townspeople. The City of Tagum claims that visitors who would take part in the celebration will be the cause for the city to have substantial multiplier effect to its businesses for they are sure to buy goods in the markets. Revelers can avail food at reasonable prices as booths are scattered in almost every part of the venue during the Musikahan Festival. Holding of the event is also an opportunity for tourism investments for hotels and malls, which is continously flourishing along with the city’s development. Among the festival’s highlights are the Battle of the Bands which divided into three categories: Folksong / Acoustic / Bossa Nova, Reggae / Ska / Emo, and Pop / Rock / Alternative category, the Drum and Bugle Corps / Chorale Competition category, and the Marching Brass Band Competition. Kadayawan Festival From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The Kadayawan Festival is an annual festival in the city of Davao in the Philippines. Its name derives from the friendly greeting â€Å"Madayaw†, from the Dabawenyo word â€Å"dayaw†, meaning good, valuable, superior or beautiful. The festival is a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living. Indak-indak sa Kadalanan. Indak-indak sa Kadalanan. Kadayawan Festival 2012 Kadayawan Festival 2012 Kadayawan Festival 2012 Davao Events and Festivals Davao, Philippines offers visitors a rich array of events and festivals throughout the year that highlight its unique cultural identity and history. HotelTravel.com highlights the key events and festivals in Davao from month to month, providing visitors with a huge choice of possible choice to play that once in a lifetime holiday around. Each one brings to life why Davao is so representative of people from Philippines. Click the events and festival links below for further information. Davao has a busy calendar of events which includes both holidays that are celebrated by the entire nation and a variety of celebrations that are exclusive to the region. Religion plays a big part in local festivities, with the largest events generally revolving around Roman Catholicism. Below are the most popular festivals enjoyed across the Davao region. January New Years Day: Davao’s residents celebrate the arrival of the New Year with a day off work and the chance to relax and enjoy get-togethers with friends and family. Araw ng mga Natibo: otherwise known as the Day of the Natives, this distinctly regional event sees members of the Tagacaolos, B’laans and Manobo tribes come together to celebrate their respective cultures through performances of ethnic singing and dancing, and the unusual spectacle of horse fighting. February People Power Day: Davao’s residents join the nation in enjoying a public holiday in remembrance of the 1986 People Power Revolt. March Araw ng Dabaw: Davao City celebrates the historic event when the city received an official charter. For a week, the locals enjoy a variety of festivities including horse fighting, ethnic rituals, a beauty contest and grand parade. April Easter: Locals are predominantly Catholic and so attend Holy Week services, culminating in Mass on Easter Sunday followed by celebrations with family and friends. Bataan Day: Davao locals enjoy this national holiday in remembrance of those who gave their lives in battles against the Japanese for control of the Bataan peninsular at the start of WWII. May Summer Island Festival: the third week of the month sees this popular event based at Samal Island in Davao. Locals and visitors assemble to enjoy cultural performances, banca racing and water sports competitions. June Santacruzan: locals don brightly coloured outfits and re-enact St Helene’s discovery of the cross of Christ. The event takes place in the residential areas of Belisario Heights and Lanang, which can be found a short distance north of Davao City. Tabanogan Festival: the feast of St Peter is celebrated in Davao with a number of festivities, among the most notable being the kite flying competition in which locals showcase their talents in this age-old activity. Independence Day: the 12th of June is a national holiday and sees residents of Davao enjoy a day off work to celebrate the country’s anniversary of the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain. July Araw ng Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental: this is the annual celebration of Davao’s division into the three independent provinces of del Sur, del Norte and Oriental. A variety of festivities are enjoyed including horse fighting displays, beauty pageants and tribal dance performances. Filipino-American Friendship Day: the formal Declaration of Independence from the United States is celebrated across the country on the 4th of July. Davao residents enjoy a day off work. August Araw ng mga Bayani: otherwise known as National Heroes’ Day, this is a public holiday enjoyed by all on the 26th of August. Kadayawan sa Dabaw: in the second week of August, this festival is enjoyed by locals with a variety of events including a beauty pageant, ethnic performances, a fruit and flower show and more. September Osmeà ±a Day: this national holiday commemorates the now deceased fourth President of the Philippines, Sergio Osmeà ±a. October Ramadan: a small percentage of Davao’s residents are Muslim and therefore celebrate the Islamic month of abstinence called Ramadan. Locals eat sparingly and avoid indulgences of any kind for the duration of the period. November Eid ul-Fitr: the Muslim residents of Davao mark the end of the Ramadan period with get-togethers and family feasts. Bonifacio Day: the birth date of Filipino revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio is celebrated by residents of the Davao region. December Lopez Jaena Day: the life of Graciano Là ³pez Jaena, one of the country’s most significant historic figures, is celebrated on the 18th of December. Christmas: beginning on the 15th of the month and lasting until the 31st, Paskuhan sa Dabaw is the country’s official Christmas season. The period is marked by a variety of festive events. New Years Eve (Bisperas ng Bagong Taon): is the official end of year celebration and sees a variety of festivities enjoyed across the Davao region. Davao City is particularly lively, holding various parties and putting on fireworks displays in a number of locations.