Important Facts about Davao City

The population in Davao City has grown to almost a hundred times in a century. 

8,560 in 1903

1.5 million in 2011

2.7 million in 2036

There are 4.54 persons 

in every household in Davao City

6 of 25 people in Davao City live in Rural Barangays

Important Facts About Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival in Davao City

• The Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival originated from the tradition of thanksgiving amongst the indigenous communities called Pahinongod. Various farm tools, baskets of fruits, trays of colorful native orchids, rice and corn grains and vegetables were displayed on mats as thanksgiving to the Almighty for the year's bountiful harvest.

• In the seventies, Mayor Elias B. Lopez, a Bagobo, initiated feasts in the poblacion with representatives from the different ethno-linguistic groups Tagabawa, Clata, Ata, Manobo, Mandaya and the Islamized Indigenous Communities. They performed dances and rituals of thanksgiving.

• The first title of the feast "Kadayawan sa Dabaw" was "Apo Duwaling Festival". It was a contraction from the things the city was known for: Mt. Apo, Durian and Waling-Waling. The first festival was done in 1986 which was aimed at promoting Davao as a peaceful city. Early on, feasts were not as grand and the Apo Duwaling Festival revived celebration of colorful festivals. This was organized by the Floriculture Industry Council of Southern Mindanao (FICSMIN).

• In 1988, "Apo Duwaling" was renamed "Kadayawan sa Dabaw" which is Dabawnon expression for anything that is good, excellent and brings great fortune. It was derived from the aboriginal word "dayaw" meaning good or "madayaw" referring to things of great value, profitable, superior or beneficial.

• In the year 2005 until 2010, Kadayawan was revered as the Festival of Festivals. This was so having various festivals such as Mindanao Indigenous Dance Festival, the World Music Festival (Tugtog, later known as Tunog Mindanao), the Indigenous Music Festival (Agongan or Kulintangan), the Indigenous Peoples Festival and the River Festival. In 2011, the tag line was changed to King of Festivals.

• The Hiyas sa Kadayawan was originally a model search conceptualized to contribute to the growing fashion industry in the city. In 2007, it was changed to a competition among young, indigenous ladies who are knowledgeable of the culture and history of the indigenous community they represent. The first model Hiyas 1997 was Marie Rose Cadorna Escalada and the first indigenous Hiyas 2007 was Samrah Nuh, a Kagan.

• The Kadayawan Theme Song was composed by Joey Ayala, 2000 Datu Bago Awardee.

10 Tribes of Davao City - Maranao part (10-10)

This is the last part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Maranao

Deputy Mayor Gapor "Randy" A. Usman, Al Haj

Maranao means "people of the lake" with Lanao as their homeland referred to as lake. Like other Muslim tribes, they are brave and historically offered sacrifice in defense of their homeland and Islam. They are rich in literature the most famous of which is the Darangen.

The Maranao musical heritage revolves around the kulinlang, a specific type of gong which plays sounds peculiar to their culture.

Maranaos are best known for sophistication in wood and metal crafts like the impressive torogan, a special house built for a Maranao maiden; design motifs called okil, examples of which are the Sarimanok and Naga which are creative renditions of a cock and its fish and a dragon or snake, respectively.

The Maranao is also known for their exceptional textiles of ornate designs and colors reflective of the social status of the wearer. The Malong is a classic example.

If there is one trait noticeable among the Maranao is their large involvement to market trade which makes a Maranao community widely visible in every city and town in the Philippines.

The Maranaos are in the districts of Poblacion, Talomo, Bunawan, Buhangin, Toril, Tugbok, Calinan and Marilog Districts.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Sama part (9-10)

This is the 9th part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Sama

Within the Sulu Sea basin alone, the majority of the coastal people belong to he Sama cultural community. The term "Sama" is a derivative of the word "Sama-sama" meaning togetherness.

Sama may be described as a cohesive and peace-loving people.

Each Sama sub-group is identified geographically according to the name of their coastal settlement. These include: Sama Simunul. Sama Balimbing, Sama Tawi-Tawi, Sama Sibutu and Sama Ubian. Each of them have varied ancestral backgrounds, outlooks in life, economic lifeways and types of social upbringing.

The Sama Simunul claims to have descended from a mixture of Arab and native blood. They point to the color of their skin and physical traits as evidence of such descent.

The Sama Tawi-Tawi are said to have come originally from Johore. Their ancestors are believed to have crossed the ocean through small outriggers. Their forefathers were powerful men, having the supernatural power to invite unseen spirits called Jin to do things for them.

The Sama Sibutu claimed to have descended from another makmudin named Mukthar. The descending lineage of Tuan Mukthar considers this Sama group as belonging to the Datu class, Like the Sama Tawi-Tawi, the Sama Sibutu also possess the limuh (knowledge) of jinism or spiritism.

The majority of Sama people in Davoa City are in the coastal barangays from Bunawan to Toril.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Ata part (8-10)

This is the 8th part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Ata

The Spaniards called the people living in the upland areas Atas, lumping many tribes together. These were the people they did not reach in their initial reduction efforts. Today, the term Ata applies to the relatively dark-skinned tribes found in Paquibato, Panabo, Carmen, Santo Tomas, Kapalong, and neighboring places.

Some of them call themselves Ata Manobo particularly those in the Liboganon river basin, while those in Marilog up to parts of Bukidnon call themselves Matigsalug. Another group in the Kapalong area calls itself Talaingod. These Ata groups are one and the same.

In the past, they are noted to be highly nomadic and tended to live in single family units, with each house very far from the others. Considered the earliest inhabitants, they were pushed into the interior by new arrivals.

Like the other Lumads, the Atas have been marginalized due to settler intrusion into their traditional areas. Most of the Atas abandoned their settlements when the Bisayans settled into their lands and/or bartered the lands for several cans of sardines or packets of tobacco.

This type of "purchase" became the pattern in the transaction between the Lumads and the settlers, ultimately resulting in the dispossession of the Lumads.

Today, the Ata people can be found in Paquibato District and in Callawa, Buhangin District.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Tagabawa part (7-10)

This is the 7th part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Tagabawa

The Tagabawas inhabit the areas from Toril in Davao City, Santa Cruz, Digos, and Bansalan in Davao del Sur, to parts of Makilala and Kidapawan in Cotabato. The Spaniards identified Sibulan in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur as the "more important capital" of the Bagobos.

At the Davao Poblacion site, Bagobo territory is bounded by the Davao River, beyond which live Giangans and Atas. The Spanish priests estimated Bagobo population at 12,000 in the 1880s. But it may be difficult to determine their exact number as many of them have been assimilated into the majority Bisayan culture.

The name Bagobo used here is restricted to mean the Tagabawa, which means "from the south". It does not include the other tribes found in Davao City such as the Obo and the Giangan. At present, the name Bagobo is loosely used to include the tribes, sometimes to include the Matigsalugs in the Marilog area.

However, the original Bagobo, as used by the Spaniards, refer only to the native inhabitants centered around Santa Cruz and nearby areas, that is, the Tagabawa,

In 1888, Fr. Juan Doyle described the Bagobos as the most advanced and intelligent of all natives in the Philippines archipelago.

Tagabawa people occupy the districts of Marilog, Baguio, Calinan, Tugbok and Toril, where majority of them dwell.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Matigsalug part (6-10)

This is 6th part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Matigsalug

Deputy Mayor Datu Carlito A. Guinto, Sr. and family

The Matigsalugs are found in the eastern section of Marilog, Davao City, and in the towns of Kitaotao, Quezon, and San Fernando in Bukidnon. Matigsalug means people who live along the river, and this river is specifically Davao River which the Matigsalugs simply call Salog. Its source is in San Fernando, Bukidnon.

It is not clear if the Matigsalugs paid tribute to the Kalagan Moros at the mouth of Davao River. But apparently the Kalagan Moros had control of territory up to Tamugan, or possibly beyond.

Despite the apparent subordination of the Matigsalugs by their neighbors, they were feared warriors. In san Fernando, Bukidnon, their chief leader was Datu Gapaw who fought off Moro (Magindanaw) invasions. The Matigsalugs allied with the Obus to effect a peace pact with the Magindanaws held in Kapuling, Kalagangan, San Fernando.

Linguistically, the Matigsalugs are classified under the manobo, although racially, they would be darker than the Manobos.

Lumads residing in Marilog District are of the Matigsalug Tribe.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Obu Manuvu part (5-10)

This is the fifth part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Obu Manuvu

Deputy Mayor Omelis Duyan

The Obus occupy Tambolong, Baguio District, and Marilog District on the Davao side, and Arakan, Antipas, Roxas, MAgpet, Kidapawan, Makilala on the Cotabato side. Stray froups can be found in Southern Cotabato.

As the Obus lived in very remote areas, the Spaniards failed to identify them as a separate tribe and simply lumped them together with the Atas. Pastellas called Atas "the indigenous natives who generally lived about the western districts of Mt. Apo." 

An Obu epic tells of the adventures of Tuwaang, particularly his fight with the Moros. Tuwaang is actually claimed by many other tribes, as variants of the Tuwaang epic are also sang among the Ata Manobo tribe in Talaingod in Davao del Norte and the Matigsalogs in San Fernando, Bukidnon. But instead of Tuwaang, the name of their hero is Tulalang. A common theme of his adventures is his fight with the Ikogans (tailed men) who are associated with the Moros.

Obu oral tradition tells of Apo Sandawa's journey from the north to Davao. Apo Sandawa's point of entry in Davao was at Ulas. If so, this suggests a sea journey. From Ulas, Apo Sandawa and hid family moved north towards the Talomo mountains, even reaching Mt. Sinaka. Apo Sandawa's journey ended in Mt. Apo where he was buried. Apo Sandawa is considered the ancestor of the Obus.

Based on oral tradition, we can say that the Obus would most likely come from Butuan area. They would most likely be related to the Manobos of Agusan. Indeed, Obus can be classified linguistically under the Manobo. Oral tradition and linguistic similarity tend to make the Obus, Kulaman Manobos, the Bagobos (Tagabawas), as well as the Dibabawons closely related peoples who belong to the bigger Manobo family.

The Obus can be found in the districts of Marilog, Baguio, Calinan and Tugbok.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Clata part (4-10)

This is the fourth part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Clata

The Clatas occupy a very small territory stretching from Catalunan to Calinan within Davao City. Their traditional population centers included Biao, Tagakpan, Dulian, Sirib, Gumalang, and Tamugan. They are also known as Giangan, with variants like Guangan, Gulangan, or Jangan, that means forest dweller.

The boundary between Tagabawa and Clata was fixed at Lipadas River. Talomo River (ikawayanlinan) served as the boundary among the Tagabawas, Clatas and Obos. Davao River became the boundary between Bagobos and Clatas in the northeast part of Davao. Matina was apparently originally Clatas but they were pushed back by the Bagobos who controlled Toril.

They were also known as Eto, Attaw, and Giangan. Despite the forest dweller appellation, the Clatas who were feared warriors, were also known for their fine artistry.

They wore the most beautiful and colorful clothes in the Gulf.

The Bagobo origin myth of the first man and woman is of Giangan provenance. Tuglay, the Bagobo first man is a Clata word for man and Tuglibong, the Bagobo first woman, is a Clata word for woman.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Kagan part (3-10)

This is the third part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Kagan

The Kagans inhabit pocket settlements scattered around Davao Gulf. Like the Kulaman Manobos and Sangils, the Kagans did not and still do not occupy a contiguous territory that they can claim as their ancestral domain. Most of their settlements are found at the mouth of or along a river. Their more important centers were Padada, Sirawan, Davao (Bankerohan), Tagum (Bingcungan), Madaum, Iho, Matiao, Pantukan, and Sumlug (Lupon). 

In 1885, Fr. More estimated their number at around 4,000. Despite this small population, the Kagans lorded over the entire Gulf by controlling the key river systems. Indeed Davao Gulf might be considered a Kagan lake. The Kagans were closely associated with the Magindanao sultanate, with many polities recognizing the Magindanao Sultan as their suzerain.But at the same time, the Kagans exercised a lot of independence. 

The most important unifying factor of the Kagans was Islam. By the 1700s, most of them had been converted to this new faith, possibly through the Magindanaons. Samal oral tradition suggests Sharif Kabungsuwan, or perhaps his descendants, also proselytized in Davao. The genealogies of the various Kagan polities indicate some limkage with minor Magindanaw royalty. 

Kagan power lay in better weapons and a network of local alliances. Their weapons were obtained from the Magindanaons as well as from Dutch or English traders. The leaders of the important centers were linked by kinship ties. They formed a formidable council that decided on certain matters, demonstrating a unity that allowed them control over the interior tribes from whom they exacted tributes. 

The Kagans are in the District of Poblacion, Talomo, Buhangin, Bunawan and Paquibato.

In later Spanish documents, the Gulf Kagans would be identified by the Spaniards as the Davao Moros. Datu Bago of Davao River and Datu Pampang of Madaum were mentioned by the Spaniards in the early 1800s in connection with negotiations defining the boundaries of the Davao Moro realm and the Spaniards realm on the Pacific Coast.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Tausug part (2-10)

This is the second part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Tausug

The present-day Tausig descended from the different ethnic groups that migrated to the Sulu Archipelago. Sulu sa/si/a (genealogy) and tradition speaks of Buranon, Tagimaha, Baklaya, Orang Dampuan, and Orang Banjar as the earlier migrants to the archipelago.

The word Tausug is in recognition of the geographic character of the Sulu Archipelago that lies in the path of vigorous tidal currents flowing from the Sulu and China Seas to the Celebes Sea. Practically all the groups in the Sultanate are sea-oriented: sailors, traders, fishermen, pearl divers, sea seed collectors, etc. Thus, Tausugs are "People of the Current". Also, they possess an unquestionable courage and bravery, therefore Tausug are Tau Maisug or "brave people".

Men and women cut their hair and bound them with a black turban with a small piece of chintz tied around it. They were ruled by their chief and earned a livelihood from weaving cloth. Moreover, they were traders whose merchandise mostly consisted of products from the sea.

They were famous for their pearls which were white and round and had a luster that never faded. The large pearls measured about an inch in diameter. The Tausug had a pond where they kept large pearls and at night their luster lighted the surface of the water. The pearls were sold to the Chinese who came to trade regularly.

The language spoken by the Tausug is primarily adopted from the vocabulary of the Tagimaha in whose locality the Sultan of Sulu lived and established the capital of the Sultanate-Buansa.

The Tausugs are in the districts of Poblacion, Talomo, Agdao, Buhangin, Bunawan, Toril, Tugbok, Calinan and Baguio.

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