37th Kadayawan Festival: Davao is Richer in Harvest

Kadayawan, a Mandaya word translated in Tagalog, is ‘pasasalamat’ and on Monday August 15, the 37th Kadayawan festival formally opened with the Misa Pasasalamat held at the Magsaysay Amphitheater. This thanksgiving celebration is best experienced in the streets where different tribes of Mindanao display their wealth of culture in dancing and other works of art like in the parade of floats and the Kadayawan Tribal Village which can be found at the Magsaysay Park.

Also along the sidewalks are piles of fruits like Marang, Lanzonez, Mangosteen, Rambutan, and Durian. Farmers celebrate the harvest season of these fruits, while locals and tourists are encouraged to indulge in these fresh and healthy seasonal offerings that Davao is known for. As long as the weather is predictable, this festival never fails to be celebrated at this time of year and on Saturday August 20, was the indak-indak sa Kadalanan which Davaoeños have been waiting during the 2-year pandemic lockdowns.

In his homily during the Misa Pasasalamat, Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, D.D., reminded us of the important lessons that we can learn from our Blessed Mother, as the Church also celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven. His reflection revolved around the virtues of faith and trust which our Lady of the Assumption exemplified during her life here on earth. Abp. Valles challenged the Davaoeños to be confident and to be cool amidst challenges and sufferings and like Mary to rejoice in God’s direction be it easy or difficult.

Right now as the country experiences the difficulty of the shortage in white sugar and other crops, we support our farmers in expanding their reach in the field of marketing. It is already known that the Davao provinces produce world-class coffee and cacao, which are processed to become high-value products. Lately, the banana variety, ‘Saba,’ has become a sought-after delight as there is an insatiable demand from health-conscious Middle Easterners and Americans on the other side of the globe.

The example of Israel and Spain is worth emulating. A large part of Israel is desert, yet, scientists were able to transform what was barren into a blessing. Israel today exports fruits and vegetables. Spain, too, has a large desert on continental Europe, yet, with the help of technology, Spain became the bread basket of Europe during the winter months.

The government surely can help the farmers in tapping these technologies. New strains or varieties of existing fruits can increase productivity. We land the government to add more kilometers of farm to market roads. Agribusiness ventures should be facilitated like storage facilities and irrigation. We are greatly encouraged that the new administration will make agriculture the priority. We should not waste time. The world suffers from food shortages, and most of our farmers are poor. To achieve our potential is in accord with God’s command to subdue the earth and to become its responsible stewards. When we do this, we are ensuring that there will be more thanksgiving festivities to come with heartfelt gladness that come from our faith in a God who gave us this rich and blessed land.

Celebrating the Kadayawan Festival must also have a connection to our sense of God. Kadayawan will not be complete without recognizing the Kadayawan that comes from God who is the source of ultimate good, compassion and mercy for each one. (Johnny Sulit)