IP Sunday observed in parish liturgies

All parishes celebrated the Indigenous People’s (IP) Sunday last October 11 by inserting special intentions in their prayers, words of tribute to the Mandaya lumads in the priest’s homily, and for some, offering a second collection for the Apostolado sa mga Lumad, as done for example in the Divine Mercy Shrine and Parish. However, colorful attires of the lumad and the singing of Mandaya hymns at Mass were witnessed during the Eucharistic Celebration in the East Coast areas like Caraga, Baganga and Kinablangan, where IP Sunday is usually a triumphant expression of unity and thanksgiving to God, Magbabaya, Giver of their culture and sustained education. For this issue, Mr. Ferdinand  Zuasola of the Provincial Information Office, has written an initial description of the colorful Mandaya festival as a tribute to the IPs of the province of Davao Oriental during this celebration of IP month. A sequel will follow in the succeeding issue.

Mandaya Festival: Uniquely Exciting
by Ferdinand Zuasola

High-spirited, they danced, sang, and played their music.

A proud statement to the rest of the world that their tribe, known for its generosity, is growing and will continue to embrace a peaceful coexistence with other ethnic groups and immigrants. Accompanied by the Kudlong or the Kobeng, it was a dance for all piece. Wearing their sacred cloth called Dagmay, men and women danced at the same time to their heart’s content without touching each other’s hand and body. The dancers created their action but followed the cadence of the music. A dancer could interpret the movement of the hawk. Her steps are slow although she makes several turns. Looking downward, her head bends to the left then to the right in coordination with her hand and foot. She depicts the bird flying low that seems to look for a place to alight on. As the tempo of the music progresses, she makes faster movements of her hands, head and steps. She stumps her foot every after four counts. The crescendo is climactic then slowly to a graceful end.

They are the Mandayas, the natives of the area known of old as Provincia de Caraga. They are the people of the east coast of Davao who are proud of their culture and heritage.

The renowned historian, Spanish Jesuit priest Father Pablo Pastells, described them in his journal as the “honorable people, peace-loving, respectful, obsequious, docile, submissive and patient.”

Historical accounts describes this ethnic group as “a hill tribe in barefoot, identified through the colorful attire, artistic embroidery, black sawed teeth and native jewelry.” As they live “Sa Daya” or described as “Taga Daya,” the name Mandaya is derived from the local dialect “Daya” which means a place not far from the sea but higher than the shore, the upland. Of the groups of indigenous peoples in Eastern Mindanao, they are the most numerous and made early contacts with Western Civilization because of their proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

Organized by Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon, herself a Mandaya native, the Mandaya Festival, the first of its kind, was recently held in the provincial capital City of Mati and will continue as a celebration proving to the rest of the world of the Mandaya’s rich and unadulterated culture. The Mandayas come together in one grand venue as they are all in pursuit of one dream, and that is to bring a spectacular show of their rich culture and tradition that features their inspirations and aspirations. The event also showcased the Mandaya people’s ingenuity and artisanship. “This is about nurturing and showcasing our uniquely exciting culture and unparalleled creativity,” says one tribal leader.

However, even though many of them are Christianized, Mandaya people continue to hold religious practices in honor of their various gods or idols whose images they carved out of wood and are called Manaug. The wooden images were carved exclusively from one kind of wood known as Bayog. The idols had no hands. The fruit of the Magubahay is used as the idols’ eyes.