THE CURIOUS CASE OF TRIBALINKS
Each one distinct and embedded in their own culture and way of living, the 11 tribes of Davao have found a way to live together in peace.
That is, every day since the start of Kadayawan month (August), hundreds of people flock to Magsaysay Park in Davao City to visit the famed Tribal Village, where culture thrives and peace reigns.
Eleven houses representing each of the tribes of Davao City form the village have been giving visitors a glimpse of the tribes’ way of life since it was launched in 2017.
The village allows people to experience each of the tribe’s unique culture and tradition — feeding their curiosity and fulfilling their desire to have a taste of the delicious cuisines, to listen to their songs, to appreciate their dances and to marvel at their craftsmanship and artistry.
Rovelyn Ali Bontilao, who is in charge of the Ata tribe house, said this year’s work reflects the different tribes’ actual daily living, which is characterized by simplicity.
“We put a dirty kitchen to reflect how we live in the mountain. A chair is also placed near the stairs as part of our culture,” she said.
Maranao artist Alvin Nasib said the Maranao house tells of the grandeur of the Torogan, the traditional house built for the sultans, their wives and children.
As part of the Tribal Village, Nasib is hopeful that the Marano house can also convey the message of peace to others.
“Because of what happened in Marawi, it reflects a bad image on Maranaos. We now appeal to the people (to see us) through our tribal house that we, the Maranaos, are peace-loving individuals,” he said.
Iranun Deputy Mayor Pamikeren Latip Arumpac Jr. said the beauty of the village lies within the friendship of the 11 tribes.
He said the Iranuns want to send the message that the Moros are not a violent people, but are a compassionate and warm people.
“If you can see our traditional house, we do not have a fence because everybody is welcome to come up here and witness and experience our colorful culture,” Arumpac said.
The deputy mayor also said the Iranuns are disciplined and friendly individuals, who want peace not only for their community, but also the entire world.
As for Nora Radjab of the Tausug tribe, seeing people visit their “bay” (house) is a happy experience for her.
“With the Tribal Village, we can show that we live a simple life and our ways are simple, just like the other tribes — we get our livelihood
The Tribal Village has been a Kadayawan attraction for three years now, showcasing the 11 different tribal houses of the six Moro tribes (Tausug, Maguindanaon, Iranun, Kagan, Maranao and Sama) and five Lumad tribes (Klata, Ata, Ubo Manuvo, Matigsalog and Tagabawa). Members of each tribe show visitors how they cook food and build their houses.
This year, the Tribal Village was given a fresh look with renovated tribal houses. “For this year, we renovated the houses. Everything is just the same. We just try to improve it every year. The tribal village has become a tourist spot,” said Gene Rose Tecson, City Tourism and Operations Office (CTOO) chief.
She said the renovation was done by each tribe represented in the village. The Lumad group received a budget of P150,000 and P250,000 for the Moro group for the renovation of their houses.
“They have different budgets because the materials used for the construction of the Lumad houses are cheaper compared to the materials used for the Moro houses,” Tecson said.
Joyce Abril, a visitor from Kidapawan City, said the Tribal Village reflects the unity of the 11 tribes where the Lumads and Muslims only show love and care for their fellow Dabawenyos.
“It fascinates me how they (live) together. There are no signs of hatred, only friendship. This reflects how united Dabawensyos are,” Abril said.
The Tribal Village is open Mondays to Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Magsaysay Park. Every Saturday and Sunday of August, the 11 tribes showcase their culture through song and dance numbers during the Bantawan Cultural Presentation at the Magsaysay Park Amphitheater.
With the Tribal Village, we can show that we live a simple life and our ways are simple, just like the other tribes — we get our livelihood from fishing and doing business, just like other people.