IF there's a will, there's a way.
Not even the restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic can stop Dabawenyos from celebrating one of the biggest festivals in the city --- the Kadayawan festival.
A little trivia: Kadayawan was founded in 1986 to honor Davao City’s 11 tribes and the natural wonders.
For the second year, the city would have to skip the colorful vibe and festivity of one of the most anticipated festivals on the streets. Hence, this year's Kadayawan would remain "digital."
This was successfully launched in 2020 when the city migrated the celebration of the 35th Kadayawan digitally.
Dubbed as "Digital Kadayawan", the online celebration last year was a trip down memory lane as it highlighted activities and competitions via digital platforms.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said last year that the city will have to skip major events to further curb the spread of the virus, which can be transmitted through gatherings.
For this year, City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) Head Generose Tecson said it will be the same scenario for this year. But this time, a precautionary measure due to the ongoing threat of the Covid-19 variants.
Admittedly, Tecson said the city was attempting to do a “hybrid” celebration --- a mixture of live and online celebration.
Nonetheless, she said this won’t make it any less as people outside the city, particularly abroad, can also take part in the festivity.
This year’s theme is “One Beat. One Culture. DabaONEnyo."
Despite the current situation, Tecson said the spirit of Kadayawan, which is to unite amid diversity, remains alive and intertwines with the day to day living of the residents in the city.
"Kadayawan is all about our thanksgiving for bountiful harvest. But beyond the bountiful harvest, especially at this time, is really our hope, health, and our life,” Tecson said.
Kadayawan formally kicked off on Friday, August 20 and will end on Sunday, August 22.
Among the activities are Tunog Kadayawan, Tribu Kadayawan, Sayaw Kadayawan, Indak Indak sa Kadayawan, and Habi Kadayawan.
With almost everyone in the comfort of their homes, taking part in the online festivity could also be a perfect time to reflect and be proud of how the city was able to stand the test of time. (RGL)