Davao City — While the Kadayawan Festival 2025 officially concluded on August 17, the celebration of indigenous heritage continues to thrive well beyond the colorful parades and performances. At the heart of this ongoing cultural immersion is the Kadayawan Tribal Village, a living showcase of Davao’s rich diversity.
Nestled within Magsaysay Park, the village brings together the traditional houses of the city’s 11 ethnolinguistic groups—five Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and six Moro communities. Each house is more than just an architectural display; it is a doorway into the lifeways, artistry, and beliefs of the tribes who shaped Davao’s history. Representatives from the communities welcome visitors, sharing stories, practices, and knowledge that have been passed down through generations.
The experience is not limited to cultural exchange. The houses also feature authentic products crafted by the tribes—from handwoven textiles and beadwork to culinary delicacies—allowing guests to support local artisans while bringing home pieces of Davao’s heritage.
According to Atty. Jonah Margarette Presto, Officer-in-Charge of the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO), the city is now taking steps to institutionalize the Kadayawan Village to ensure its sustainable, year-round operation.
“Part of the institutionalization is not just the tourism aspect where we aim to put the tribal village in the city’s tourism circuit, but also to ensure accuracy of data and information so it has to be backed by study,” Presto said during the ISpeak Media Forum.
The plan involves close collaboration with the culture and arts office, the deputy mayors representing the tribes, and the city council, to both preserve traditions and codify reliable documentation of each community’s heritage.
For Presto, the move represents a return to the essence of Kadayawan: a celebration of abundance and life rooted in the cultural wealth of the 11 tribes. This year’s festivities, she emphasized, focused not only on spectacle but on highlighting music, dance, and rituals that reflect the tribes’ unique identities.
“We are really going back to the cultural and traditional side of Kadayawan—highlighting more on the 11 tribes and not just on the event itself,” she explained.
More than a festival, Kadayawan has become a living reminder of Davao City’s commitment to honoring its indigenous peoples and Moro communities. The Tribal Village stands as a year-round invitation for locals and visitors alike to learn, appreciate, and sustain the traditions that make Davao a city of unity in diversity.