The annual Kalindugan Festival, a vibrant celebration of the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Mandaya Indigenous Peoples in Sitio Sangab, Barangay Pichon, Caraga, was made more meaningful with the turnover and inauguration of a P100,000.00-worth livelihood project to the 46-farmer member Sangab Tribal Farmers Association (SATRIFA) during the festivities on October 27. The milestone initiative, funded jointly by the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), marked a significant moment in the festival’s silver anniversary.
The Kalindugan Festival, held every October, is renowned as one of the most authentic cultural gatherings in Davao Region and serves as a testament to the unity, strength, and pride of the Mandaya community living in the sub-villages covered by Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) 01. The festival features a kaleidoscope of cultural performances displaying their dances, songs, and chants, as well as indigenous cuisine and games and exhibits of dagmay weaving and Mandaya arts and crafts.
Governor Niรฑo Sotero L. Uy, a staunch advocate of the Mandaya culture, personally inaugurated and handed the livelihood project to SATRIFA together with Tribal Chief Christine Banugan. He affirmed that the livelihood project is just the beginning of a series of development initiatives aimed at benefitting the indigenous peoples’ community in Sangab and across the Province of Davao Oriental.
Proud of his Mandaya roots and heritage, Governor Uy, during his address, also emphasized the significance of the Kalindugan Festival in sustaining the vibrancy of Mandaya heritage and keeing culture alive, particularly among the younger generation. He expressed his pride and joy in the cultural resilience of CADT-01’s indigenous peoples and how their celebration fosters cultural pride throughout the whole of Davao Oriental.
The Provincial Government, through the Provincial Focal Person on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) Rod John Pandili said the livelihood project is part of Davao Orientalโs Insurgency-free Anniversary assistance to various people organizations across the province. The turnover ceremony is a significant start for more development projects for the residents of Sangab as the Provincial Government is gearing towards developing a vegetable production in the area and commits to aiding the farmers of the association with various capacity development programs by bringing agricultural specialists to train and upskill the association members.
Home to about a thousand households, the hinterland ancestral domain of CADT-01 is perched on top of a mountain located approximately 21 kilometers from the national highway. These ancestral lands cover 14,000 hectares comprising the sub-villages of Lanangan, Lanipga, Hanginan, Cabayugan, Magubahay, Kawayan, Kaliongan, Danawan, Sangab, Panlaisan, Bantawan, Old Sangab and Butay. ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป | ๐ฃ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐น๐ฏ๐ผ
