New Hiyas ng Kadayawan crown inspired by Waling-waling

photo courtesy of CIO

The beautiful women representing Davao City’s 11 tribes in the Hiyas ng Kadayawan this year have their eyes not only on winning the crown, but in getting the crown, literally.

A lot of work is invested from the conceptualization up to the actual creation of the crowns since they have become symbolic of the pageants they represent.

City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) Head Gene Rose Tecson said the Hiyas ng Kadayawan crown has indeed come a long from years way back when the crowns were heavier and bigger. 

“This time, the crown is simpler but more elegant,” Tecson said.

“This year’s Hiyas ng Kadayawan crown is grander and more functional,” said Dan Salvaña, Jr. who is Hiyas ng Kadayawan events director for the second consecutive year.

The crown for this year’s Hiyas ng Kadayawan is a befitting representation of the Waling-Waling or vanda sanderiana, one of the icons of Davao City and of the Kadayawan Festival. The Festival used to be called Apo Duwaling which is a play on the three icons of the city namely Mt. Apo, Durian and the Waling-Waling.

photo courtesy of CIO

Waling-Waling, which is endemic in Mindanao, is the queen of Philippine orchids.

Salvana said the design of the Hiyas ng Kadayawan crown is changed every year since there is actually no permanent design for the Hiyas crown.

“When I talked to the designer I told him to use the same inspiration for the event logo which is the waling waling, but to make it more colorful,” he said.

Tres Roldan Cartera of Nabunturan designed the Hiyas ng Kadayawan crown using lighter materials such as rhinestones. These crystals are lighter but shinier especially under the night lights during the pageant. The Hiyas ng Kadayawan Grand Winner will get the biggest crown while the runners-up will get almost identical but smaller versions of the crown.

Saldana said the CTOO will safe keep the crown for the Hiyas ng Kadayawan winner. The crowns will be used by the winners during official events. But when their terms end, then they get to keep the crown.

SM kicks off Kadayawan

Barely a day before the official start of the 2010 Kadayawan sa Davao, SM City Davao is already abloom with everything Kadayawan starting from the weekend sale which ended yesterday.

August 16 is officially the start of Kadayawan sa Davao. SM's Entertainment Center was ready for the festival as it already gave shoppers a preview of the festivities through a pre-Kadayawan photo exhibit by the Camera Club of Davao. Some indigenous costumes were also already on display yesterday.

Hiyas ng Kadayawan search requires cultural skills for candidates

The 2009 Search for Hiyas ng Kadayawan is expected to be more challenging for the candidates as they will need to exhibit more knowledge and skills about the culture they are representing.

“The Search for Hiyas ng Kadayawan 2009 will be more challenging because the candidates will be required to demonstrate a skill akin to the culture they are representing like playing the kulintang, agong and other musical instruments live on stage,” councillor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, chair of the Kadayawan Lumadnong Kasaulogan or Indigenous Peoples Festival.

She said the Kadayawan is no longer just a beauty search but it has become a more significant display of the culture of the ten tribes representing Davao City. Among the ten focus tribes during the Kadayawan celebration are the Ata, Diangan, Obo Manobo, Matigsalog and Tagabawa for the Lumads and then the Muslim, Maranaw, Kalagan, Sama, Tausug and Maguindanao for the Muslims.

“The Hiyas ng Kadayawan contestants are required to be 50% Lumad or Muslim, depending on what tribe they are representing,” she said. The winner should have a great understanding of her culture and tradition to include the tribe’s history and language.

Dalodo-Ortiz said the Hiyas ng Kadayawan will be chosen based on a winning personality and character. “We are not showing an ordinary Dabawenya here but a unique Dabawenya who is representing her tribe,” she added.

She said the selection process for the tribal representatives to the Hiyas ng Kadayawan is a long process. The deputy mayors for each tribe will endorse the representative of each tribe to the committee. However, she added, this is only done after the community has chosen a candidate fit to represent their tribe.

Those who want to experience how the different tribes in Davao live are adviced to visit the Cultural Village located at the Crocodile Park in Diversion Road.