On the coronary heart of our go to to the Caraga municipality is the Neighborhood-Based mostly Tourism (CBT) challenge by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), in collaboration with the Mandaya Ethnic Group within the uplands ancestral area of Sangab, Caraga, Davao Oriental. Whereas exploring Caraga to showcase its pure wonders and points of interest, a portion of our group is actively concerned with the Mandayas, implementing a “Advertising Enhancement Program” and offering important “starter-kits” (threads, beads, cotton, and many others.), in addition to gear similar to stitching machines and back-strap weaving looms.

The Mandaya
The Mandaya, one of many 11 ethnic teams in Davao, holds the excellence of being one of many oldest and largest ethnic teams within the nation. Their tradition, extremely wealthy and illustrious, has persevered by generations. The Mandaya group in Sangab has retained its conservative methods, fostering unity inside their group.
The time period “Mandaya” was derived from the phrases “man,” that means “from,” and “daya,” that means “upstream” or “uplands.” They’re merely known as individuals from the headwaters of Kal’lagan, now known as the Caraga River.

Mandaya Artistry
The Mandaya’s distinctive mud-dyed Dagmay textile, together with the intricate beadwork and patterns of their clothes, is really a marvel. TPB can be working carefully with the group to help in advertising their craft whereas guaranteeing the preservation of the importance and context of their designs by a research centered on “Cultural Sensitivity and Appropriation.”

The Liwagan
Regarding the intricacies of using Mandaya dagmay textile for garbs or apparel, the Liwagan: Mandaya Instructional Heritage and Analysis Middle, housed throughout the Colegio de Caraga constructing, sheds some mild. Because of Norma Gonos, the Indigenous Individuals Affairs Marketing consultant, who helped arrange the analysis heart, there may be now a reputable useful resource for all concerning the historical past, tradition, and traditions of the Mandayas. Apart from books, artifacts, and a weaving demo space, the middle shows the various names of ornaments adorning a Mandaya apparel, particularly for ladies.

It was an honor to be warmly welcomed into the Mandaya group in Caraga, witnessing real smiles and the passion of their eyes because the workshop in Sangab opened up new prospects for his or her group. Might the seeds planted throughout our go to proceed to develop as their group steadily embraces tourism.


Ferdz Decena is an award-winning journey photographer, author and blogger. His works has discovered print in publications similar to Singapore Airways’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airways’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has additionally lent his experience to numerous organizations just like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Basis, Save the Youngsters and World Imaginative and prescient, contributing high quality pictures for his or her advertising supplies.