Dayaw, the annual festival of indigenous Filipino cultures organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), will open in Tacloban, Leyte, on Nov. 27-30.

Spearheaded by the NCCA’s Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA), under commissioner Joycie Dorado-Alegre, Dayaw is held in observance of  National Indigenous Peoples’ Month every October.

Leyte-Samar Heritage Society, Inc. and the provincial government of Leyte headed by Gov. Dominic Petilla will be the partners of NCCA for this year’s festival.

Dayaw 2013 will showcase the different indigenous groups of the country. Activities include an institutionalized film showing; a fashion show of authentic indigenous wear; and a food festival.

Other activities are performances, rituals, forums, traditional cuisine demos, traditional games, arts and crafts exhibits, and cultural tours.

The events will be held at University of the Philippines-Visayas, Leyte Normal University, Leyte National High School, and Eastern Visayas State University.

Dayaw also goes international this year as 64 representatives from cultural communities from 32 countries will be invited to grace the festival to view Philippines communities. Delegates will come from the Asian Cooperation Dialogue.

Dayaw 2013 aims to highlight the importance and richness of indigenous cultures, discuss issues confronting indigenous peoples today, and allow interaction among cultural communities.

It also aims to mine traditional knowledge as well as draw inspiration and insight from indigenous ways of life to find solutions for modern problems.

Numerous indigenous peoples from all over the country are expected to participate including the Gaddang, Isinay, Tinggian, Itneg, Ibanag, Yogad, Itawit, Malaweg, Ivatan, Bugkalot, Isnag, Kalinga, Ifugao, Ibaloi, Kankanaey, Balangao, Bontok, Applai, Ayta, Mangyan, Palawani, Molbog, Jama Mapun, Tagbanua, Pala’wan, Batak, Cuyunon, Agta, Ati, Panay Bukidnon, Waray, Abaknon, Yakan, Subanen, Manobo, Higaonon, Bagobo, Mandaya, Mansaka, B’laan, Sangir, Ata Manobo, T’boli, Teduray, Arumanen, Mamanwa, Maranao, Magindanao, Iranun and Tausug.

The NCCA, headed by chair Felipe M. de Leon Jr. and executive director Emelita V. Almosara, has been annually celebrating the National Indigenous Peoples’ Month in different parts of the country through Dayaw.

The festival is in consonance with Presidential Proclamation 1906, declaring October as National Indigenous Peoples’ Month.

For more details, contact Rene Sanchez Napeñas, head of the NCCA Public Affairs and Information Office, at tel. 5275529 or 0928-5081057. E-mail [email protected] or visit www.ncca.gov.ph.