Indigenous cultures celebrated at Dayaw 2026

DAYAW 2026 opened Tuesday at Foro de Intramuros, bringing together more than 200 Indigenous people, cultural bearers, artists, educators, youth and representatives from 41 Indigenous Peoples (IP) community clusters across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in observance of the National Indigenous Peoples Month. The three-day event features cultural performances, arts and crafts demonstrations, knowledge-sharing forums, and a trade fair showcasing the cultures, traditions and creative heritage of Indigenous communities. National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairman Eric Babar Zerrudo highlighted the importance of giving Indigenous communities a venue to showcase their skills and express their cultural identity. Participants from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao presented their talents through various activities, including crafts and cooking demonstrations at the trade fair. Zerrudo said the celebration allows Filipinos to learn more about Indigenous communities and recognize the diversity of the country's cultural roots. He also hopes that Dayaw would inspire future generations. He thanked participants who traveled from different communities and places to attend the gathering. He said that “dayaw,” a word used in Hiligaynon and parts of Panay, means praise and is used to recognize someone's good work or achievement in their studies, work, or other endeavors that require effort and perseverance. “But today, there is no sarcasm in our celebration. I praise you,” Zerrudo said, expressing his appreciation for the participants' presence, time and continued efforts to share their cultures, knowledge, arts, languages and traditions. This year's celebration carries the theme “Pagkamalikhain ng Katutubong Filipino: Pinagtibay ng mga Pagsubok, Umaalab ang Bagong Pag-asa.” Zerrudo said Indigenous creativity is not limited to artistic works but is expressed in the way communities live, preserve their languages and traditions, care for their ancestral lands, and keep their cultures alive amid change. He stressed the importance of Dayaw in helping people not only see Indigenous cultures but also hear and understand the communities that continue to sustain them. He added that their knowledge and traditions are not merely part of the past but remain alive and have an important place in the country's future. Zerrudo urged participants to bring back to their communities the stories, connections and knowledge they gained from the gathering while continuing to create, nurture and pass on their cultural heritage to the next generation. “For in every culture that we choose to keep alive, there is a history that will not disappear,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of passing on knowledge so future generations can better understand their origins and have a clearer sense of their future.