Nineteen “beautified” carabaos with carrozas or bamboo carriages paraded in the City of Mati, Davao Oriental to showcase the unique crafts and bountiful harvests of the town’s different barangays.
“Kabaw sa Kadalanan (carabao parade)” was one of the highlights for the week-long celebration of the 22nd Sambuokan Festival and 2nd Abunda Festival of the City of Mati on October 22-29—the first time that such activity was included in the festival.
Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat said that this activity not only shows off the farmers’ harvests but also demonstrates to the younger generation that the city still maintains its farming traditions in spite of new and developing farming technologies.
Mayor Rabat also pledged to regularly include this activity in the festival to pay tribute to the local farmers and their best ally, the carabao, as they are the original farming duo.
After a thorough evaluation, Barangay Badas was declared the winner of the competition for the carabao parade. It received a trophy and a cash award of PHP60,000. Barangay Buso came in first runner-up with a cash prize of PHP40,000 and Barangay Don Martin Marundan came in second runner-up with PHP30,000.
DA-PCC at University of Southern Mindanao Center Director Benjamin John Basilio served as one of the judges for the competition.
Derived from the Mandaya term “buok” meaning “one”, Sambuokan is a yearly celebration for oneness and unity among the general population of Mati. Mandaya is an indigenous clan in Mindanao that occupies generally the hinterlands of Davao Oriental.
