BIG surprises come in small packages. This adage holds true in Malapatan, a small coastal town by the sleepy shores of Sarangani Bay. It is not the typical tourist destination that we know, but once you have seen it up close, its hidden wealth will be revealed.
This seemingly obscure locality revealed the gem that it is when it celebrated the annual Pakaradyan Festival to mark its 47th founding day as a municipality. And when it throws a birthday party, you can only expect an explosion of colors and merry-making in a cultural showcase on land and in the sea called Pakaradyan Festival.
Coined from two ethnic Blaan words Malah and fatan, which meant place where pepper is abundant, Malapatan is believed to be a settlement where pepper was traded during the pre-Spanish era. Its ancient inhabitants are the ancestors of the Blaan lumad tribe, where each village is ruled by the so-called Fulong wisemen.
Several of its barrios were carved out of Glan, one of the earliest townships of the Cotabato Empire Province, to constitute the newly formed municipality in 1959.
Literally meaning celebration, Pakaradyan is a cultural heritage preservation project, which aims to promote the town’s socioeconomic and cultural development, and advance Malapatan as a tourism and investment destination.
Now on its 11th edition, the centerpiece of the festivity is the Guinakit sa Sugoda, or the sea float parade, which relived the glory days of the colorful Moro sailboat, which was widely used by the Maguindanaon tribe in the olden days as a means of transportation in the coastal and riverine areas.
The gaily-designed guinakit highlights the travel of Moro chieftains and their entourage in well-adorned boats teeming with provisions, such as food, musical instruments and royal paraphernalia.
Onboard this kind of boat, Sharif Kabunsuan and other Islamic missionaries forayed into southern Mindanao’s coastal and interior settlements and preached the Muslim faith.
Hence, the guinakit has become an inextricable part of Malapatan’s distinction as cradle of the Islamic way of life in Sarangani province.
The town is also noted for its vibrant weaving tradition of the inaul, the exquisite fabric of the Maguindanaon tribe. To preserve this native craft, the municipal government has organized women-weavers and put up a weaving center for the production of export-quality cloth, which can be made into contemporary-themed garments, handbags, shawls and scarves.
Composed of striking colors, the inaul has have been showcased in fashion shows around the world.
Pakaradyan also puts to the fore the contribution of the town’s tri-people, such as the Blaan indigenous peoples, Moro groups (Maguindanaons, Tausugs, etc.) and Luzon and the Visayan settlers (lumulupyo), who have shaped Malapatan through the decades.
An important event within the festival is the Bangsamoro Day, where the five pillars of the Islamic faith are discussed exhaustively, with special focus on the zakat as a source of fund in the socioeconomic development of Muslim communities. Zakat is the financial dole given by Muslims to poor brothers after the observance of the prayer to help him meet his material needs.
Punctuating the event is the kulintangan, where brass percussion players show off their musical artistry, as dancers sway to the beat of the sagayan, a signature Muslim war dance performed by two warriors vying for the love of a princess.
Spicing up the fete is a land float parade depicting the local culture, with mostly miniature replicas of the guinakit, and a competition on the interpretation of tribal dances.
In addition, Moro cottages are set up with human tableaus depicting the vital scenes in a Moro genre.
Festivities conclude with a traditional pagana, or grand luncheon or dinner tendered by the hosts, in this case, the municipal mayor, to guests and participants.
It is interesting to note that Pakaradyan often falls within the Ramadan, Islam’s holiest period marked with a 40-day abstinence and reflection, hence, making the observance doubly important. The daily fasting is broken with the iftar, a meal shared by the Muslim faithful after the evening prayer.
With its blend of color and culture, Malapatan is, indeed, the cultural gem of Sarangani.
Image credits: Jayson Deodor