August Photo Opportunity: Colorful Tribal Dancers of the Philippines
Participants of the “Indak Indak sa Kadalanan” perform before the crowd along Roxas Blvd. during the 23rd Kadayawan Festival in Davao City on August 23, 2008. The street dancing is one of the highlights of the week-long Kadayawan Festival. Keith Bacongco / AKP Images
A riot of color waits to be captured by photographers venturing to the Kadayawan Festival in the Philippines.
Street dancers at the Kadayawan Festival, Davao, Philippines (photo: Bro. Jeffery Pioquinto, SJ)
Kadayawan is held annually during the 3rd Week of August in the city of Davao, the Philippines. Davao is found on Mindanao, the nation’s second-largest and southernmost island.
Tribal dancer at Kadayawan festival in Davao, Philippines (photo: Bro. Jeffery Pioquinto, SJ)
The weeklong festival is a celebration and thanksgiving for nature’s bountiful harvest, and offers wonderful photographic opportunities.
Christmas decors for sale in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines (photo: Keith Bacongo)
During the festival, the streets of Davao are adorned with local fruit & vegetables, providing a colorful background to the tribal dances and floats. Floats are covered with fresh flowers and fruits, and the energetic dancers from various indigenous tribes wear their finest costumes and jewelry.
A GIANT ÒPARULÓ (Christmas lantern), a product of craftsmen from the City of San Fernando in Pampanga province, entertains spectators at the 2014 Ligligan Parul (Giant Lantern Festival). Photo: Keith Bacongo
To get the best photos, pick a spot early as the streets get crowded quickly as visitors flock to watch the dancers and parades.
Part Asian/part Western, and having lived almost my entire life in Asia, photography, particularly photography in Asia, has been a major interest in both my personal and professional life.
Over the years I’ve noticed that there’s a huge pool of talented photographers in Asia that generally goes unnoticed outside their local country. I’ve also found that there is a great interest in Asia by photographers based outside the region.
The purpose of this site, and my Twitter (@KanaKukui) is simple: 1) to share some insights about photography in Asia – introducing talented photographers shooting in Asia, and subjects and locations to shoot in the region. And 2) to provide a little inspiration to everyone interested in photography – from the hobbyist to the emerging professional.
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Kana Kukui 