Playing the Games, Reliving the Past: Learning from the Indigenous Games of the Davao Tribes

DOI: 10.5176/2382-5650_CCS13.14

Authors: Genevieve Jorolan-Quintero

Abstract:

Games have been around for thousands of years. They fulfill an individual’s or a group’s need for entertainment. Many games, like indigenous games, go beyond their entertainment value. Malay (1956, as cited by Lopez, 1980) recognized games as “socializing forces in the Filipino family.” They may be embodiments of religious, social, or moral teachings and may have evolved from religious rituals, or from beliefs and values based on oral tradition. This contention is likewise expressed by Roberts, Arth, and Bush (1959, as cited by Lopez, 1980), “games are similar to different media expressions, like folktales, drama production, music, and paintings.” These values of the games are gradually put aside; the games themselves are not given as much attention anymore. Electronic games have fascinated both the young and the older generation. There is therefore a need to salvage the valuable heritage of the past before they are lost in oblivion.

The Davao Region in the southern Philippines abounds with indigenous communities who still share and practice their unique traditions, among which are their games. This study focuses on the existing indigenous games played in three selected indigenous communities in the Davao Region, namely, the Bagobo of Davao City, the Blaan of Davao del Sur, and the Mandaya of Davao Oriental. It highlights how these games embody indigenous traditions, and the significance of these games in the present time.

Keywords: Indigenous Games, Davao Region, Mindanao, Mandaya, Mansaka, Bagobo