Celebrating Araw ng Dabaw in Torn Slippers

[tagadabaw]

Araw ng Dabaw has always been an event to look forward to ever since I could remember. Being an authentic Dabawenya myself (yes, I'm native and can speak true Dinabaw-Mandaya tongue), I treated Araw ng Dabaw as a celebration of my roots... of my being a Dabawenya.

Year 1992, I was 12 years old when Victoria Plaza had its grand opening during Araw ng Dabaw. My classmates and I merrily got up and met very early in the morning just to get to the parade and be waved at by celebrities and friends from the parade

We were at Acacia St., the intersection between Uyanguren and Claveria when we were watching the parade. I was standing on top of a garbage bin to have a clearer view when I saw my father with his gov't co-employees on the parade wearing straw hat and coming close. I was such an excited little fan that I leaped and slid from the bin and almost tore my slippers. Too bad, my dad could not come to my rescue. There was just too much going on. I was careful with my steps making sure the groove will not break all the way yet because I was still joining a singing audition with Ryan Cayabyab around lunch time. My slippers made it to Victoria Plaza and to the audition in one piece HAHA! I didn't make it to the final list but the experience was well worth it. My voice was heard by Mr. C and that was fair enough. I went down with my friends to watch the Smokey Mountain concert at the parking lot. I had no idea that a huge crowd was already gathered around and the program hasn't even started yet. I tried to push through the crowd and made it to a corner with a perfect vantage point. But my slippers was left behind, somewhere. I don't know who stepped on my ever weak tsinelas and crushed it dead. I had no choice but to enjoy the Smokey Mountain concert barefoot... and waited until the crowd thinned out to be able to buy a new one with my measely P20 pesos. Because it was a festival and everyone was in a festive mood, the tindera accepted my P20 for her P60 worth tsinelas!

I may no longer be living in Davao now but my home will always be there. After all, it's where I come from. Definitely, I'll be back.