The Gaginaway Festival
The Gaginaway Festival
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Discover and visit the beauty of Malita’s festival, “Gaginaway Festival”. Malita was renowned for its diverse artistic heritage, extensive cultural diversity, and talented tribes. Every November full moon during the month of Gaginaway, a festival is held.
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The Malitaos celebrate the Gaginaway Festival, a time of unity and abundance, in accordance with a custom and belief that the full moon is at its brightest during this time and that the "lumads" enjoy having a festival of fun while taking in the lovely sight of the moon shining brightly on them.
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Malita, Davao Occidental is home to three tribes: the Tagacaolo inhabit the uplands, the Manobo live in the plains, and the B'laan live in the Little Baguio highlands. While some families live in the hinterlands of the lowlands and uplands, the Muslim community in Malita are dispersed along the shore. The event is jointly celebrated by all indigenous communities with the assistance of the local government entities, evoking a sense of solidarity among these various ethnic groups that coexist peacefully in one location and promote love and respect for one another.
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The town's founding anniversary, Araw ng Malita (Malita Day), which is observed on November 17, falls on the same day as its event calendar. Apocryphal reports claim that its name is derived from the Spanish word maleta, which describes a suitcase that a Spanishman is said to have been carrying when he was carried downstream by a swelling river. An 1887 letter from Jesuit Pablo Pastellas demonstrates that the town had, nonetheless, been known by its name.
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Perhaps in 2007, the Gaginaway Festival made its debut. It is an opportunity to showcase the vibrant cultures of the B'laan, Manobo, and Tagacaolo people who coexist with the Muslim population that lives along the coastline. It is also an occasion to honor the unity of its people. The 33 barangays of the town participate in events that display their tribe cultures, traditions, dances, and handicrafts.
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Malita was established as a municipality alongside with the town of Pantukan through Executive Order No. 64 on November 17, 1936. In accordance with Republic Act No. 10360, also known as An Act Creating the Province of Davao Occidental, it became the capital of Davao Occidental after it was separated from Davao del Sur. On January 14, 2013, Benigno S. Aquino III approved the legislation.
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