Gaily decorated ancient Moro boats called ginakit were paraded at Sarangani Bay in Malapatan town as part of the 13th Pakaradyan Festival and 49th municipal founding anniversary, which was held from June 19 to 21.
The three-day festival highlighted the indigenous ginakit, which was the main mode of transportation of Muslim royals and tribal chieftains around the inland waters of Mindanao during the pre-colonial and Spanish era.
The sailing fest is said to have originated from the arrival of Islamic pioneer missionary Shariff Kabunsuan who landed in the coasts of present-day Cotabato City, and sailed around Mindanao aboard these legendary boats.
Aside from the display of indigenous boats, other highlights of the festival included a street dancing tilt, a land float parade and competition, and the launch of its “Mapya Malapatan … Resilient, Inclusive” brand and tagline.
Malapatan was created in 1969 when it was carved out from Glan town, which was still then part of South Cotabato. Its name was coined from the ethnic Blaan words Malah and fatan, which loosely translates to “a place where pepper is abundant.”
The town is known for the exquisite inaul hand-woven Maguindanaoan fiber which have found its way around the world, it is also the home of Bai Estelita Bantilan, a Blaan igem mat weaver, who has been proclaimed Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living Treasure by President Rodrigo Duterte last year.