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Celebrating Dabawenyo cuisine

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When Davao cuisine comes to mind, you might think of pork and chicken barbeques, the ihaw-ihaw and tuna kinilaw.  You might also be thinking of the  durian and its many delectable varieties along with marang, mangosteen, and pomelo, which are commonly found in the city.

But Davao’s culinary culture goes beyond its iconic dishes and fruits. The city’s cuisine is a rich and diverse palate created by the abundance of its rich natural resources and the cooking traditions of its 11 ethnolinguistic groups.

The City is home to 11 recognized cultural communities divided into Lumad and Moro indigenous peoples. The Lumad includes the Ata, Klata, Tagabawa, Ovu Manuvu, Matigsalug peoples. 

While the Moro communities are composed of the Kagan, Sama, Maranao, Iranun, Tausug and the Maguindanaon

Each of these communities brings a sense of artistry and creativity into their culinary traditions.


Lumad

The Lumad communities inhabit the mountains and headwaters of the river surrounding the city. Produce from their farms and forests makes their way into the lumad cuisine

The Ata has their unique dish called “binugsong na manok” consisting of chicken, ginger and onion leaves wrapped in cardava banana leaves.

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“Sa among proseso sa pagluto ginatanggal namo ang buto-buto sa manok, isagol tanan ingredients, ibalot sa dahon sa saging nga cardaba (In our cooking process, we take out the bones of the chicken, mix all ingredients then wrap it with the leaves of the cardava banana]),” says Bai Rosalyn Ali Jurial from the Ata community who presented the dish during the Kadayawan Village showcase of indigenous cuisine.

Abundant in the forested highlands of Davao is bamboo and it figures into the cooking of the communities living there. One prime example is the “tinalumbo” of the Matigsalug people. That dish consists of chicken meat with onion and ginger cooked inside a bamboo.

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Bamboo as a cooking vessel is a common cooking technique among the lumad peoples. The Klata had their lulot, the Obu Manuvu, the nilotlot.

Commonly found forest resources such as wild gabi are used in their cooking. While Their famed upland rice is prepared for special occasions such as the dinorado of the Ata.

They also used coconut milk in their dishes and their vegetable farms provide them ingredients for their lodhang ginataan of the Tagabawa. The dish consists of vegetables with fresh milk and mixed with dried fish to provide a variety of flavor .

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Tinalumbo dish of the Matigsalug and the upland rice cooked in bamboo
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Moro

Much of the Moro communities settled in Davao City from areas such as Cotabato, Lanao and Sulu.They have brought with them a rich  culinary culture from these areas making Davao a melting pot of different Mindanaoan cultures.

Among these dishes is diaterasa of the Iranun, which has shrimp, grated coconut, spring onions, ginger and coconut milk wrapped in cassava leaves and eaten with kuning rice.

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Many of the Moro communities reside along the coastline relying on  fishing for their livelihood. Their dishes reflect the abundance of Davao’s coastal resources.

The Sama community prepares "oko oko," a dish made from cooked sea urchins. Another delicacy of theirs is "ginataan pagi," which features stingray cooked with coconut milk.

Coconuts being plentiful in the coastal areas and lowlands figure much into their cooking.

The Tausug’s tula itum or black soup is burnt coconut milk mixed with beef or goat’s meat.

Another dish where coconut figures prominently is the Maranao’s piapara na manok- which is a chicken dish cooked with coconut along with spices and a special paste called palapa.

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Sama's oko oko (cooked sea urchins)
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A chef's versiion of the Tausug's tiyula itum
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The Maguindanaoan also used latik or coconut milk residue to prepare an appetizer called balantas. 

The Kagan, an indigenous group native to Davao who have embraced Islam, follow a distinctive tradition in incorporating coconut milk (gata) into their dishes. For instance, their dish "tininuwang na manok" (sautéed chicken with secret spices) is prepared using only the right hand. These practices contribute to the diverse heritage and stories embedded within Dabawenyo cuisine.

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Tiniluwan na manok (chicken spiced with tinoo) from the Kagan
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Rediscovery


Despite the invasion of multinational fast food chains and restaurants, the city is slowly rediscovering its rich culinary heritage kept and preserved by Lumad and Moro communities.

Every Kadayawan Festival, some of these delicacies can be tasted and bought at the Kadayawan Village located inside Magsaysay Park. The private sector also plays a role in promoting these dishes by organizing events within their establishments that showcase a variety of indigenous cuisine.

In 2020, shortly before the pandemic, the Davao Tourism Association spearheaded the One Davao Culinary Night where chefs from restaurants, hotels, and resorts worked hand-in-hand with tribal culinary artisans to come up with versions of the native dishes.

These dishes often take center stage in the Department of Tourism’s culinary events such as the Buwan ng Kalutong Filipino organized in partnership with the Department of Agriculture.

These concerted efforts into promoting our indigenous cuisines highlights Davao City’s unique culinary tradition that is so rich and diverse. A tradition that is worth preserving and cherishing. (RGA/PIA Davao)

About the Author

Rudolph Ian Alama

Regional Editor

Region 11

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