History of Talakudong Festival

Located at the crossroads of Central Mindanao, Tacurong City is a melting pot of cultures. The people trace their roots from various parts of the country, particularly the Panay and Negros islands. Aside from the Ilonggos who comprise the bulk of the residents, Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Cebuanos, and Muslims also live in the city.

After half a century as a municipality, Tacurong became a city in 2000. Despite the progress Tacurong had remarkably achieved, it has never lost its identity as a unique place. It has never lost its unique culture of mixed origins.

To date, Tacurong is not only a budding city at the heart of Region 12, but a land of colorful sights and sounds because of the famous Talakudong Festival, a gathering and celebration of the city’s unique cultures. August is the month-long celebration of the Festival, which also marks the city’s foundation month.
 

Talakudong is a head-covering festival that lends itself to the history of the place. It is a Maguindanaoan word used to refer to something that covers the head against the sun and rain.

From Talakudong, the name Takurong evolved which the Ilonggos had claimed to be the origin. Takurong is an Ilonggo dialect that means ‘something or anything that covers the head’.

The Talakudong Festival is a cultural display shown in exhilarating street dancing and field demonstrations using exotically decorated talakudong. As a cultural demonstration, it was first seen in the streets in 1976, when then Tacurong municipality observed its 25th founding year.

Talakudong Festival is a ethnic dance of a traditional cultures. Talakudong Festival is celebrated on every September 18th of the year. This festival symbolizes the heritage of City of Tacurong and prioritize the tourism in central mindanao.

The Festival consist of several performers such as a organizations and most commonly the different schools who joined in this competition. The competition was divided in 2, first: The Street Dancing Competition and Second: The Field Demonstration.

The main props of each performer is a "Salakot" or "Sadok". A head covering of our ancestors wherein Talakudong patronize it. The "Salakot" or "Sadok" would be creative and has a different paints in order it will be attractive in the eyes of critics.

During the event, all schools, government agencies, non-government organizations, business establishments, and barangays officials were required to join in the street parade. That was the first and the last longest street parade ever held in the streets of Tacurong.

But for 20 years, Talakudong Festival had rested.

In 1995, not losing the dream to put Tacurong on the map of the Philippine Festivals, the local government decided to revive the festival. On August 3, 1996, on the town’s 34th foundation anniversary, Talakudong brought again the much-awaited spectacle and colors to Tacurong’s main thoroughfares. Seven participating tribes and different schools participated during the first revival of the festival.

Since 1996, the revelry has been getting more attention with its new production numbers, styles, and sounds spreading all over Mindanao.

In 1998, the Talakudong street dancing team participated in Davao City’s famous Kadayawan Festival. It won third place among the 40 participating tribes from all over Mindanao. The place it had carved on the map of Philippine festivals seemed to become an indelible mark.

When Tacurong became a city on September 18, 2000, the local government committed its full support to continue the living legacy of the festival.

As the city moves onward to progress, the preservation of its innate culture remains as one of its primary goals. The colorful Talakudong Festival reminds its people of the city’s rich past and a promising future.