Philippine E-Journals

Bayok of the Mandaya as a Tool for Disseminating Messages on El Niño Phenomenon

Roland Dalagan | Carmela N. Hadia | Jerry Bayacag

Discipline: Social Science

 

Abstract:

Bayok is one of the traditional medium of communication that still exists and is used by the Mandaya’s of Davao Oriental. It is a communication tool to settle disputes, to formally declare one’s intention to marry, to relate significant events and experiences, and to express one’s happiness for good fortune. To a great extent, Bayok communicated El Niño and its disastrous effects in the region. The Mandaya’s belong to a group of indigenous people mostly living in the hinterlands of Davao Oriental in Region XI. Their population is estimated at 300,000—roughly 68% of the total population in the eleven municipalities of Davao Oriental. This project was conducted to determine the potential of Bayok, a Mandaya folk media as a tool to disseminate information. The initial phase of the project was a contest, held on June 17, 1998 at the Audio-visual Room, DOSCST, Mati, Davao Oriental. One hundred twelve (112) individuals consisting of students, faculty and some