All set for first ever ethnic Maguindanaon Inaul festival

MAGUINDANAO - Authorities cordoned Buluan town on Saturday as part of the security preparations for the February 5 to 14 first ever Inaul Festival in Maguindanao province.The festival will showcase the Inaul fabric, a strong identity icon of the ethnic Maguindanaons, also known as central Mindanao’s people of the flooded plains, or communities along the 220,000-hectare Liguasan Delta.Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, police director of Maguindanao, on Saturday said they have deployed a security contingent in the town proper and outskirts of Buluan, the provincial capital, to ensure the safety of participants and guests to the 10-day event.Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said the festival shall be capped off with cultural programs such as Sagayan and traditional street dancing events and an Inaul loom-weaving contest.Inaul weaving is a centuries-old Maguindanaon craft the provincial government and ARMM’s regional tourism department are trying to reinvigorate through technical and marketing interventions.The colorful Inaul cloth hit the news when it was featured by designers in a Mindanao-themed Miss Universe fashion show in Davao City in January.The province has been having a Sagayan Festival every February since 2011 that featured only common cultural shows and a Sagayan dance contest.The Maguindanaon Sagayan war dance depicts the bravery and preparedness of the tribe to defend community honor, territory and religion.Officials renamed this year’s Sagayan event to Inaul Festival to highlight the fabric Maguindanaons have been weaving using traditional looms for generations. We are optimistic our first ever Inaul Festival will boost our efforts to show to local and international fashion designers our traditional fabric that can be used for attires for special occasions, Mangudadatu said.Mangudadatu said he is thankful to the police and the military for helping ensure the safety of the Inaul Festival. We are expecting local and foreign dignitaries to come over and witness the activities, Mangudadatu said on Saturday.Tello said besides the uniformed policemen scattered in Buluan, more than 50 undercover agents have also been fielded in barangays around the municipal center to help prevent saboteurs from coming in.Brig. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, commander of the Army’s 6thInfantry Division, said the 33rdInfantry Battalion will help the provincial police secure Buluan for the whole duration of the Inaul Festival.The festival will kick off on Sunday with a mountain bike competition among bikers from across Mindanao.