Last week was a whirlwind of activity, focused on deepening the historical context for regional tour guides, participating in a forum marking the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution with students from Ateneo de Davao University, and celebrating the Davao Writers Guild’s culmination of National Arts Month. As we process these events, a single thread weaves through them all: history is not merely a file to be stored away, but a fire that must be kept burning.
Whether we are discussing Davao’s historical landmarks or the lived experiences of Davaoeños under Martial Law, breathing life into these stories allows the new generation to understand their roots. It is through this remembrance—stories from those who lived through these years—that history becomes a source of inspiration and hope.
The depth of storytelling regarding the realities of our time was further showcased last Saturday during the launch of the book The Best of Dagmay 3. The event, held alongside the 7th Satur Apoyon Tigi sa Mubong Sugilanong Binisaya, marked the first collaboration between the Davao Historical Society and the Davao Writers Guild. It was a fitting end to National Arts Month, highlighting the boundless creativity of our local writers.
Its new president, Jade Mark Capiñanes, said writers, just like other artists, are constrained by realities. “We cannot monetize metaphors,” he said, adding that stories deserve to be told and writers cannot stop writing, a blessing and a curse.
To many, history often feels like a collection of “Front Stage” successes. In the language of Erving Goffman’s Dramaturgical Perspective, this is the polished performance we present to the world.
We are constantly reshaped by the stories we choose to tell, which is why our tour guides are so crucial as “frontline image-makers.” They are active narrators who translate silent landmarks into living experiences. This was the focus of a two-day workshop held last week, “Davao City, One Story: The Davao Brand through the Lens of History,”organized by the DTI Davao City Field Office. Attended by tour guides and representatives from the City Tourism Operations Office, the Office of Culture, Arts and Heritage, and the DOT, the discussion was led by local historian Macario Tiu, who provided fresh insights into our past. During the sessions, guides generously shared their expertise to generate maps tailored to various demographics.
When a guide walks a visitor through the streets of Davao, they aren’t just reciting dates; they are practicing Reflected Appraisal. By choosing which anecdotes to highlight and which legacies to honor, they shape how the world sees us—and, more importantly, how we see ourselves through the eyes of the visitor. They transform the “Front Stage” of our landmarks into an immersive dialogue, ensuring that the “Looking-Glass” of Davao reflects resilience and depth rather than a flat, stereotypical postcard.
One of the key takeaways from the workshop was that we must do more than curate. To curate is to treat our culture as something beautiful but fragile; instead, we must act as architects, using the “bricks” of our history to build a foundation for the future. The Davaoeño identity is not a finished product; it continues to evolve and expand in this “garden of the gods,” as Prof. Tiu describes it.
As journalists, historians, and guides, our pens, archives, and voices are the tools of this construction. We must move beyond the “Looking-Glass” of how others perceive Mindanao and start defining ourselves from within. Our role is to ensure that the Davaoeño of today feels as connected to the ripples of the Davao River as they do to the digital pulse of the global stage.
We are here to ensure our history breathes, speaks, and continues to grow.
