Datu Daya was a legendary tribal chief in the place that is now known as Daanbantayan, Cebu

Daanbantayan, Cebu

Daanbantayan is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, the Philippines, occupying the northern tip of Cebu Island. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 73,254 people...

, in the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

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According to folk stories, Datu Daya was the leader of the first Malayan settlers in northern Cebu. The new settlers cleared forests and in a few years were able to establish a progressive community. Moros continually attacked the community and kidnapped women and children until a bantayan (watchtower) was constructed to defend the town. For his leadership of the community, Datu Daya was idolized.

Cultural remnants

The town of Daanbantayan, Cebu has an annual celebration of chants and dances known as Haladaya (literally, "a tribute to Daya").

Before the conversion of the district now known as Daanbantayan into a town, it was known as Kandaya (kang Daya - Daya's place in Cebuano

Cebuano language

Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...

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