People of Samar: the Waray tribe

The region, on the side of the pacific shore, is mostly rural and most Waray are fishermen or subsistence farmers. They live in baybayons, small sturdy houses made of bamboo, clay and palm leaves and harvest mostly rice, grapes for wine, coconuts, and durian. The island also houses renowned weaving workshops, and the brightly colored garments obtained are a staple of the Samar people lively traditions: every August in Davao the Kadayaman festival takes place thanking the gods for a good harvest. During the month-long festival, music and street dancing competitions take place, accompanied by bright parades and food. But the festive spirit is also present on smaller occasions, like birthdays or weddings, where the “kuratsa” is performed. This traditional dance, native to the island but possibly inspired by the Mexican Cucaracha, is a lively folk dance, mimicking the movements of birds courting each other.

The ethnic minority, mostly spread between Leyte and Samar islands, shares one language, the waray-waray, spoken by 2.6 million people. Like most of the Philippines residents, the Samar people have been catholic since the Spanish colonisation started by Magellan in the 16^th century. The population, however, did not entirely give up their ancestral beliefs, and the resulting religion is often mixed with spirits of nature.

The island, mostly covered by thick mountainous rainforest and devastated by typhoons, is not prone to economic development, making it one of the poorest in the country with a staggering 33% poverty rate. This further complicates disaster mitigation, as means are limited. Houses destroyed by the various natural disasters are often rebuilt with makeshift materials and become barely inhabitable. Thus, the Samar people need disaster relief, but also long-term solutions to get out of poverty and better adapt to the worsening conditions on the island.