Warrior Society

Bagobos of Davao region, especially in the olden days are reputed to be fierce warriors. They are very protective about their ancestral lands and boundaries and carry a serious-like demeanor wherever they go. Being uptight about the concept of social respect, they rarely laugh or smile about especially when dealing with outsiders or foreigners. They are diplomatic however and carry about themselves an aura of ancient dignity and power. However, when situations call for a tribal war or pangayao, the Bagobos offer their ritual prayers to their war-deity called Mandarangan, and thereby asked for his protection and victory against their enemies. Mandarangan’s home is supposedly on the mount of the Apo.

Then a war party is thereby commissioned. Led by a Datu or Magani wearing his blood-red suit, young and veteran warriors hasten to the lair of their enemies. A pangayao is impelled by theft, murder or killing of a relative, breaking of a taboo, kidnapping of a wife or child or even trespass to ethnic borders.

To assure a winning outcome of the conflict, Bagobos resort to ambuscades, surprise attacks, poisons or even magic. In their weapon inventory, they have swords called palihuma, krisses, spear, bows and arrows and their kaasag or shields. Thus, the opposing tribe may have to defend themselves in a similar fashion. On occasion of obtaining slaves and women, Bagobos will even conduct hostile raids on Bilaan territories in Davao del Sur. Bilaans are also a group of people found particularly in Malita, Davao del Sur.

Bagobos have also met formidable foes in the past.
The Muslim tribes. There are ancient stories recalling of skirmishes between the Bagobos and their neighboring Muslim brothers.

Maguindanao

Bordering the Davao highlands and North Cotabato where most Bagobo territories are situated, is the landlocked region of Maguindanao. This is the home of the powerful Maguindanao Sultanate. Home of the powerful Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat. Leader of the war campaign waged against the Spanish colonial forces in the mid 1600’s. It is said that there were border skirmishes that involved both people.

In fact, in the work of Historian Heidi K. Gloria, The Bagobos: their Ethno history and Acculturation, 1987, an account was made on an encounter between the two: the Bagobos using a kind of magic as defense against the invading “Muslims”.

Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat

Thus it is quoted, “My Grandfather, Datu Gapao, used to tell me that wars were very common between the Moros and the Bagobos in the past. The Bagobos possessed knowledge of the art and craft of warfare, so that eventually the Moros gave up fighting us. As an example, one of our techniques is called “pagtangka”, a charm which is placed along the path, e.g. a river, of enemies. As soon as the Moros step on the water where the pagtangka has been placed they will begin to feel strange and would not want to travel further. Another art known to us Bagobos is that of the felling all the banana trees of the enemy with just one arrow. Still another is the “kasin”, which is spun around a surface on which a sketch of the enemy territory is drawn. Wherever the kasin falls when it stops spinning, all the Moros found in that direction will die.”

People’s Park, 2

A Maranao tribal display, showcasing their products.

Maguindanao tribeswomen shyly pose for the camera.

Beads, bags, necklaces and other wares on display.

More beads.

Kalagan/Kaagan native products.

Native products of the Kagan folk. You may want to have one of these!

Baskets, big ones, little ones!

Souvenirs ma’am!

Passers-by oogle at native crafts and embroideries.

Beautifully-landscaped trees naturally line-up for a photo shoot at the People’s Park.

Ethnically-inspired statues pose for Davao’s heritage!

Oh and yes, we remember the Golden Rule when we are in Davao City.

Kulintang

Inset is Ambit Onse (+), Bagobo giangan, who plays the kulintang

The kulintang is a form of musical instrument that is used by the Bagobos, Mandayas, Tagakaolos and Matigsalugs of Davao. Being made up of casted bronze or brass traded to Davao tribal peoples by bartering Muslim tribes from Singapore or Malaysia, it is shaped like a small-rounded sphere with knobs. Whenever an occasion demands that music be heard for such as those of a wedding, harvests or simply in honor of a Datu, a kulintang will be displayed for all to hear and see.

The Bagobo kulintang, differing from its Tausug, Maranaw or Maguindanao counterparts is normally hanged upright . They are neatly and orderly stacked. Using small padded sticks called “tap-tap”, a player will usually play the tune while another player, thumps on the bass gong as accompaniment. The melody usually starts with a solemn, slow and rythmic pounding of the gong and thereby progresses into a much faster, pulsating and cheerful tone. It is at this point that the people begin to be excited and are being invited to dance.

Dances among Davao’s tribes such as the Bagobos involve the rythmic shuffling of the feet, with the woman anticipating the dance movements of man. Both men and women adorned with the traditional Bagobo abaca-textured attire, regaled with colors, beads and brass bells, will be seen swaying beautifully in a ritualistic manner.

There are certainly types of kulintang melodies by which Bagobos express their feelings. For a festive mood, they have the “inday-inday, sowroy or the tagunggo“. At the time of death, the Bagobos also play a certain melody to announce a sad tiding. The playing of the kulintang is unlike the western musical contrivances that involves formal note compositions. The Malayan gong usually employs a “pentatonic-type” of musicality. This is defined in the dictionary as a musical scale with 5 noted per octave in contrast to a heptatonic type or 7-note scale. Because the music is orally transmitted, it has room for further musical elucidation, depending upon the feelings of the player.

The kulintang ever becomes a regal instrument if only it renders a beautiful melody as great as the skill and as lofty as the feelings of the player.

For the Bagobos, the sound of the kulintang does not only rekindle ancient memories and blood ties, but also reminds them of their dignified place in Davao’s history.