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.”

Coral Cay Resort, Siquijor

Inset is a photo image of Coral Cay Beach view casting an almost eerie like  glow of the sunset.

Dabawenyong Lumad has always been fascinated by the mystical island found in the nearby Visayan region known as Siquijor. As a child who grew up in semi-rural Davao in the 70’s and 80’s, he has heard a lot of stories of the supernatural nature of this place. Stories of the famed mangkukulam, mambabarang and the mananambal haunted his childhood impression of this almost fearsome Visayan island.

Still waters casting translucent image at Coral Cay Resort, Siquijor.

It was during the Spanish era  that  Siquijor was otherwise called as the “Isla del Fuego” (Island of Fire). Spanish officers and sailors from aboard galleons passing through Negros islands observed that during the night, the island had reputedly possessed a fiery glow. Spanish sailors were captivated by the sight of this otherworldly illumination which would turn out to be a cacophony of dazzling fireflies that bewitch the island’s molave trees in the night.

In the year 1565, it would be a Spaniard by the name of Captain Esteban Rodriguez of the Legazpi expedition that would lead the first foreign incursions into the island.

Sunset hauntings at Siquijor.

History accords Siquijor as the land of the Sorcerers. In the local parlance, Siquijodnon magic men were popularly known as Mangkukulams or Mambabarangs. It was said that when the Spanish troops subdued Tagbilaran’s sorcerer Tamblot during an uprising  in 1621, many of Tamblot’s followers (who were equally shamans themselves) who refused to submit to Catholic ways escaped from the island of Bohol by swimming across to Siquijor. It was here where these shamans would lay to establish another secret enclave for the preservation and practice of an old religion that is based on ancestor, spirit and nature worship. A mixture of Latin inspired rituals also permeate within the spiritual structure of the island’s magic.

Dabawenyong Lumad has travelled for a few days on the island were he has consulted a local shaman in the San Antonio hills. Being naturally curious, he had been able to obtain some “good luck” charms from a woman sorcerer of this island.

Talismans and amulets like bottles of oil, mysterious woods, fragrances from fairy-herbs and ancient stones are secretly prepared by Siquijor’s magic men during Lent or Holy Week. These are normally sold or given as a gifts to tourists who visit the Bandilaan mounts during this season.

Similar to the Druids of Ireland,  Siquijor stands proudly as one of the Philippines’  living cultural  monuments.