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.”

T’boli

Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

The T’bolis are one of the most prominent group of non-Muslim tribes located in the southwestern side of Mindanao. They inhabit several settlements by the beautiful Lake Sebu in South Cotabato.
The T’boli kinship system is largely paternalistic. They are headed by a Datu or Chieftain, whose charisma, knowledge, leadership and physical prowess account for his decision-making duties in the tribe.
Going by tradition, you will find a large house in a T’boli village. Termed locally as “gono-bong”, this particularly large house is being used for rituals and tribal ceremonies.
Being surrounded by fields and a rich soil, the T’boli tribes resort to the cultivation of sugar cane, potato, corn, coffee and a highland rice variety known to them as “teneba”. They also have domesticated animals and chickens. The ownership of a horse among the tribesmen surprisingly denotes a “high economic stature” in their society.
T’bolis also manufacture an abaca-based textile called “tinalak”. As with other indigenous tribes of the region, the abaca is also cut, stretched, dried, painted and colorfully woven to produce a multi-colored clothing material.
They also manufacture bronze and brass-based ornaments such as bells, beads, figurines, betel nut containers, gongs and various other farming and hunting implements. These products are currently exhibited and sold to tourists at Lake Sebu.
In the same community, the oldest male usually takes charge of all the property and affairs of the clan upon the death of the patriarch or father. In an instance of an extended family, he adopts the other children and other family members as his own.
Even today in an age of development aggression, there are still many T’bolis in Lake Sebu. And many of them are struggling peacefully to preserve their last remaining cultures.

Announcement: We are now on Facebook!

Dear readers,

Our blog dabawenyong lumad can now be found at the facebook address. While most articles will be found on this site (www.dabawenyonglumad.wordpress.com), news tidbits, additional pictures and short discussions can be found at the http://www.dabawenyonglumad.facebook.com site.

Some articles may be written in the Visayan language though. But for purposes of reaching out to more readers who are interested in Davao, Mindanao or Philippine history, we deem it relevant that this site may also be accessed at facebook.

History as a general subject, is an acquired taste. It takes a little time to appreciate it, or find its relevance to one’s life, so they say. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be like a hound that continually looks for it. 🙂

As usual, it will be stories. Short ones and long-ones.

Enjoy!

Golden Rules to live by when you are in DAVAO CITY

1. Respect the People. In Davao City, we have learnt the value of mutual respect and have paid dearly for the price. In the early 80’s, Davao was a hotbed of insurgency. There were intense killings everywhere. A war raged between the Philippine Constabulary and the New People’s Army. “Salvagings” were a daily occurrence. Sparrow units of the NPA were on a campaign to retrieve more firearms. The result: a lot of policemen, village headmen, security guards and even civilians who had firearms would be killed in an effort to obtain more weapons. Though commerce and politics would transpire by day, it was curfew at night. Children would be discouraged from staying out too long in the evening. Aside from insurgency, there were also dangerous criminals lurking. Many of them were thieves, carnappers and even drug dealers. They would come from abroad. And they were bad. Dabawenyos were not only harassed by the insurgents but their persons and homes had also been violated by criminals. Davao had been naïve. There was an outcry.

Then the Alsa Masa was born. It meant “People’s Uprising”.

With the assistance of police authorities, people would arm themselves with caliber 38’s, 45’s, shotguns and even vintage Garand and M14 rifles and form themselves into village defense forces. And now killings would escalate. But it was retaliation this time. People were tired of being bullied. Already suffering from many forms of social abuse perpetrated by bad elements, Dabawenyos had been triggered and put into action.

The people fought hard and long but eventually won, as military and criminal activities would consequently be reduced and confined elsewhere.

The rest is just a living testament to Davao’s legacy of political independence and freedom from social oppression.

So once again, Respect the People.

Respect the Culture. Davao was the last region to fall during the Spanish invasion. Before it finally fell in 1848 to Don Jose Oyanguren’s forces (a Spanish pirate), Dabawenyos put up a strong fight led by Datu Bago and other lumad warriors. Though Dabawenyos were defeated in battle, it was only because of the superior weaponry that the Spanish forces possess. But even today, Davao region remains a frontier for the Lumad and Muslim cultures. These homogenous mixes of tribal beliefs and practices have seeped into the collective psyche of modern Dabawenyos and have adapted them as the popular culture of Davao City and the region.

Davao City has an ordinance penalizing racial discrimination. This is so because Davao City’s inhabitants comprise not only Bisayan, Tagalog or even foreign settlers but also importantly, the tribal people that originally comprise it.  One any given day, one could probably see a Matigsalog, Mandaya, Bagobo or even a Muslim Maranao and Badjao strolling about the city streets or engaged in trade. Though some have already adapted themselves quite comfortably to the City’s cosmopolite living, many of them still preserve and protect their traditional way of life.

So when you are in Davao, check out the culture. Learn to appreciate it. Down here, Culture has become a way of life.

Speak Gently and Clearly. Dabawenyos love a good, humorous and polite conversation. But they hate arrogance. They disdain arrogant talk, especially when it’s coming from strangers who visit them and don’t take time to understand how Dabawenyos do things in Davao. Quite candidly, they portray Manila as an arrogant culture because “Tagalogs there” allegedly have the habit of presuming and assuming things that almost borders on arrogance. As Tagalogs are fond of “loose talk”, it is a taboo in Davao. By this, we are not pertaining to the conservative Tagalogs of Bulacan, Quezon and Laguna who are known for their courtesy, hospitality and valor during the Philippine Revolution.

 Dabawenyo culture is a culture of respect and not one of saying things you don’t really mean. In the language of Dabawenyos, “matay hilas kaayo bay, mura ma’g ug si kinsa”,means disdain for the haughty person.

We can’t help it. It’s in our collective psyche. So, please be respectful.

Don’t throw your trash anywhere. In Davao, we have a segregated waste disposal system and schedule and we mean that you follow the rules. This practice not only protects us and you from diseases but also in keeping up with our community’s environmental efforts. Or else, you may have to visit our jails.

 Smoking in public areas is forbidden. Active and passive smoking eventually kills. At least, we aim to minimize it by reducing the practice in public areas. Even lawyers who violate the ordinance are penalized. Again, you may end up being fined or even jailed.

Drag Racing in Davao is a No-No. Davao City roads are not racetracks. There was once a story of how some “Manila Rich Kids” who attempted to conduct nightly drag racing along the long stretch of Quimpo Boulevard during the late 90’s. Because of several complaints by the City’s residents, the Mayor accosted them and because of their arrogant posturing in the presence of the City’s highest official, they were slapped in their faces by the Mayor, much to their shame. They left Davao and were threatened with jail time should they come back to “race” again. Drag racing is not a recognized sport in the City. One may be slapped with a case pertaining to endangerment to life and property.

Gun-toting is not allowed. You may not wear your firearms indecently unless you are a police or a military officer and only when you are in uniform. There are cases wherein some individuals have been arrested for flagrantly violating the firearm ordinances of the city. Again, if they think Davao’s naïve, let them try it.

Follow traffic rules. Davao City is unforgiving to traffic violators. So obey.

Don’t Sell Drugs. You will be killed. Davao City is no place for no-gooders and drug dealers. If you have read the local dailies, you will find an assortment of reports pertaining to suspected drug dealers and criminals being killed in a shoot-out. Drug lords and criminals have painfully discovered that they have no monopoly over evil in Davao.

Remember, if you are a BULLY, do not live in Davao City.  Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Finally, we encourage you enjoy the sights, visit the museums and souvenir shops, check out the orchid gardens, go to the wildlife zoo, drink our native coffee brands, taste our clean water, smell the good breeze,taste our exotic fruits and appreciate our ancient cultures. Don’t forget to go hiking and riding the small city jeeps. Enjoy!

Chieftains of old Davao

Before the Spanish formally launched its conquest of Davao in 1848, the region was governed by tribal leaders called Datus. These Datus were the equivalent of village headmen. They were renowned to be the wisest and the bravest among the people. Aside from leading the defense of his people against foes and raiders, the Datu also dispenses the tribe’s customary laws. Also unlike Muslim tribes in Lanao, Maguindanao and Sulu where a Datu is subject to the rule of the Sultan, Bagobo and Lumad tribal leaders overtly proclaim their independence over any one-man rule. Even if they paid homage to the Sultanate of Mindanao, they fiercely valued their territorial and personal independence. After all, they are many and possess a land and culture of their own.

Chieftains generally wear a blood-red colored head kerchief that proclaim his valor in the battlefield.

 The advent of American military occupation of Davao in the early 1900’s also paved the way for anthropological research and rediscovery of flourishing Mindanao cultures by the West. Such was the case of Datu Tongkaling who was the ruler of Sibulan, Davao during the American period. Sibulan is supposedly the center of the Tagabawa community in Davao del Sur, as it was also recognized by many Bagobos in the neighboring territories. Accordingly, Tongkaling traced his ancestry through ten (10) generations of Datu Chieftains. Above is an image of Datu Tongkaling, photo courtesy of Faye-Cooper Cole who was in Davao during the 40’s

Lumad Spirituality

Lumad spirituality is very deep. At a young age, many lumads regardless of tribal affiliation are being taught by their elders to respect three things; 1. To revere Manama as the God creator of all things, 2. To respect nature and all its forms, 3. And to respect his elders, his community and the customs that have been brought down for generations. The lumad child, while growing up to become an adult is taught by the community through example. Since the relationships of tribal cultures in the east are more cohesive, the education becomes more of a “community instruction”.

There are many spiritual practices among the lumads. But all of these are compartmentalized into one unified system of belief and practice.

For example, during the blessing or pomaas after a harvest, the balian or the priest will offer prayers and give thanks to Manama. The pomaas ritual is characterized with the use of two (2) chickens, one colored white and the other, black feathered, as being offered to appease the creator. After the prayer acknowledging the hierarchy of spirits, the chickens are slaughtered and the liver is utilized by the shaman as a tool to read the omens or messages of the spirits. The pomaas ritual is not limited to harvests or community celebrations but is also an accepted practice on occasions of a house blessing, family gathering or family celebrations.

Another example is that whenever a hunter goes out to hunt, he makes an altar at the side of the balete tree. This altar, otherwise known as tambara contains an offering of food or rice for the guardian spirit to partake. Thus, an acknowledgment from the spirit makes his hunt successful.

It is also not proper, to touch articles belonging to the Datu like his palihuma or sword, spear, kaasag or his shield, his garments or his mat, especially without his permission. Articles belonging to him are considered sacred.

Laughing at other people’s deformities is also considered a serious moral crime. The being of the sky world called Anit may punish a person for commission. But oftentimes, an insult to a reputation of an individual may result to instant death.

An ahung may not be played without permission as the instrument is also protected by a guardian spirit.

At the time of Islamic rule in Mindanao, the Bagobos had generally believed that creation is ruled by a supreme God called Manama. As there are also lesser gods and deities that are under his governance. His afterlife in the sky worlds consists of nine layers, the highest being occupied by the supreme God and the diwata and the lowest, the anitos or spirits. Then, there is Tuwaang, the bagobo folk-hero who defeats his evil enemies and retreats to his sky world riding in his Sinalimba or sky-ship.

Symbiosis is a concept that has been understood by many lumads even before they were taught the word. And before the coming of the formal education, they instinctively knew how it was to violate a centuries-old custom law. Thus, many of them have developed a keen sense of respect towards many things. Respect for them is not a belief. It is part of their greater practice of lumad spirituality.

Adsuli

Adsuli. Law of Retaliation

In the pre-hispanic Bagobo communities of the Davao region, a man wronged would resort to suli/adsuli, which which means to take revenge. Offenses such as taking of another’s property, carrying another man’s wife or simply making fun of any physical disability can potentially offset a dangerous situation in the lumad village.

Arsenio Manuel, a Philippine anthropologist who have worked in Davao in the 1960’s, chronicles many of these stories involving tribal feuds and retaliation. In one such story in Kidapawan, North Cotabato, a boy was slashed and killed for laughing at a man’s physical disfigurement. Manuel says thus in his manuscript, Manuvu Custom Law 2000 UP Diliman, “Matun of Muwaan, Kidapawan, suffered from a disease and lost his left foot;he could walk only with the aid of two canes. He could work, fish, climb up a tree and haul down a beehive nevertheless.

He was intervisiting and left his supports at the doorway, then went up the house on all fours. A boy about ten years old in the household laughed. Then and there, Matun slashed at the boy and killed him.

The father did not retaliate.

The datus who settled the case said it was oson, because that disease was given by Manama (Manuvu Supreme God) and Matun did not desire it. Why should someone speak of such a defect patent to the eyes; much more important than the person having it? A small panavuk (damages) was awarded by Matun for the death of the boy to his father.

The case mentioned exemplifies of an insult leading to a death.This this is known as Adsuli or retaliation.

This is the observation of the Manuvu law.

Head Kerchief

No other tribe in Davao is more recognized by their colorful clothing than that of the Bagobos. Whether they are of the giangan, obo or tagabawa tribe, they are usually spotted wearing head kerchiefs especially during celebrations or tribal festivities.  Though, Davao has become a “little cosmopolite” in social stature these days, tribal people still cling to whatever is proudly left of their ancient culture. Among them is on the way they dress that makes them culturally distinct from the others. Inset is a head kerchief decorated with beads and tassels. Bright silver, red or green sequins are also woven intricately in the material. Headdress comes from the private collection of Dabawenyong Lumad.

Colors ranging from black, brown or black, dyed horse’s tail are popularly used to decorate the headdresses called “klobow” or “tangkulo” in the lumad parlance. Head kerchief comes from the private collection of Dabawenyong Lumad.

Bagobos in their full warrior dress stand proudly. Men at the foreground noticeably wear their head kerchiefs.  According to Fay Cooper-Cole (eminent anthropologist), “the Bagobos are without doubt, the most handsomely dressed wild tribe in the Philippines. The men confine their long hair in head kerchiefs, the edges of which are decorated with beads and tassels.” Furthermore, the Magani, the accomplished warrior of the Bagobo tribe and who, having taken 2 or 3 of the enemy, is privileged to wear a dyed-red suit with a “chocolate-red” kerchief. Such is the symbol of the Magani’s prowess in battle. The picture was taken during the early 1900’s during the American occupation of Davao. Internet image courtesy by US anthropological archives.

Image  portrays a head kerchief worn by Dabawenyong Lumad nearside a Bagobo kulintang. A bamboo structure, housing the gong set, gets noticed.

Glimpses of the Davao International Airport

The road entrance going to the Davao International Airport at the Diversion Road, Davao City.

D.I.A.

A side perspective of the Airport.

Travel and Airline offices line up at the front.

Bluish hues cover the D.I.A. entrance walkway.

The brightly ventilated hall and some beautiful orchids.

Squeaky clean floors.

Bags, beads, souvenirs and other food items being sold at the airport’s cafeteria.

Davao Monuments

Frontage of the Davao City Hall. This image was taken during the Kadayawan 2012 in Davao City.

Home to Davao’s leaders and champions of the people.

Close-up of the building.

Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Dabaw.

Roman-inspired architecture.

Monument of Davao’s warrior heritage stand fronting the Sangguniang Panlungsod at San Pedro Street.

Kadayawan revelers enjoy the afternoon stroll fronting San Pedro Church.

It’s been a long, fun-filled afternoon.

Our very own Davao Clock Tower!

A testament of Chinese influence in Davao society and commerce.