THE BAGOBO TRIBE

BAGOBOS ARE A GROUP THAT LIVE IN A VERY

MOUNTAINIOUS REGION OF MINDANOA BETWEEN
THE UPPER PILANGI AND DAVAO RIVERS, THE PLACE
ORIGIN IS SIBULAN AN ANCIENT SETTELEMNT OF
THE BAGOBO, LOCATED AT THE FOOT OF
DORMANT VOLCANO CUERNOS DE NEGROS.
MEANS: THE HORNS OF NEGROS BUT ALSO KNOW
TO THE NATIVES AS MAGASO. SIBULAN WAS THE
CENTER OF ALL THE BAGOBO TRIBES WHEN THE
SPANIARDS TRY TO CONQUER THE ISLDAN OF
MONDANAO AT THE END OF THE NINETEEN
CENTURY.
THE BAGOBO ARE BY ORIGIN A NOMADIC TRIBE,
THEY TRAVELLED FROM ON PLACE TO ANOTHER BY
HACKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE VIRGIN
FOREST.
THE REGION WAS ABUNDANT WITH COGONAL
LAND WITH TALL TREES AND HAD A WIDE AREA OF
HUNTING GROUNDS.
THE BOW AN ARROW WERE USED BOTH IN
HUNTING WILD BOAR, DEER OR MONKEYS AND
FISHING IN CRYSTAL PURE WATERS GUSHING FROM
THE SLOPES OF MT. APO.
THEIR RELIGIONS IS AN ARRAY OF INUMMERABLE
GIMKODS OR SPIRITS WO HAVE TO BE SHOWN
RESPECT.
THE BAGOBO ALSO BELIEVE IN A SUMPREME BEING
WHO INGABITTS THE SKY, AS WELL AS DIETY, A
SUPERNATURAL IMMORTAL BEING WHO WILL
BRINGS SICKNESS AND DEATH TO INCESTUOUS
COUPLES.
THE PRINCIPAL SPIRIT IS THE GREAT NAME
EUGPAMOLAK MANOBO OR MANAMA.
THE BAGOBO ARE A SETTELED PEOPLE, PRACTICING
AGRICULTURE AS WELL AS HUNTING LAND FISHING.
THEIR CHIEF CROP IS RICE, WHICH GROW IN
CLEARINGS ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDES. SINCE THIS
GRAIN IS THEIR STAPLE FOOD, THE WHOLE
ROUTINE OF ITS CULTIVATION IS MOST CLOSELY
BOUND UP WITH THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND
PRACTICES.
THEIR DISTINCT CREMONIAL ATTIRE MADE OF IKAT
TEXTILES IS LIKELY TO BE REFFERED TO AS EITHER
COSTUME OR DRESS. FOR THE BAGOBO, HOWEVER
WHICHEVER WORD IS USED MADE A DIFFERENCE.
FOR EXAMPLE ,THEY TEND TO USE
KOTSYOM/COSTUME WHEN SPEAKING NON-
BAGOBO AMONGST THEMSELVES THEY USE
OMPAK( A GARMENT OR CLOTHING)
THE NEARBY TAGABWA LANGUANGE IS ALSO
KNOW AS BAGOBO, AND IS NOT BE CONFUSED
WITH GIANGAN.
THE BAGOBO ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: THE
COASTAL BAGOBO WHO WERE INFLUENCED BY
CHRISTIANITY, PLANTATIONS, AND WERE LARGELY
ASSIMILATED.
BAGOBO CULTURE IS CHARACTERSIZED BY STRICT
INCEST PROHIBITIONS, THE FORMATION OF
VEGEANCE GROUPS AND THE PRODUCTION OF
LONG EPIC POEMS CALLED TUWAANG.