SUBANEN

The term Subanen is given to a group of Philippine ethnic tribes that inhabits areas in Zamboanga del Sur
and Zamboanga del Norte peninsula and the mountain areas of Misamis Occidental on the island of Mindanao.
Subanen means “river dweller.”
The tale of the origin of the buklog came from
the Subanens in the municipality of Lapuyan, located
on the northern shore of Dumanquilas Bay in
Zamboanga del Sur. The name Lapuyan is derived
from the Subanen word gepuyan, which means “ a
place for cooking.”
Long ago, when the Subanen were still in their
hunting and fishing stage, they would come to the
bank of the river to cook their food after a long and
tiring hunt for wild pigs in the area. Thy called the
place gepuyan, which in turn became the name tubig
gepuyan which was later Hispanized to Rio de
Lapuyan or Lapuyan river.
The Subanun or people of the upstream (Subanen,
Subanon) may be found on the western flank of Mindanao, in
the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte (204,056 NM 1994) and
Zamboanga del Sur (193,305 NM 1994). The population is
estimated at 407,495 (NM 1994) with core areas in Katipunan
(10,255) and Lapuyan (10,510) municipalities (NSO 1980).
The known subgroups are due to linguistic variations: (1)
Misamis, (2) Lapuyan, (3) Sindangan, (4) Tuboy, and (5)
Salug.
The cultural adaptation is upland and swidden
cultivation. The traditional settlement pattern is highly
dispersed with a few residential structures on top of ridges near potable water sources, which are placed adjacent
to cultivated fields. Locations near springs rather than streams are preferred. Rice is the preferred food but fields
are also planted to corn, sweet potato, and cassava. Land problems and degraded environment have forced some
of the people to wet rice agriculture. Metal craft and weaving are practiced. They have maintained trade with
coastal peoples through centuries. Present-day Subanon are nonaggressive, although there are indications that in
the past the people were required to provide a “soul companion” for an important deceased relative.
Unique among the ethnic groups of the
country is the Subanon set of rituals, buklog, that
utilizes a huge dancing platform to which a log is
attached that hits a hollowed sounding board on the
ground.
A subgroup, the Subanen, is related to the
Subanon but concentrated in Siocon, Zamboanga del
Norte with a total population of 52,600 (NSO 1980).

Sources:
Thimuay Mangura Vicente L. Imbing, & Viernes-Enriquez, J. (1990). A Legend of the Subanen "Buklog". Asian
Folklore Studies, 49(1), 109-123. doi:10.2307/1177951
Pambansang Komisyon ng Kultura at Sining – NCCA
 MANOBO
The Manobo are probably the most numerous of the ethnic groups of the Philippines in terms of the
relationships and names of the various groups that belong to this family of languages. Mention has been made of
the numerous subgroups that comprise the Manobo group. The total national population including the subgroups
is 749,0 42 (NM 1994); occupying core areas from Sarangani island into the Mindanao mainland in the provinces
of Agusan del Sur, Davao provinces, Bukidnon, and North and South Cotabato.
The groups occupy such a wide area of distribution that localized groups have
assumed the character of distinctiveness as a separate ethnic grouping such as
the Bagobo or the Higaonon, and the Atta. Depending on specific linguistic
points of view, the membership of a dialect with a supergroup shifts.
A tentative but more
specific classification that needs
attention divides the Manobo into a
number of major groups, some of which are: (1) Ata subgroup:
Dugbatang, Talaingod, and Tagauanum; (2) Bagobo subgroup: Attaw
(Jangan, Klata, Obo, Giangan, Guiangan), Eto (Ata), Kailawan
(Kaylawan), Langilan, Manuvu/Obo, Matigsalug, (Matigsaug, Matig
Salug), Tagaluro, and Tigdapaya; (3) Higaonon subgroup: Agusan,
Lanao, and Misamis; (4) North Cotabato: Ilianen, Livunganen, and
Pulenyan; (5) South Cotabato: Cotabato (with subgroup Tasaday and
Blit), Sarangani, Tagabawa; (6) Western Bukidnon: Kiriyeteka,
Ilentungen, and Pulangiyen; (7) Agusan del Sur; (8) Banwaon; (9)
Bukidnon; and others. The various subgroupings are not sufficiently
defined at present.
The Manobo occupy and have adapted to various ecological
niches ranging from the coastal to the rugged mountain highlands of
the interiors of Mindanao. The different subgroups are highly
dispersed transecting the entire island of Mindanao, there adapting to various environmental niches to develop
self-contained variations of a generalized culture. The orientation of all the subgroups, however, is upland.
Commonly, cultivation is multicropped and intercropped,
including rice, corn, legume, yams, and sweet potato.
Agriculture production is supplemented by hunting and food
gathering.
Settlements are generally kin-oriented nuclear groups
near the swidden fields located on the ridges. The communities
are widely dispersed and placed on high ridges above mountain
drainage systems. In some areas, there are long houses that
accommodate a number of families, usually of an extended
kind. Leadership is
placed on a highly
skilled and socially
powerful individual
who builds up his following through various modes of alliances
including marriage. In a grouping, usually of kindred traditional
community, they would recognize one datu as head. A number of datus
would be united under a more sovereign datu, up through a political
pyramid with a sultan and a rajah muda holding sway in a larger
territory. Although the kin relationship is bilateral, there is a bias
toward the male in terms of decision-making and leadership. The woman holds a subordinated position in the
society.
Nowadays, the structure of leadership is gradually changing with an overlay of the contemporary civil
structures radiating from the governor of the province down to the level of the sitio councilman often assumed by
the better educated younger generation of the community. The groups are largely Christianized and there are
survivors of some belief systems. The national education system has also largely penetrated the more nucleated
areas and minimally the more inaccessible rural areas. The distinctive character of ethnic dress has mostly given
way to commercial clothing, with ethnic materials finding their way to the antique trade.

Source:
Pambansang Komisyon ng Kultura at Sining – NCCA

TIRURAY

The southwestern Mindanao highlands range to about 4,000 feet and face the Celebes Sea. The Tiruray,
one of the ethnic groups that live in this area, have retained much of their own religion in spite of their proximity
to the Magindanao of the Cotabato Valley. They live in the territory bounded by the Tamontaca River to the north,
and the Tran River to the south, the coast to the west and the Cotabato Valley on the east.
There are three subgroups depending on their orientation—riverine, coastal,
and mountain—each with variations in dialect. The people also use ceremonial and
ritual languages. The houses are generally situated near the upland fields, grouped
more or less in the vicinity of the house of the group leader, forming a grouping
called an inged. The traditional economy is based on dry cultivation supplemented
by food gathering, hunting, and fishing. The principal food is glutinous rice and corn.
Other crops cultivated include corn, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, cassava, taro, and
tobacco. A lunar calendar and another based on
stars are used in determining agricultural
seasons. There are also institutionalized trading
pacts with the Magindanao. Their traditional
baskets with black trimmings are exceptionally beautiful.
This southern ethnic group (Tiruray, Teduray, Teguray, Tidula y)
may be found in the province of Magindanao, with concentrations in the
municipalities of Upi (13,535), South Upi (10,240), Dinaig (3,255), and
Ampatuan (1,300) (NSO 1980). The population ranges nationally to 76,883
(NM 1994), with about 30,000 in Magindanao alone. There are about 12,000
in Sultan Kudarat and 695 in North Cotabato. The Tiruray are in constant
interaction with the neighboring Magindanao.
As a people, the Tiruray are distinctive in terms of ethnic art and craft.
Their basketry are among the most intricately woven in the country, often
profusely covered with characteristic design motifs. Their horse-hair
ornaments—earrings, pendants, neck pieces—are clearly representative of
the material culture.

Source:
Pambansang Komisyon ng Kultura at Sining – NCCA