MAMANWA

TRIBE
 The Mamanwas are
the mountain people
who are black-
skinned, small of
frame, kinky-haired,
snub-nosed and with
black eyes. Generally,
they are short with
an average height of
MAMANW
A 1.35 to 1.5 meters.
• The term Mamanwa means
“First Forest Dwellers”, derived
from “man” (first) and “banwa”
(forest). However, they are
popularly called “Kongking”
because of their kinky hair.
• The term could be derived
from the word “conquista”, the
conquered ones. The
Mamanwas still use their own
dialect when they communicate
among themselves although
most of them can now speak
the dialects of the lowlanders.
LOCATION
In Mindanao, the Aeta
known as the
Mamanwa.The Ancestral
Domain of the Mamanwa-
Manobo Tribe is located in
the Caraga Region in
Mindanao and covers
portions of three
municipalities in the
province of Agusan del
Norte, namely Jabonga,
Kitcharao and Santiago.
CULTURE The lifeway of the Mamanwa is
founded on slash-and-burn cultivation
on small patches and minimal wet rice
agriculture. Food gathering is heavily
relied upon. The Mamanwa are
nomadic in nature, relying on hunting
and gathering to survive and grow
minimal crops such as yams to
supplement their foraging
activities.Patron-client relationships
with members of the surrounding
group operate to some extent to
provide them with subsistence needs.
Settlements are generally small,
numbering from three to twenty
households in high ridges or valleys.
The houses are usually arranged in a
SUPERTITIOUS BELIEFS
Mamanwa tribe believe
in a supreme being they
call Magbabaya, who is
also the creator of all.
They also believe in
spirits and unseen beings
inhabiting and guarding
the elements of their
environment and and
to respect must be accorded to
whom recognitionlest they would be punished or
plagued by unfortunate events.
SUPERTITIOUS BELIEFS
• Another, when it is a
farm area, releasing a
white chicken will result
to fertility of the soil, it is
believed that this will
increase the harvest.
 BIRTH RITUALS
• Mamanwa women
during pregnancy
would suppress their
desire for food
affecting the health
and growth of their
• During pregnancy on babies which
account of their elder's naturally need
prohibition to take nutritious nutritous food,
food items which can increase especially while
the weight of their unborn inside the womb of
babies. their mothers.
MARRIAGE RITUALS
• Mamanwa weddings are
traditionally celebrated
during summer months,
March to May.
• The courtship begins when
the boy is between. 7 to 10
years old.
• Parents visit the home of a
prospective bride of the
same age as their son and
the head of the family
informs the girl's family that
their son seeks marriage.
HEALING RITIUALS
• Healing rituals are
performed by
Baylan/Tambajon
(Shaman) who are
specialist in using herbal
medicine to treat
illnesses, and those who
are skilled in conducting
rituals and ceremonies.
 DEATH AND MOURNING RITUALS

• They transfer from a place to another especially in case

of deaths to leave, sadness, great sorrows, and forget grief
painful memories.
• In Mamanwa, the dead were either laid on a platform
built beside a tree of wrapped in a mat or bamboo slats
and hung up on a tree.
 MAMANWA'S ART AND
CRAFTS

The souvenir items and handicraft

products are made manually, a
traditional method using knife,
wires and other tools. They started
using the traditional method since
when they learn how to make the
products.
TRIBE
Tagakaolo
Tagakaolo comes
from the phrase
“olo sa tubig”
which means
inhabitants of
headwater. These
places have been
the favored
dwellings of the
Kaolos.
Their traditional territories are
in Davao Del Sur and the
Sarangani Province particularly
in the localities of Malalag,
Lais, Talaguton Rivers, Santa
Maria, Davao Occidental and
Malita of Davao Occidental,
and Malungon of the
Sarangani Province. The
Tagakaolo tribe originally came
from the western shores of the
gulf of Davao and south of Mt.
Apo a long time ago.
A major part of their
culture is the datu who
leads civic and labor
duties. Each datu is the
autonomous chief over
an area.The cultural
practices of the
Tagakaolo are said to be
identical with those of
the Kulaman Manobo
and the Bagobo of
Davao.
Tagakaulo people are skilled
in basket weaving,
embroidery, loom weaving,
blanket weaving,
headresses, beaded
necklaces and others. They
make their jackets out of
abaca and decorated them
with mother-of-pearl discs
lined with glass beads.
Pagpangugnan: Tagakaulo Traditional Wedding
The process gave them
the space to
understand that
“sablag” or bride
wealth is an essential
part of the Tagakolu
Traditional wedding marriage. It binds not
ceremony or only the two
“Pagpangugnan”, individuals involved but
particularly how the also, the families of
Tagakaolo traditionally these individuals.It
chooses a significant symbolizes their
other. commitment to each
other.
Continuation..
This is further manifested through the “pag-
mesmes”, part of the ritual in the wedding
ceremony where the parents of both
parties will mold rice into a ball. The rice
must stick together as one, as this foretells
the kind of marriage the couple will have.
The “mesmes” or the rice is eaten together
with a dish that the bride and groom will
serve each other. This entire ritual signifies
their vow of love that would harmonize
them as couple.
- Burrying -
Usually, the body is buried in the ground
at a distance from the house. The coffin
is made out of a split log, in which
weapons, jars, and the like are placed for
the use of the spirit. If the dead man has
been a warrior he is dressed in the
clothing distinctive of his rank, and his
grave is covered with red flowers. At
times the coffins are shaped to resemble
small boats and are then placed on high
poles near to the beach
For a month following a funeral the
relatives refrain from all
merrymaking. At the expiration of
this period all go to a near-by river
and with their knives, cut to pieces a
braided cord, which has been made
since the burial, and as they destroy it
they shout “This is a man we are
killing. This is a man we are killing.”
Finally, the pieces are thrown into the
river and the period of taboo is past.
Tagakaolo tribal crafts

ALABEL, Sarangani (December 1, 2018) –

Tagakaolo weavers led by Flarita Laginan of
Sitio Laginan, Malungon display their
Tagakaolo tribal crafts and wears at the
Kasfala Hall to celebrate Munato Festival.
(Jake Narte-Donna Mahusay/SARANGANI
COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE)
 For
Listening
Reporter: Aldwin G.
Villarosa