Indigenous Communities of Davao PDF

Indigenous Communities of Davao
Ref.: Davao Museum at the Insular Village
1. ATA - The Spaniards called the people living in the upland areas Atas, lumping many
communities together. Today the term Ata applies to the relatively dark skinned indigenous
community found in Marilog, Pakibato, Panabo, Carmen, Santo Tomas, Kapalong and
neighboring places. Considered the earliest inhabitants, they were pushed into the
interiors due to slave raids conducted by more powerful neighboring communities.
2. BAGOBO - The Bagobos inhabit areas from Toril in Davao City, Santa Cruz, Digos and
Bansalan in Davao del Sur, to parts of Makilala and Kidapawan in Cotabato. In 1988, Fr.
Juan Doyle described the Bagobos as the most advanced and intelligent of pagans in the
Philippine Archipelago. The Bagobos are also called Tagabawas in reference to the fact
that they live on the slopes of Mt. Apo. "Tagabawa" means living below(Mt. Apo).
3. BLAAN - The Blaans are found in Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat,
Maguindanaw and Sarangani, including Sarangani Islands. Fr. Mateo Gisbert called the
Blaans the most industrious among the mountain communities. A theory advances the
view that the ancestors of the Blaans were the Muslim pottery maker.
4. DIBABAWON - The Dibabawons occupy the Monkayo-Salug area in northern Davao.

They are a branch of the Agusanon Manobos who live "dibabao," that is live in the
uplands, hence Dibabawon, people from the mountains. They were one of the most feared
communities and were constantly at war with the Mandayas.
5. GIANGAN - Also called Klata. The Giangans occupy a very small territory stretching
from Catalunan to Calinan within Davao City. "Giangan" means forest dweller. Despite this
forest dweller appellation, the Giangans who were feared warrior, where also know for
their artistry. They wore the most beautiful and colorful clothes in the Davao gulf.
6. KALAGAN - The Kalagans inhabit pocket settlements scattered around Davao Gulf.
Most of their settlements are found at the mouth of a long river. Despite their small
population, the Kalagans lorded over the entire gulf by controlling key river systems. In the
later Spanish documents, the Gulf Kalagans would be identified by the Spaniards as the
Davao Moros.
7. KULAMAN MANOBO - The Kulaman Manobos occupy the West coast of Davao Gulf,
with pocket settlement also found on the Cape of San Agustin. The Kulaman Manonobos
were fierce warriors. They were not known to practice human sacrifices. However they
cultivated a fearsome image by beheading their enemies and displaying their heads on
spike planted on the beach as warning to potential enemies.
8. MANDAYA - The Mandayas are found in Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur, Samal
Island, Compostela Valley and the Liboganon river valley. John Garvan called the
Mandayas "the greatest and best tribe in Eastern Mindanao." A unique feature of the
Madayas and Mansakas is the wearing of a breast disk made of beaten silver called
"patina." The Mandayas community is one of the largest minority groups.
9. MANGGUWANGAN - The traditional territory of the Mangguwangans used to
encompass upper Agusan, the range between Salug and Agusan, Tagum River, Hijo
River, Totoy River and Simulao River. Constant warfare with neighboring communities not
only reduced the territory of the Mangguwagans but also their populations. Most recent
studies indicate that they are related to the Ata Manobo racially and linguistically. Today
the Mangguwagans constitute the smallest tribe in Mindanao.
10. MANSAKA - The Mansakas occupy the areas around Compostela, Nabunturan,
Mawab, Maco and Pantukan. They are really a branch of the Mandayas, differentiated only
by dialectal peculiarities. "Masakas" means people of the clearings ("Saka"). Like the
Madayas, the Mansakas were a warrior community, and they had frequent fights with the
Dibabawanos and Mangguwagans.
11. MATIGSALOG - The Matigsalogs are found in the eastern section of Marilog, Davao
City, the towns of Kitaotao, Quezon and San Fernando in Bukidnon. "Matigsalog" means
people who live along the river ("salog"). In the past, these people where simply lump with
the Atas. The Matigsalog and Atas were generally the objects of slave raids by the
neighboring communities. Despite this apparent subordination of the Matigsalogs by their
neighbors, they were also feared warriors.
12. OBO - The Obos occupy Tambobong, Baguio District, Marilog District (on the Davao
side), Arakan, Antipas, Roxas, Magpet, Kidapawan and Makilala (on the Cotabato side).
As the Obos lived in very remote areas, the Spaniards failed to identify them as a separate
community and simply lump them together with the Atas. For a long time, too, the Obos
were lumped together with the Bagobos.
13. SAMAL - Also called Isama or Sama. The Samals inhabit Samal Island situated at the
north end of Davao Gulf. Oral tradition say that the Samals were part of the invading force
of Sharif Kabungsuwan in Magindanaw. They had come from Johore, and one group was
blown of course and landed in Samal Island. The Samals were ultimately absorbed by the
Mandayas of Samal Island, and are classified linguistically by the SIL as a Kalagan-
Speaking Community.
14. SANGIL - The Sangils or Sangirs or Sangirise, inhabit areas in Davao del Sur and
Saragani. They do not form a contiguous territory, but live in pocket communities along the
coast. They are descendants of ancient migrants from Sangihe Islands, now part of
Indonesia.
15. TAGAKAOLO - The Tagakalolos or Kaolos live in the interior areas of Malita and
Malalag in Davao del Sur, and also in scattered settlements on Cape San Agustin in
Davao Oriental. As their name signifies, the Tagakaolos are people living in the
headwaters ("olo") of rivers, and they tended to live in the interior. Like the Kalagans and
Mansakas, the Tagakaolos are a branch of the Mandayas. Spanish documents of the
1880s described the Tagakaolos as a peaceful people, who fought back only when
attacked.

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Indigenous Communities of Davao

Ref.: Davao Museum at the Insular Village

4. DIBABAWON - The Dibabawons occupy the Monkayo-Salug area in northern Davao.

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