Contents

Manobo 2
Settlement Patterns 4
Location 5
Subgroups 5
Economy and Livelihood 6
Kinship System and
Marriage 7
Manobo Clothing and
Accessories 7
Political Organization 8
“Manobo” is the hispanicized form of “Manuvu,” which, of course, means “people.” The Manobo
appear to be a remnant of the very first Austronesian invasion from Taiwan, predating peoples like the Social Organization 8
Ifugao of Luzon. The Manobo are several people groups who inhabit the island of Mindanao in the Manobo Literary Arts 9
Philippines. They speak one of the languages belonging to the Manobo language family. Their populations
range from 749,042 (1994). The groups are often connected by name with either political divisions or Manobo Performing Arts 9
landforms. The Manobo groups are all very similar, differing only in dialect and in some aspects of culture. Religious Beliefs 11
There are about 25 tribal groups, linguistically grouped under the “Manobo” family with 24 main
dialects. The Ata or Langilan Manobo, Talaingod, Matig-Salug, Tigwa, Dibabawon and Problems and Issues 11
Umayamnon are more closely related since their dialects are similar.
 LOCATION
The island of Mindanao is the second largest of the
Philippines archipelago with a land area of 36,505 square
miles and the most recent of the major islands to be
developed. It is often referred to as the "Land of Promise."
The majority of the Manobo are located in the Central
Mountains of the island and are seldom found in lowland
towns except for going there to trade. Recently, however,
many young people have made their way to the urban
centers in search of work.

The Manobo people live a semi-nomadic life and settlements are generally kin-oriented nuclear groups near
the swidden fields located on the ridges. Some communities have long houses. 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. Settlements are either dispersed or relatively compact, depending on the terrain,
the agricultural system practiced, and the degree of acculturation.
SUBGROUPS
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Malayo-Polynesian,
Southern Philippine, Manobo

NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH, ATA-TIGWA

HIGAONON (MISAMIS HIGAONON MANOBO) MANOBO, ATA (ATAO MANOBO, ATA OF

KAGAYANEN (CAGAYANO CILLO, DAVAO, LANGILAN)
CAGAYANCILLO) MANOBO, MATIGSALUG (KULAMANEN,
MANOBO, CINAMIGUIN (CINAMIGUIN, TIGWA, TALA INGOD, MATIG-SALUD)
KINAMIGIN, KAMIGIN)
CENTRAL SOUTH, OBO
CENTRAL EAST
MANOBO, OBO (OBO BAGOBO, BAGOBO,
MANOBO, DIBABAWON (MANDAYA, KIDAPAWAN MANOBO)
DIBABAON, DEBABAON)
MANOBO, RAJAH KABUNSUWAN SOUTH

CENTRAL WEST MANOBO, COTABATO (TASADAY, BLIT)

MANOBO, SARANGANI (GOVERNOR
MANOBO, ILIANEN (LIVUNGANEN, GENEROSO MANOBO)
PULENIYAN) MANOBO, TAGABAWA (TAGABAWA
MANOBO, WESTERN BUKIDNON BAGOBO)
SETTLEMENT PATTERNS (ILENTUNGEN, KIRIYENTEKEN, PULANGIYEN)
 KINSHIP SYSTEM AND MARRIAGE
The Manobos have a bilateral kinship system. They recognize lineage to
ECONOMY both their mother or father’s family. Polygamy, although rarely practiced, was
allowed.
AND LIVELIHOOD Marriage among the people is traditionally done by parental arrangement. It
begins when two families choose a spokesperson, usually a datu who is known
for eloquence and knowledge of custom law. Ginsa, which means “asking”,
The Manobo people usually engage in farming and begins with the girl's representative offering betel chew, which the boy's
agriculture for they live in the rural areas of Mindanao. representative politely refuses until negotiations for the kagun (bridewealth)
The upland Manobo practice swidden or slash-burn begin.The wedding date is determined by the length of the groom's family will
need to raise the kagun while the bride’s family are preparing the apa (wedding
farming whereas those inhabiting the valleys practice wet- feast), consisting of rice, meat, fish, and rice wine.
rice farming. Rice culture is so central to the Manobo
way of life that there are more than 60 different names for Many rituals are performed and practiced by the married couple and their families such as:
rice varieties, and all agricultural rituals center around it.
• Groom wears a white handkerchief and is accompanied by his “party” and
In the late 190s, however many Manobo groups shifted walk to the bride's home bride is kept hidden behind a curtain in another
to corn culture because of the gradual disappearance of room with someone guarding her
swidden sites. Besides corn grit, other supplementary • Two or more of the bride's relatives who may ask the groom's party for a
foods are sweet potatoes and cassava. In times of famine, gift, such as clothing or money before he is able to see his bride.
emergency foods are unripe bananas and wild yam. • After the feast, the elders sit on a large mat for the edteltagan he rirey, to
display the symbols for the bride's value
• Ten piles of corn kernels each are laid out in rows, each symbolizing
remuneration for the pains taken by the bride's family in raising her
• The groom's family presents the items of the kagun which may consist of
a house, a piece of land, clothing, money, articles made of iron, brass, and
animals
• the groom's family then presents the tenges (head cloth), which symbolizes
that the arrangements must be wrapped up tightly to ensure a happy life for
the young couple
• The seru ritual follows: the bride and groom sit before a dish of rice. Each
Other major means of subsistence are fishing, of the spokespersons takes a fistful of rice, molds it into a ball, and gives it
hunting, bee hunting, and trapping. Because of to the couple, who feed each other. Then the guests join in the eating.
these occupations, the Manobo live a seminomadic life. • The bride's mother then prepares betel chew and hands it to her daughter,
However, some Manobo villages that have established who offers it to the groom. This gesture symbolizes her tasks and duties as
permanent settlements have shifted to the cultivation of a wife.
coconut for copra export. • The couple is then given advice by the elders while the guests leave for
home.
An occupation that figures as entertainment for the
Manobo is bee hunting, the procedure for which the basis • The groom's parents stay for three more days,
during which a purification ritual of chickens
of the comic bee-hunting dance. Bees appear during the and rice is performed for the couple's gimukod
season when the tress start to bloom. The hunter waits (soul-spirit), whose approval of the marriage is
for them along the creek banks and trails them to their sought.
hive. If he catches a bee, he ties a fluff of cotton to it and • The groom goes home with his parents to call
then releases it. When the bee reaches the hive, the other his gimukod in case it stayed there while he was
bees raise such a buzzing noise, that a hunter is led to away. He does not stay away too long from his
bride's home because, for every day that he is
the location of their hive. He builds a fire to smoke out gone, he must gift his in-laws with an article of
the bees and then climbs the tree to get the empty bee clothing.
hive. However, the hunter faces hazards, such as the tree
• At first, the young couple lives with the bride’s
catching fire or the bees attacking him. family until the groom is able to build a house
of their own which is located near either parent’s
house.
Many taboos are followed by the groom when building
the house such as:
• If he sneezes while looking for a site, he should
stop look for a site another day
 • If the cry of the limokon (omen bird/dove) is heard while he is clearing the site, he must
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
look for another site
The political structures of the Manobo groups are all quite similar. Their
• When he digs holes for the posts, he must avoid unearthing earthworms, termites, or political formation is based on patriarchy where different kindred are
beetles, for these will cause many deaths in the house integrated. Their chief is usually selected based on his personal qualifications
• The posts must have no disfigurements because these will cause deaths in the family and and his position in the kinship hierarchy. A ruler, called a sultan, is the
no vines wrapped around them because this means that the owner will die by hanging, head of the group. Beneath him are the royal and non-royal classes. Only
those people belonging to the royal classes can aspire to the throne. Those
• No broken parts because this means that the wife will die. belonging to the non-royal classes are under the power and authority of the
• The roof's gable should face east so that the occupants' life "will be like the shining of royal classes. Each class is interdependent on the others.
the sun" Leadership is achieved by a skilled and socially powerful datu who creates
alliances in many ways, including marriage. Several area datus would be
organized under a higher datu, united in turn under the Sultanate with
a Rajah Muda. This structure is gradually giving way to the westernized
MANOBO PHYSICAL APPEARANCE scheme of provincial government and local councilmen, which places more
emphasis on the young and educated.
Qualifications for leaders are as follows:
• belong to class of bahanis or warrior
Teeth filing was usually peformed upon • wisdom and knowledge of traditional lore and mythology
puberty, though this is no longer practiced • must have the ability and the wisdom to handle disputes
now; teeth were blackened with juice of ("You hold the comb and oil represent the act of smoothing and
the mau-mau plant. Both sexes have their disentangling and are therefore symbols of peace and order”)
earlobes pierced, although women enlarge • must be an eloquent speaker both for the community and
the holes up to 2.5 cm wide. The face is outsider
kept hairless, thus both sexes shave their • possession of some wealth and property that the person
eyebrows, and the men prevent beards from must be willing to share with the whole community
growing by plucking. Tattooing is done for ornamental purposes on chest, upper arms, • organize a pangayaw or revenge raiding when needed
forearms, and fingers, and women wear theirs elaborately on their calves. Position of chieftainship can be passed on to a datu's offspring, as long
as the person has the qualifications necessary for the position. However,
young village member who show promise can be chosen and trained to be
MANOBO CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES chiefs, gradually earning the status of datu. The datu has the privilege to be
able to wear a red headgear, normally large handkerchief with embroidery
called tangkulo or tuvew.
Traditionally, Manobos wear only bark cloth to cover genitalia;
however, today, they now western clothing. Heavily embroidered
traditional Manobo costume are now worn only on special
occasions. Traditional fabric was abaca or hemp, weaved by the
ikat process; fabric used now is cotto cloth obtained through trade.
Color of the jacket’s body with its matching skirt or trousers
identifies the group to which the wearer belongs. There are two
kinds of sawa/sawal or trousers for men: one for working which
is close fitting and plain, and one for festive occasions which is
square cut, baggy and embroidered in typical colors. There are two
kinds of skirts for women: Saya which is wide and knee-length,
and Malong which is made of cotton cloth. Traditional hairdo for The traditional social structure consists of four classes namely, Bagani, who defends the community and goes to
both sexes is a bunand bangs cut straight on the forehead. Women battle, Baylan, a male or female priest and healer, the Commoner or the farmers, and Slaves who have been seized in
wear their buns on the crown of their head. Men wear their buns raids. Slaves usually belong to the ruler and were usually given away as part of the bridewealth.
lower, halfway between the top of their head and nape.
Ear ornaments are usually worn by the Manobos. These Village members could become enslaved if they could not pay the penalty for a crime they had committed. Slaves could
are wooden disks, 3 cm in diameter and laminated with win their freedom through diligence in the fulfillment of their duties, faithfulness to their master, or payment of their debt
silver, gold, or beaten brass wire, four strings of beads 30 through servitude
cm long, hanging from each ear. Women wear armlets.
Highly prized armlets are those made of sagai-sagai Intervillage relationship is based on upakat or reciprocity. Village members, usually belonging to kinship group or
(black coral), since these are believed to contract around groups allied by marriage, expect assistance from each other in matters of subsistent labor, defense, and support in crises.
the wearer’s arm to warn of impending danger.
Bride wears additional accessories of bead necklaces,
from which hang pendants of crocodile teeth and pieces
of mother-of-pearl, and from which hang cotton tassels
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
and leglets of braided plant fiber.
 RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
MANOBO LITERARY ARTS The religious beliefs of the Manobo are revolved around the
concept that there are many unseen spirits who interfere
in the lives of humans. They believe that these spirits can Like other indigenous groups, the Manobos had to deal
Narrative poems and lyric poems are intrude on human activities to accomplish their desires. The with issues such as discrimination, marginalization,
generally also ritual songs addressed to gods. spirits are also believed to have human characteristics. They human rights violation as exemplified by cases of
Western Bukidnon Manabo riddles show the use of are both good and evil in nature and can be evoked to both extra-judicial killings, and deprivation of their right
metaphorical language in describing their natural anger and pleasure. to self-determination and territory brought about by
environment, material culture, and human anatomy. Animism, the fear of evil spirits, is the mainspring of tribal the extensive militarization in Mindanao. The said
Numerous Ilianon teterema (folktales) have been religion. Every village will have at least one spirit priest, military operations according to them were put into
collected and classified as tales about animals, usually a man. Animal sacrifices are required to appease the place, not for the purpose of giving them protection
culture heroes and heroines, kindness rewarded and offended spirit in times of illness. While the religious practices but to protect foreign investors who wish to exploit the
evil punished, cleverness and stupidity, and fate. A of the Manobo vary slightly, there seems to be at least one natural resources of their land. The Manobos’ problem
western Bukidnon myth explains the sacredness common thread linking them together. Each culture believes on formal education is even more augmented because
of the betel chew. It is the means by which people in one "great spirit." This "great spirit" is usually viewed as of the threat inflicted on their children being labeled
attain immortality, in recompense for their difficult the creator figure. as rebels and insurgents while at school by military
and painful life. officials. Their homes were also being surveyed by
As the various Manobo groups have been separated, the military officials who camp near their houses even if it
religious beliefs of other peoples have influenced them is supposed to be not allowed.
somewhat. However, the Manobo have often incorporated
these new practices into their belief system, rather than All these pushed the Manobos and other affected
RIDDLES AND PROVERBS abandoning their practices and being converted to new
religions.
indigenous peoples to evacuate to a safer place away
from threat. And just as when they learn that they can
safely return home, they find their houses and crops
Examples of Western Bukidnon Manabo riddles: Examples of Ilianon Manobo proverbs: destroyed, giving them another burden of how to start
Emun edtibasan nune vasag ne edlambas ne linew. Ke etew ne kena edlilingey te impuun din ne kena eb- all over again.
(Sikan is luvi) pekeuma diya te edtamanan din
If you cut into it, it's a bow; If you pierce it, it's a pool.
(Coconut)
He who does not look back to his origins will not reach his
destination. PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
Buntud man guntaan heyan ne emun ed-ahaan nu ne
egkiramkiram da, Ke mevandes ne ed-ipanenew ne melaaran ke egkeruhi.
ne emun egkewaan nu nu egkekawe nu. (Sikan is izung) If a man walks fast and steps on a thorn, it will go in deep,but
A mountain which can only be dimly seen, yet you can if he walks slowly, it will go in only a little.
reach it with your hand. (Nose)

References:
• De Leon, L. (n.d.). Manobo. Retrieved September 19, 2009, from hƩp://litera1no4.tripod.com/manobo_frame.html

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www.guinea-bissau.cc/
• Manobo. (n.d.) Retrieved September 20, 2009, from hƩp://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?Ɵtle=Manobo
Dancing at agricultural rituals and festive • Manobo. (n.d.) Retrieved September 22, 2009, from hƩp://class.csueastbay.edu/anthropologymuseum/virtmus/philip-
occasions is usually accompanied by an pines/Peoples/Manobo.htm
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gimbae (drum) and a pagakpak (a pair of sticks). php
The flute is played to express one’s feeling or to • OMF InternaƟonal. (n.d.) Manobo of the Philippines. Retrieved September 19, 2009, from hƩp://www.omf.org/omf/us/
stimulate the sounds of nature. peoples_and_places/people_groups/manobo_of_the_philippines
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that are narrative songs, lullabies, and songs of • Serrano, B. (2009, July 31). Mindanao Tribes “slam” MilitarizaƟon on Manobo Areas in Surigao. Mindanao
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tribe/
Supervisor Professor Rosa Cordillera Castillo | Contributors Robin Myan Aguila .
Ma. Minerva Boac . Luigi Gabriel Custodio . Rona Marriane Dalistan . Mary Marguerite De Guzman .
Juvy Rose Macapagal | Layout Artist Fatima Ramos |

Department of Behavioral Sciences

University of the Philippines Manila
©2009