TIRURAY TRIBE
Ortega & Ragas (2019)
HISTORY OF TIRURAY
INTRODUCTION
o The Philippines is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia.It
consist of about 7,641 islands with 81 provinces categorized under three
main geographical divisions : Luzon, Visayas and mindanao. Its islands
inhabits a large number of various ethnic groups, one of which is the
Tiruray people.
o Although these ethnic groups differ from each other, they have their
similarities.
HISTORY OF TIRURAY
OVERVIEW
o The Tiruray, or Teduray in their own language , is cultural
minority residing the southern part of the Philippines. Living
high in an area of the 4,000 foot plateau of southwestern
Mindanao bounded by the Tamontaca and Tran rivers and
the Celebes Sea to the west, the Tiruray have retained much
of their indigenous culture despite their priximity to the
dominant Magindanao living in the Cotabato Valley to the
east.
HISTORY OF TIRURAY
ETYMOLOGY
o The word”Tiruray” come from “tiru”, signifying “place of
origin, birth or residence” and “ray” from “daya”, meaning
“upper part of a stream or river.” The Tiruray call themselves
eter teduray or Tiduray People, but also classify themselves
according to their geographic location: etew rotor, mountain
people ; etew dogot, coastal people, or etew ufi, upi people.
LIFE OF TIRURAY
There are coastal, river, and mountain Tiruray clans, each of which
has variations in dialect. In fact, Tiruray is a combination of tiru (“place
of origin, birth, or residence”) and ray (from daya, meaning “upper part
of a stream or river”). Their language, another distinct ethnolinguistic
group, is structurally related to those of the Malayo-Polynesian family
but is unintelligible even to their immediate neighbors. The majority of
Tiruray habitations are in Upi, South Upi, Dinaig, and Ampatuan in
Maguindanao (ARMM), plus scattered populations in Sultan Kudarat
and North Cotabato (SOCCSKSARGEN Region).
LIFE OF TIRURAY
The primary source of income for coastal Tirurays is farming,
hunting, fishing, and basket weaving; those living in the
mountains engage in dry field agriculture, supplemented by
hunting and the gathering of forest products. Tirurays are
famous for their craftsmanship in weaving baskets with two-
toned geometric designs. While many have adopted the cultures
of neighboring Muslims and Christians people, a high
percentage of their population still believe and practice their
indigenous customs and rituals.
BELIEFS OF TIRURAY
o Indigenous beliefs and practice, customs and rituals are animistic.
Tirurays who have close contact with the Muslim Maguindanao were
influenced to believe the Islam faith. The Roman Catholics and the
Episcopalian church have been working among them for a long time
and many modernized Tirurays were influenced to believe. However
many of them still keep the old beliefs and still practice indigenous
rituals.
o Tiruray's knowledge of Christianity comes largely from Roman
Catholics, partly from Episcopal influence, and partly from other
agencies. Many have turned away from animistic beliefs and were won
to the Lord, discipled, and trained. Several churches have been
established which are pure Tiruray churches and some have Tiruray
pastors.
TIRURAY PRAYER POINTS
o Scripture Prayers for the Tiruray in Philippines.
o The Tiruray are a non-Muslim cultural community. However,
they are going through the process of Islamization. Pray that
Christians will face the challenge of Islam - that they see the
need to love and evangelize the Muslim Maguindanao and
Muslim Tirurays.
o The Tiruray location is always considered a "troubled area".
Pray to God to protect those that labor for the gospel among
them, to open the hearts of the Tirurays and bless the efforts
made to reach this people.
TIRURAY PRAYER POINTS
o Tiruray churches to be strong, and that Tiruray
believers remain in God's keeping and not fall
back into the old ways. Pray for these churches to
be alive, dynamic and outstanding.
o Tiruray communities, families not yet reached.
For God to stir up/mobilize existing Tiruray
churches to minister, to reach the remaining
unsaved Tirurays.
TIRURAY PRODUCTS
