problem such hunger and pestilence. This is also observed as a folk healing ritual of The value of the Mamanwas are influenced by these indigenous rituals. The belief of as their supreme god is clearly To this end the Mamanwas are very pious people. In fact this ritual in which they would give thanks and make merry. They are still practicing this ceremony which is an indigenous of worship, thanksgiving and cheery making. This aims to give the community a panorama of these spiritual rites. It will cover the presentation of it and its influences on the Mamanwas worldviews. We accept as Mamanwa scholars that these practices are gradually vanishing but the number who believes of its resurgence for the of these celebrations are not yet trifling. This paper is the result of the extensive study of the group. This added the scarcity of literatures of this fast vanishing tribe of the And we believe on the contribution of this paper in the ethnographic and cultural heritage of this part of Mindanao are for there are scarcities of literatures written about the Mamanwas. The paper would like to document this worldviews religion and rituals) in that view preserving for the next generation of Significantly it is worth studying for despite of massive cultural transition of the IP’s of Caraga the Mamawas were able to retain these practices. Methodology The research employed the method. It was used to have in-depth look of their culture. An research technique uses the observation and many of the of non-participant observation in an attempt to obtain a holistic picture as possible of the subject of the study (Frankel and Wallen, 1994). The emphasis
offer an idea that there is a Christian in it. However, it would be unfair for the Mamanwas if the researcher will that the use of Bangkaso/Uyagdok or altar is of Christian in origin. The made the settlement stands despite of hardship in lives. It is then a celebration of life, thanksgiving, merrymaking. Moreover, the use of Malong by the Baylan/Tambajon is of Bisaya influence. The religious of the Kahimonan is shown of curing the sick after the Binaylan prayer was In this part of the Kahimonan, it can be deducedthat the Baylan/Tambajon is a faith healer. Non-mamawas may call it an ritual, but among the Mamanwas it is a sacred ceremony. Let me cite part of the Binaylan language. Og Tahaw kad nu banwa Kahabzen, gihud kaname Kin-isa gihud banwa Dahed, dahed, iza daza Di dipi katahawan dizan katotawan Dini kanmo kaotawan Hagdan katahawan oralaaser Kapupuran hagdan katahawan Hawag, hawag oapirpuan Hawag, hawag kapupuan Hilwa kadayawan banwa Iko laga katahawan latubinaw Mayazer, Mayazer tapopoan Maloza, kaporoan Manganop boog, bakit Nogay nazehet kalsahawan Surig, surig Tahaw. Translation: God Tahaw visit the settlement This day, please accompany us All the time please accompany us, For our protection God who dwells in all direction Tahaw who knows the flow Of the river of life Closely accompany us Here in this life and after Please protect your people The ancestors know of your power The ancestors are calling you
this political structure, flourish a peace Mamanwa community, quiet and distant from quarrels with the lowlanders. They don’t have the desire to seek for power. A Tambajon/Baylan works as a religious in the rituals mentioned and as the herbalist. The Mamanwa society is an example of band level social structure (Jocano, 1996). There is no social of the Mamanwas. Thus, all are equal and equal in actual putting ( and Tomaquin 2000). The traditional system of leadership has to adopt with the innovations of the changing time. They have adopted innovations of the indigenous political system. Thus, the community young and able Mamanwa as their leader or Dakula. The young blood ushers and offers changes to the traditional political system. These young people provide avenue of responsive leadership in their right to campaign for their welfare. They have adopted the following changes below: Kabudagan - An organization of Mamanwa women. It aims to empower them in issues relative to women’s welfare; it also provides a forum of their stand in the issue of ancestral domains. It further aims to have oneness of the Mamanwa women on other issues such as education and Kalomonan - refers to the general assembly of Mamanwa community. It the Mamanwa population. Kalomonan also serves as a forum of opinions of the community regarding socio-economic and political issues. A member of Mamanwa population is a member of kalomonan. The kalomonan organize income-generating such preparing their goods to be sold out during the tabo or market day. Marigon - the organization, which support their claim of ancestral domain. These innovations revealed that the Mamanwas want to modify its indigenous political structure to suit the demands of the community. It further shows their
anytime if proven not worthy of the position. The duties of the Dakula are to serve as their leader on matters pertaining to interpretation of their tribal laws, to the village to the BarangayCaptain in matters and program for their welfare, to mediate community conflicts and in some extent, to judge. Moreover, if he could not solve the dispute, it will be forwarded to the BarangayCaptain. He is also expected to lead the village if there is incursion or attack from their enemies. He is also expected to be a keeper of traditions. The Malaas, on the other hand are known as council of wise men an elders. They are expected to be adviser to the Dakula. The sarok or tambajon/baylan on the other hand are the medicine or the herbalist of the village. The sarok or can be a man or woman. It is believed that these men and women are good and endowed with mystic power to heal. A ceremony of institution of a Dakula is headed by the sarok/tambajon/baylan . He can cure Inbarang, or sick people who were victims of sorcery. The lowlander called them Tambajon. He uses oil with saliva and others to remove illness. Not everyone can be a saruk/baylan - only those with healing powers and had dreamed of supernatural herbs can be one. He is also a buyagan, meaning a person can cause curse to under-estimating his wisdom. The Tambajon/baylan are also keepers of His knowledge of medicinal plants and indigenous medicine is indeed truly awe-surprising. The Dakula is an innovative concept or name of the Datu. Before, the Datu is expected to be old or in late Now they have changed in this The Datu/Dakula is the one who is the most educated in the group and is certified and recognized as such by the NCIP Commission on Indigenous Peoples). A Dakula is considered as a representative of the Mamanwas to governmental
prayers known as Tinambajon or and performs other ritual. He is to be the most moral person in the village. Plate no. 3 Female Baylan/Sukdan (healer) with Kalibugan Children (Mixed descent of both Manobo and Mamanwa marriages). The Tambajon/Baylan , in some extent is a peacemaker or in occasion where there are cases of conflict that could not be solved by the Dakula. He advises the Dakula in pertaining to tribal unity. Another word that describes the respect of the Tambajon is the concept of Binaylan, which means that the Baylan or Tambajon possess powers and that they derived their charms from Tahaw himself but they are believed to be not vulnerable to sorcery. During the kahimonan the Mamanwas that the spirit of Tahaw possesses the body of the Tambajon and in such time, the body of the Tambajon cannot be pierced by a bullet. The primordial duty of a Tambajon is to keep the faith of the Mamanwas to their god. The Tambajon is a spirit medium, an intermediary to the world of the living and the spirits. As a medicine man and healing-religious leader, he is expected to reveal the massage of their God Tahaw to the village using the Binaylan language. Moreover, in his healing -religious practice, he does not receive payment in his service of healing the sick only offering in in kind. Plate no. 4 The Mamanwas Kudlong Bagani Despite the fact that the Mamanwas are more passive and peace loving than the dominant IP in the region. The Mamanwa offender will just be driven out as outcast. They have the concept of Baganiship, to that of the Manobo. In fact, it is to be a Manobo influence due to its
Sibahay, Burgos, Manganlo, and Hitaob Mamanwa still used Kaingin farming. None of them used the carabao in planting. Mamanwas are indulged in coastal Lake Mainit Mamanwas in Lake fishing, hunting, lumber gathering, and raising chickens and pigs. The Mamanwas have their own basketry and handicraft. They weave Agsam and many kinds of rattan handicrafts. Caraga Mamanwas indigenous culture is rich in mystical elements and belief system. Their beliefs in are clearly obvious. their medium. There are no initiation rites of Mamanwa’s boys and girls. The boys are circumcised like the The Lubcon and Lake Mainit are Christian community and their indigenous religious ritual and have transformed their lifestyle to that of the Bisaya. There are a high percentage of Mamanwa - Manobo, Bisaya - Mamanwa marriages who give to the rise of the term meaning half Mamanwa, or Bisaya. These intermarriages had their indigenous culture and made the enculturation process affected by influences. Mamanwas have poor to education. Many of them are This also due to the distance of the community to the village. Discrimination of the “Bisaya” population as manifested in the term as Mamaw, Kongking, lomon and have contributed further to their poor inclination to education. Generally, the Mamanwas of Caraga are not ready to let go with their indigenous lifestyle and The shifts from subsistence economy to cash or money oriented economy have contributed further for their poor economic system. There is a near depletion of their hunting, fishing, and farming ground due to illegal logging, large-scale kaingin, mining in some extent poison the rivers. The Mamanwas are skilled in weaving rattan gathering and weaving agsams .The Hitaob, Burgos, and Sibahay Manganlo adherents and beliefs in the
indigenous religion are remarkable. Their refusal to abandon their indigenous religion Katahawan, have also resulted to their to stay away from from Bisaya villages or settlements. The Kahimonan/Tahawan religious activity is widely practice by the Mamanwas of Sibahay, Hitaob, Manganlo, lake Mainit and Burgos. They have the Kahimonan ceremony as a way of preserving their indigenous culture and to promote oneness of the tribe. The Baylan/Tambajon is an institution. It is widely instituted in the Mamanwa namely: Burgos, Hitaob, Manganlo, and Sibahay. Bylan has both healing -religious functions and also considered a keeper of traditions. He exerts a great influence to the Datu/Dakula and to the community and the individual Mamanwas. Shamanship, among the Mamanwas is clearly marked despite of integration of many Lumads of Mindanao. The Baylan/Tambajon is also considered a wise man. They also indulge in hunting, harvesting, honey gathering, gathering wild fruits and vegetables but of a lesser scale now due to the activity of logging and mining. And resulted in poor harvest in the game. Trapping also supplemented their protein source. Food gathering is still by the Mamanwas. They also practice fresh water fishing and in some extent coastal fishing in the case of Lubcon and Burgos Mamanwas and lake fishing in lake Mainit. They also indulge in basketry, mat weaving as earning also for daily use. The Mamanwa marriage is monogamous and is an extended patriarchal family in authority. In terms of residence after marriage is patrilocal. The Tud-om and the Binaylan language used by the Baylan / Tambajon is a sacred language. It is a good indicator and tool in understanding Mamanwas religious psychology. Poor of the Mamanwas is due to its strong attachment to its indigenous value system. It will take a long way before they will feel that they are Filipino citizen due to the poor governmental projects extended to
them. They already accepted the word Mamaw without feeling ashamed about it. Their love to stay as a village/group their desire of community unity and promote status quo. They are the original settlers of the region. Education and aspect factors are key determinant for its acculturation. If the Mamanwas are it can result in observable changes of their economic lives. Significant difference in acculturation in religious aspect showed how they respond to cultural changes and modernization. The Mamanwas then are the most underprivileged indigenous peoples in Mindanao. The out-group in the political and policy making of the Philippines. There is no social stratification among the Mamanwas. The medicine man and the headman functions are well The medicine man or shaman is expected not only as a herbalist but also keepers of tradition. The headman or Dakula authority is informal but highly respected by the village. The value and system among the Mamanwas is by their worldviews. The belief of the supreme god is clearly marked. To this end, the Mamanwas are very religious people, basing it in their native religiosity. The Kahimonan religious ceremony is an expression of thanksgiving, merry-making and indigenous manner of worship. They are still practicing this ceremony. There is high incidence of Mamanwa illiteracy. The Mamanwas in the six communities are poorly educated. Most of them can’t read and write. The lack of interest in education is mainly due to their lack of interest in schooling, the attitude of the Bisaya/lowlanders to the Mamanwa school children, lack of interest among the Mamanwa parents in sending their children to school. Extreme and abject poverty further contributed to their lack of interest in education. Mamanwa parents preferred that their children help them in the household chores and make a living
than sending them to school is much acculturated. The Mamanwa value system such as tribal unity manifested in the sharing of food to the whole band illustrated communal Their adherence to monogamy their respect to the sanctity of marital union because the Mamanwas love peace, simplicity as a lifestyle, and respect for Their reverence to nature while its sustainable use shows its in looking to nature as both a value and venerated or cherished this respect for nature is a good reason that could be cited regarding its respect to the bounties of resources. Malnutrition has evident in the communities. Cold and respiratory illnesses are common in the said communities. Unsanitary practice contributed to the rise of these illnesses. The Kahimonan festivity which is the center of their indigenous religiosity serves as a unifying factor of the tribe oneness. It is also a thanksgiving prayer. It is an occasion for a Mamanwa shaman renews his vow as keeper of traditions and his healing power. Tahaw is their omnipotent god. However, the Mamanwa has other or deities that are Tahaw’s servants. The Mamanwas are respectful people to local civil and police authorities. The Mamanwas’ economy is no longer a subsistence economy. It shifted to cash or market economy. It is affected by the social concept of the Mamanwas. Their of Christianity provides a new of gregariousness. There is a gradual change then. References : Almeda, Fernando Jr., Surigao across the Years. Quezon City: PNHS and Heritage Publishing House, 1993. Beyer, Otley H., The Negritoes and the Peoples of the Philippines, Manila, 1916-17.