Mindanao State University

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Marawi City 9700, Philippines

MODULE 4
The Lumad Groups

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. To understand the history of the Lumads in Mindanao which are not

mentioned in the Manila-centered history books.
2. To identify and enumerate the Indigenous people of MINSUPALA.

NOTE: This is to help students to understand the course as per mandated by Mindanao State University. This is partial and
subject for improvement. The sources that used are mainly coming from authentic books in history. This is just for
classroom purpose only.

a. LUMAD GROUPS1
They are neither Islamized nor Christianized upon the arrival of the Spaniards. Lumad is a
Cebuano term which means “native” or “aboriginal” or “autochthonous” which has become the
collective name for the 19 (or more) ethnolinguistic groups of Mindanao. During the Spanish
period they were dubbed as Infieles by the Spaniards and they were referred as “wild tribes” by
the Americans.
Representatives from the said ethnolinguistic groups agreed to adopt a common name in a
Congress in June 1986 which also established Lumad Mindanao. This is the first time that these
tribes agreed to a common name for themselves, distinct from the Moros and different from the
Christian majority.
The choice of Cebuano word (Lumad)–Cebuano is the language of the natives of Cebu in the
Visayas- was a bit ironic but it was deemed to be most appropriate considering that the various
Lumad tribes do not have any other common language except Cebuano.
1. Manobo- are found in Caraga region.
a. Surigaonon Manobo- found in Carascal and Barogo of Surigao
b. Agusanon Manobo- found in Bayogan, San Francisco, Esperanza and Trento of Agusan
c. Lipaknon/Lapaknon Manobo- believed to be extinct and assimilated to other group of
people.
d. Usi Manobo- small group of Manobo in Agusan. They are known as English speaking
Manobo.
e. Ubo Manobo- a Manobo subgroup found in the mountains between South Cotabato and Davao
del Sur. They engage in slash-and-burn farming but sometimes gathers and hunts food in the forest. Rice,
root crops and vegetables are considered as their staple food. Polygamy is also practiced
provided the man is capable of paying the bride price for each wife and provided that the first wife would
give her consent.
f. Arumanen Manobo can be found in North Cotabato. Their major means of subsistence are food
gathering and swidden agriculture.

1
The discussion and presentation of data was taken from the lecture of Professor Inocente Havier in his History 3 class.
2. Talaandig- the word is derive from the word sandig, they are called Talaandig because their
houses are commonly found at the slopes of the mountain.

3. Tigkalasan- people of the forest. They are commonly found between Agusan and Bukidnon.
Pith of rattan is their staple food.

4. Higaonon- found also in Caraga region particularly between Agusan-Bukidnon and Agusan-
Misamis Oriental. They are known as the people of the wilderness.

5. Mamanwa- found also at Caraga region particularly in Lanusa, Lake Mainit, Matin-aw,
Kantogas, Mt. Cabadbaran, Habonga and kicharaw. They are also known as kong king.

6. Bagobo- scattered in the east and south of Mt. Apo and the eastern side of Cotabato. They are skilled in
producing brass articles, weaving abaca cloths and making baskets that are trimmed with beads, fibers,
and horse’s hair. They are also subsist largely on upland rice but corn, sweet potato banana and coconut
are seen as supplement.

7. B’laan- concentrated mostly in Davao del Sur and South Cotabato. They adhere to sedentary form of
agriculture; rice, corn, sugarcane, banana, papaya and other root-crops are among the plants grown by
them. They also use some crops produced as barter commodities in exchange for tools and other utensils
that they need. They continues to believe and practice their indigenous rituals and customs

8. Mandaya- term means “Inhabitants of the Uplands”. They found in Davao Oriental province. They
practice slash-and-burn cultivation. Both men and women are seen wearing their hair long and tied in a
knot at the back of their heads. They practice shaving the eyebrows to a thin line, filing and blackening the
teeth as a form of beautifying themselves.

9. Bukidnon- Polygamy is practiced among men while women are expected to be monogamous.
Agricultural products produced are rice, corn, sugarcane, pineapple, coffee, cassava, abaca and
vegetables.

10. Matigsalog- a subgroup of the Manobo presently inhabiting the ranges of Central Mindanao. Original
settlement is said to be at the mouth of Salug River, now Davao City. They used to be hunter-gatherers but
now shifted to sedentary land cultivation.

11. Tigwahanon- term was derived from the Tigwa River where its banks and watersheds are inhabited by
the Tigwahanon. They scattered all over San Fernando, Bukidnon to the border of Davao del Norte.

12. Tagbanua/Tagbanwa- found largely in Aborlan, Coron and Puerto Princesa. They are known to be
monogamous. They also cultivate rice, sweet potato, corn and cassava in swidden fields. Cassava is a
preferred staple while rice is considered as a ritual food and a divine gift. The highest potential source of
income comes from woodworking, mat-making and basketry

13. Tau’t Batu-- inhabit an isolated basin-like valley in southern Palawan, the term means “People of the
Rock”. Many are still cave dwellers and continues to be primitive in their lifestyle, i.e. way of dressing is
half-naked most of the time although at times, women wear blouses that are obtained through the market
system. Swidden cultivators but also hunts to complement the carbohydrate diet of the people. Cassava is
the major source of carbohydrate.

14. Batak- inhabits the north-eastern portion of Palawan. practice agriculture, fishing, hunting and trade
for economic subsistence. Their belief system includes the belief in five souls: one in the head, and four
each in the arms and legs. Whatever happens to the souls determine the health, or life and death of the
individual.

15. Cuyonin- found in Cuyo Island, Puerto Princesa and Roxas. They engage in farming as well as fishing.
They are of medium build with brown complexion and has straight or curly hair. It has been contended that
a subgroup of the Mangyan of Mindoro, the Ratagnon, are probably Cuyonin that migrated to Mindoro.

16. Remontado- found in the provinces of Rizal and Quezon in Palawan. They produce camote, cassava,
gabi, ubi and rice for daily consumption. They have no specific religion but they believe in a God who
created the earth. They give food offerings to honor the spirits of their dead.

17. Pala’wan- They are concentrated in Brooke’s Point and Quezon, Palawan. They depend on the annual
seasonal cycle, they move their residences from caves to the open field. They swidden cultivators, cassava
is a preferred staple.

18. Subanen- means “People of the Upstream”. They concentrated in Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del
Norte parts of Misamis Occidental. They are known to have very strong kinship ties and is said to be
patriarchal. Their community is headed by a Timuay and holds a grand and expensive harvest thanksgiving
festival called buklog which presents the social hierarchy of the Subanen community. This terms of
livelihood is farming though hunting and fishing is done to augment their farm income.

19. Tagakaolo- the term indicates that they came from the river sources. They are recognized by their
close fitting suits of red and yellow striped cloth. They wear hair curled in locks, teeth are filed and
blackened, eyebrow-shaving and tattooing of the left forearm is also practiced. They believe in a
supernatural being that is said to live in Mt. Apo and to which human sacrifices are brought so as not to
gain this being’s anger. Their datu is allowed to have as many wives as he could secure

20. T’boli- found in the mountain ranges of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. They are known for their
unusual tie-dyed and woven abaca cloth called tinalak. They plant corn, upland rice, vegetables and root-
crops. They raise domestic animals; ownership of a horse is an indicator of financial and social
prestige.There is male bias in their kinship system, the father is considered as the dominant figure in the
household. Oldest male child takes over the dominance upon the death of the father. If there is no son,
the father’s eldest brother assumes wealth of the deceased and claims the latter’s wife as his own.

21. Tasaday- concentrated in the tropical rain forest of South Cotabato. They are believed to be ancestors
of the T’boli and Manobo. They are still hunter-gatherers, cave dwellers and primitive in some ways, i.e.
use of stone tools and fern plants as a form of clothing.

22. Teduray- mostly found in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat. There are three subgroup orientation:
riverine, coastal and mountain. They engage in farming, hunting, fishing and basket weaving. Polygamy is
also practiced among men.

Traditional Homeland Lumad Groups

Bukidnon  Monobo
 Umayamnon- live along the Umayam River
 Adjawanon-known of their wife loaning
 Matigsalog- live along the Salog River
Davao  Bagobo
 Ubo
 B’laan
 Mandaya
  Tagakaolo
 Dibabawon
 Manggwangan
 Dulanganes
 Calaganes
 Monobo
Palawan  Tagbanua
 Taut bato
 Batak
 Cuyonin
 Remontado
 Palawani
 Ken-uy
Cotabato  Tiboli
 Tasaday
 Teduray
 Arumanen Manobo
 B’laan
Zamboanga  Subanen

There is no fixed specific number of Lumad groups in Mindanao and Palawan. There could be
more if we pursue the Lumad habit of naming themselves after their place of traditional
residence.

b. INDIGENOUS “Christians”
They are natives of Mindanao who embraced Christianity. They are Visayan-speaking natives
of Northern and Eastern Mindanao and Zamboanga City, they are known locally by their place
names such as the Dabaweno (Davao provinces but mostly in Davao Oriental), Butuanon
(Butuan), Camiguinon/Kinamigin (Camiguin Island), Cagayanon (Cagayan de Oro City), Iliganon
(Iligan City), Ozamiznon (Ozamiz City), Dapitanon (Dapitan), Dipolognon (Dipolog) and Chavacano
(Zambonga City). It is difficult to identify these natives because they have been assimilated and
integrated into the Christian migrants/settlers who were originally coming from the North
Philippines which now composed the majority population of Mindanao.
Also, in this category the Christianized Lumad is included. Recently there are numerous
Lumads who eventually accepted Christianity as their religion and way of life like the Manobos.
1. CHRISTIAN MIGRANT/SETTLERS
They were coming from Luzon and Visayas who migrated in Mindanao in 20 th century. During
the American Period and the earliest period of Philippine Republic there was an influx of settlers/
migrants in Mindanao who were coming from Luzon and Visayas. They were promised by the
government that if they will migrate to Mindanao, they will be given lands. The lands awarded and
given to them were lands of the indigenous peoples (Bangsamoros and Lumads) of Mindanao.
That is why that act is called “systematic or legal land grabbing” because the lands of the
indigenous people of Mindanao were taken from them without their consent and approval. It
should be noted that not all legal or official is just and rightful.
 Activity 3 (Individual Video Presentation)

INSTRUCTION: Conduct a simple/short interview about the perception of the peoples in Mindanao.
A Moro student will look for a Moro respondent and ask his perception about Christians and
Lumads, vice-versa.

(Note: The rubrics for this activity will be posted in your Google Classroom)