ETHNIC GROUP IN THE PHILIPPINES

MANOBO

“Manobo” or “Manuvu” or “Minuvu” means “person” or “people.” It may

also have been originally “Mansuba” from man (person or people) and suba
(river), hence meaning “river people.” A third derivation is from “Banobo,”
the name of a creek that presently flows to Pulangi River about two
kilometers below Cotabato City. A fourth is from man, meaning “first,
aboriginal,” and tuvu, meaning “grow, growth.” “Manobo” is the Hispanized
form.
 3 TRADITIONS OF MANOBO
1. SUNGOD TA KAMANGA

Sunggod Ta Kamanga” is a celebration of Manobo culture. It is a tradition of

lumads in preparation of farm activities and farm implements. Live chicken and
pig are sacrificed. Their blood spread on farm tools and asking the “Mambabaya'
(GOD) for the safety and for the abundant harvest through rituals.
 2. Traditional clothing

The men wear long strips of handwoven loin cloth called “wanes”. The woman
wear a kind of wrap-around skirt called “lufid”. The Bagobo are proud people with
proto Malayan features. They have ornate traditions in weaponry and other metal
arts.

3. Weaving

Traditional fabric for clothes was abaca or hemp, weaved by the ikat process,
but is now cotto cloth obatained through trade. Dyes were acquired from plants
and trees: the tagum plant and the bark of the lamud treee produced lack, the
turmeric root, yellow, and the keleluza plant, red. Ginuwatan are inwoven
representational designs such as flowers. If cotton trade cloth is bought, big
floral designs are preferred. Typical colors are red, black, yellow, green, blue
and white.
 4.traditional Belief
the religious beliefs of the Manobo revolve around many unseen spirits
interfering in the lives of humans. They believe these spirits can intrude on
human activities to accomplish their desires. The spirits are also believed to
have human characteristics.
3 CUSTOMES OF MANOBO

1.Distinctive costumes and oranamentation

traditional costume most extensively described by researchers are those of the
Agusanon Manobo, the Bukidnon/Higaonon, and the western Bukidnon.
According the Manuel (1973), this costume was introduced only in the early part
of this century or a little earlier, for the Manuvu did not know weaving. It was
during the 19th century that contact with other groups acquainted the Manuvu with
abaca cloth.
 ETHNIC GROUP OF THE PHILIPPINES

Submitted by: Clarence Mellie F. Gabuya

Submmited to: MS Samelene Benito