The Caraga Region is an administrative region of the Philippines, on the northeastern portion of the

island of Mindanao, also called Region XIII. The Caraga Region was created through Republic Act No.
7901 signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 23, 1995.

Provinces

The region is composed of five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao
del Sur and Dinagat Islands; six cities: Bayugan, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Surigao, Tandag, Bislig; 67
municipalities and 1,311 barangays. Butuan City is the regional center.

Origin and History

The earliest known record for the region’s geographical existence dates back to 487 years in the diary of
Antonio Pigafetta who wrote: “questo sua Isola che chiama Butuan e Calagan.” The history of Caraga can
be traced back to the 15th century when explorers discovered the existence of “Kalagans”, believed to be
of Visayan Origin in one of the three districts in Mindanao. The word Caraga originated from the Visayan
word “Kalagan”: “Kalag” meaning soul or people and “An” meaning land. The “Kalagans have a long
history of being brave and fearless. Thus, the region was called by early chroniclers as the “Land of the
Brave and Fierce People”.
Prior to Spanish colonization, Butuan already traded with the Rajahnates of Cebu, Ternate (present-day
Moluccas of Indonesia), and the Kingdom of Champa (now known as Central Vietnam). Gigantic boats
known as “balangay” were the main trading vessels at the time. Nine of these massive boats were
discovered in the late 1970s in Sitio Ambangan, Barrio Libertad in Butuan City.

The other most famous relic associated with this period was the golden statue of a Hindu Deity named
Tara, which was unearthed in 1917 by a Manobo woman on the waters of Wawa River in Esperanza,
Agusan del Sur. This 4-pound Golden Tara, also known as the Agusan Gold Image, is described as “the
most spectacular find yet made in Philippine archaeology .”
Culture

Majority of the inhabitants of the region are of Visayan lineage. The ethnic groups include the Manobo,
the Mamanwa, Banwaon, Kamayo, Higa-onon, Umayamnon, and Kalagan.

Festivals include the Naliyagan Festival of Agusan del Sur, Kahimunan Festival, and Balangay Festival,
Palagsing Festival, and Unaw Festival of Butuan City, Kaliguan Festival of Cagwait in Surigao del Sur,
Dagkot Festival of Cabadbaran, and the Lisagan and Bonok-Bonok Maradjaw Karadjaw Festivals of
Surigao City.

The indigenous communities in Caraga region have a strong connection to their ancestral land and
maintain a deep reverence for nature. They celebrate important events, such as births, deaths, and
marriages, with traditional rituals that involve offerings to their ancestors and the spirits of nature.
They also have a rich oral tradition, including folktales, songs, and dances that are passed down
from generation to generation.

These cultural practices and beliefs are an important part of the identity of the indigenous communities
in Caraga and help to define their relationship to the land and their community. They provide a sense
of connection and continuity with their heritage, and help to preserve the rich cultural heritage of
the region.