MINDANAO

Mindanao is the
southern most part of the
Philippines and the second
largest island in the country
next to Luzon. It is a Muslim
outpost in the
predominantly Roman
Catholic Philippines.
Although Muslims are no
longer a majority, Islamic
culture is evident. Mindanao
also has the largest
concentration of ethnic
minorities in the Philippines.
They include the Magindanao, Maranao, Ilanun, and Sangil; all are Muslim groups sometimes collectively called the Moro.
Groups usually found in the uplands include the T’boli, Subanon, Bukidnon, Bagobo, Mandaya, and Manobo. Another
important group is the Tiruray, whose religion is a mixture of Christian, Muslim, and local beliefs.
Because of its large expanses of undeveloped fertile land, Mindanao has been considered the country’s “pioneer frontier.”
It did not experience substantial population increase until migration was promoted, particularly in the mid-20th century.
Major regions include

● Zamboanga Peninsula

● Northern Mindanao

● Davao Region

● Soccksargen

● Caraga Region

● Authonomour region of muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

Treasures of the Agusan Marsh

● Butuan Ivory Seal

Recovered in 1970’s by Ancient pot hunters in Ambangan, Libertad, Butuan City in Agusan Del Norte. It is made
from rhinoceros tusk, and is believed to have been used tostamp documents or goods during trading

● Agusan Tara

A 1.79 kilogram, 21 – karat gold image of a Hindu Goddess Tara discovered in

Esperanza, Agusan del Sur in 1981 by a Manobo woman named Bilay Campos and was in the
possession of different owner until it was bought by the Field Museum of Natural History in
Chicago, Illinois in 1922.
 ● Balangay

the oldest watercraft found in the Philippines dating back upto

320 BCE. It is also the oldest wooden boat found in southeast asia. The
boats was excavated in 1979 at the dept of about two meters. Today
several more were remained to be excavated in the area.

● Surigao Treasure

In 1981, Bulldozer operator Berto Morales literally struck gold while digging for a reclamation project in Surigao
del sur. He found Several Pieces of treasure including a golden Sash, Golden Necklace, Bracelet, death mask, bowls, pins
and many more. The pieces are all 24 karat gold loosely dated to have been created between 10th – 13th century A.D.

Lumads
 Are a group of non-Muslim indigenous people. It is a Cebuano term meaning "native" or "indigenous". The term is
short for Katawhang Lumad (Literally: "indigenous people”). The term is used to distinguish them from the Moro’s or the
Muslim people of Mindanao.

● Blaan ● Sangir

● Bukidnon ● Subanon

● Higaonon ● Tagbanwa

● Mamanwa ● TagKaulo

● Mandaya ● Tasaday

● Manobo ● T’bOLI

● Mansaka

OKIR OR OKIL
Okir (also spelled as okkil, okil, or ukkil) is the term for geometric and flowing designs (often based on an elaborate
leaf and vine pattern) and folk motifs that can be usually found in Maranao, Maguindanao and Muslim-influenced artwork.

● Okir a dato refers to the ornamental design for men

● okir a bay to that for women.

An ancient proof of okir's style of flowering symbols is the torogan, the ancestral home of the highest titleholder
(Chieftain, usually the Sultan) in a Maranao village. It is a symbol of power and prestige usually adorned during festivities.
Its prominent part is the panolong, a carved beam that protrudes in the front of the house and styled with okir motif.
Other variations of the okir involves the use of nāga or serpent motif. Maranao instruments usually are styled with okir.
A more prominent variation is the sarimanok, a chicken-like figure that carries a fish in its beak.
Okir is said to be firstly made in Tugaya, Lanao del Sur, as Tugaya is known as the home of Maranao artisans and the
Industrial capital of Lanao del Sur. It has been long known as the home of arts and crafts of Maranao tribe since time
immemorial.
Malong
The malong is a traditional "tube skirt" made of handwoven or machine-made multi-colored cotton cloth, bearing a variety
of geometric or okir designs.
Handwoven malongs are made by Maranao, Maguindanao, and T'boli weavers on a backstrap loom. The pattern or style of
the malong may indicate the weaver's tribal origin, such as the Maranao malong landap. Very rare malong designs and
styles can indicate the village in which the malong was made, for example, the extremely intricate malong rawatan made
only by a handful of Maranao weavers in Lanao del Sur. Handwoven malongs, which are costly, are likely to be used only at
social functions, to display the social and economic status of the wearer.
Maranao’s often include okir in their pattern of malong. They use two types of pattern, the langket and the impakat. The
okir a impangkat (zigzag design) adorn the handwoven, narrow, colorful strip called the langket. The wider langket used as
accents on the malong are sewn vertically while the narrower strips are done horizontally. Some malong have abstract
designs representing plants, animals or other objects.
Usually the langket contrasts with the rest of the malong. A red background with white or multicolored designs is a typical
combination.

T’nalak
A sacred cloth woven by the T’boli tribe around Lake Sebu, Mindanao Islands. Traditionally made by women of
royal blood, thousands of patterns that reference folklore and stories of the tribe. According to their beliefs Fa Dalu, a
spiritual guardian, guides the weaving process that is enriched with taboo and rituals. The clothing is used for ritual
purposes as an offering to the spirits and during festivities.

Yakan weaving
Yakan is a tribe living in Basilan Island and southern tip of Zamboanga Peninsula. Yakan women are specially
recognized for their skill in weaving. Their colorful fabrics, featuring vibrant geometric patterns and design inspired by
natural environment.

JOLO SULU
Jolo is a mountainous area composed of 157 Islet, some of them are still uninhabited situated between Basilan
and Tawi – Tawi. It is surrounded by Sulu and Mindanao Seas on the west and north while Celebes sea is on its eastern
side.
Jolo is one of the major muslim district in the area. It is believed that the founder of the sultanate of jolo was also
the one who introduced Islam in the area from Malaca. His name is Sheriff Muhammad Kabungsuan. They remember the
arrival of Kabungsuan by means of tomb stone in the area bearing the date 740 AD or 1380 in the Roman Calendar

BUKIDNON
Bukidnon is the home of the lumads. Lumads belong to two ethnical group. The Binukid who lives in the plateu
and the Manobo’s living in the moountains and refused to mingle with the Christianized counterparts.
KAAMULAN FESTIVAL
The word “Kaamulan” comes from the Binukid word “amul” which literally means “to gather”. It is a festival
celebrated annually by the Bukidnon people.
During the festival celebrates the seven tribe of Bukidnon namely the Bukidnon, Talaandig, Tigwahanon,
Manobo, Umayamnon, Matigsalog and Higaonon. They gathered to celebrate diversity, culture, pride and unity. Each
tribe showcase their own tribal costumes, dances, and products.
Kaamulan is the dubbed as the only authentic ethnic festival celebrated in the whole Philippines wherein we
celebrate the richness of Bukidnon in terms of culture, ethnicity and language. Kaamulan promotes cultural preservation
and recognition for each tribe. Bukidnon is located in Mindanao, a place in the world that is used to be tagged as a
dangerous place. A place full of fear, chaos and hate wherein people used to throw prejudice and stereotype about the
people in Mindanao. Yet a beautiful and diverse culture inhabits here in the highlands at the heart of Mindanao.
DAVAO
Davao is in Region IX, it is composed of Davao del Norte, Davao del sur and Davao Oriental. The region's name is
derived from its Bagobo origins. The Bagobos were indigenous to the Philippines. The word davao came from the phonetic
blending of three Bagobo subgroups' names for the Davao River, a major waterway emptying into the Davao Gulf near the
city. The aboriginal Obos, who inhabit the hinterlands of the region, called the river Davah (with a gentle vowel ending,
although later pronunciation is with a hard v or b); the Clatta (or Giangan/Diangan) called it Dawaw, and the Tagabawas
called it Dabo. To the Obos, davah also means "a place beyond the high grounds".

● KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL

The festival’s name is derived from the Mandaya word “madayaw,” meaning treasured or valuable, as the locals use
this time to give thanks for the season’s bountiful harvest. Back in the day, the ethnic tribes of Davao would come together
to celebrate abundant crops, performing rituals that paid tribute to the nature gods.
They used to display fruits, vegetables, flowers, rice, and corn grains on their mats and at the front of their houses as a
sign of respect for the great year they’ve had. They used to sing and dance as well, much like what they do today.
In the 1970s, they encouraged the different Davao tribes to showcase their thanksgiving rituals. In 1986, the Davao
City government launched a project that aimed to unite the people during the turbulent times of the Martial Law. Back
then, the name of the festival was called Apo Duwaling, after three natural wonders you can find the region: Mt. Apo,
Durian, and Waling-waling.
It was first officially renamed as the Kadayawan Festival in 1988 and now, over 30 years later, it’s still being
celebrated.
DAVAO WEAVING
It is interesting that the related ethnic groups of the Mandaya and the Manobo have similarly named deities, yet
have very different dominions. To the Mandaya, Tagamalig is the goddess of the arts; whereas to the Manobo, Tagamaling
is the god of agriculture. However, looking at the interconnections between art and agriculture among many ethnic
groups, it can be surmised that Tagamalig and Tagamaling are the same deity.
To the Mandaya’s TAGAMALIG was the one who thought them how to weave intricate patterns. The Mandaya
cloth, Dagmay, is made from abaca fiber and its colors from barks, seeds, fruits, and other natural dyes. Every Mandaya
family that weaves the cloth has a unique design and is used as a token of peace when tribesmen try to resolve problems
among communities.
Among the Bagobos, it was the spirit Baipandi, who taught the weavers tie dyeing (ikot) method and the designs
woven into fabric. Baipandi also taught them the art of embroidery and beadwork.
Indeed, in the past, the art of weaving is a sacred activity. There were many taboos associated with it. As the weaving area
was a sacred ground, where the spirits were actively inspiring and guiding the weavers, it was off limits to the male
members of the community. Violation of the taboo carried stiff penalty.

MAGUINDANAO
Found in the ARMM, this is one of the important cultural group with advance culture Andrich artistic legacies.
The Maguindanaoans are easily recognized through their color schemes of red, yellow, green and black.
These colors signifies royalty and was observed in their design. Like the :
INDOORS
LIKUS LALANSAY

OUTDOORS