Culture of the Philippines

Indigenous Tribe
TIRURAY TRIBE
Reporters: Sali, Raffie, Toledo Katelyn, Villa, Nursia
BSN 1-I
INTRODUCTION
• One of the major Indigenous People of Southern
Philippines.
• Tiruray is a combination of “tiru” means “place of origin,
birth, residence” and “ray” from daya, meaning “upper
part of a stream or river”.
• The Tiruray share a common legendary ancestry with the
Maguindanao.
• They live in the district of Dinaig, south of the Cotabato
River in southwestern Mindanao.
• They are divided into coastal, river and mountain groups.
• Coastal or lowland Tirurays have close contact with the
Maguindanao Muslims and the Christian population.
INTRODUCTION
• The Tiruray’s traditional clothes were originally made
from tree barks. They needed more comfortable clothes
and the Tiruray do not weave.
• Economic life of coastal Tirurays is centered around
farming, hunting, fishing and basket weaving.
• They are known for their artistic skill in basket weaving
in two-toned geometric designs.
• Tiruray people have grouped their food into four
categories.
• First group are staple starches, second group are viands or
side dishes, third group spices, and the fourth group is
their snacks.
• Iron tools are one important part of their subsistence in
swidden farming as the bolos and knives they use are all
acquired through trade or purchase from the lowland
market.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
• The Tiruray are a non-Muslim cultural community.
However, they are going through the process of Islamization.
• Tiruray's knowledge of Christianity comes largely from
Roman Catholics, partly from Episcopal influence, and
partly from other agencies. 
• A Tiruray community has its own beliyan or shaman.
• They believe that the universe is inhabited by a vast number
and kinds of people (tew/etew).
• There are those who are naturally evil like the busaw.
• Tulus – creator and the greatest authority over all spirits. Is
the chief of all good spirits who bestow gifts and favors upon
human beings.
• Telaki are very much like angels in the Christian faith, who
are here to protect the humans from evil spirits.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
• Tiyawan is again performed as the shaman is regarded as a legal authority as well,
only, between humans and spirits and not humans with fellow humans.
• Tiruray churches to be strong, and that Tiruray believers remain in God's keeping
and not fall back into the old ways.
• The Tiruray community performs a series of communal sacred meals called the
kanduli.
• (1) Maras or the “marking festival” which is held on the night of the last full moon
before the marking of the swidden sites.
• (2) Retus Kama or the “festival of the first fruits of the corn” which is held on the
following night of the first harvest of the neighborhood corn.
• (3) Retus farey or the “festival of the first fruits of the rice” which is held on the
night following the day of the harvest of rice.
• 4) Matun tunda or the “harvest festival” which is held on the night of the first full
moon when the rice harvest from all of the settlement’s swiddens have been
Courtship and marriage
• In the courtship and marriage among the
Teduray or Tiruray, the parental wish is
obeyed.
• The mother of the man leads the search for
the kenogon.
• Tising- the token gift given to the parents as
exchange price in the courtship contract for
the marriage of the son and daughter.
• If the woman’s parents accepts the tising,
within a week, they will then send their own
spokesman with the bantingan over to the
future groom’s house.
• The go-between will then state the amount
of flasa for the marriage of the woman.
Death and burial
• Burial — (Temlogon) — The Tedurays observe the seven days of prayers and
offering before and until the internment.
• On the burial day before the cadaver is finally brought to the cemetery, the
wife/husband and children pay the last respect to the dead by going around the
coffin seven times.
• Then the wife/husband sits on one end of the coffin with the children gathered
around it. 
• The chieftain spokesman gives the fituwa and Togodon as part of the final
parting ceremony for the dead.
Health practices
• Tiruray diet is considered a culturally valued part of every
meal.
• Tiruray people enjoy drinking coffee and tea.
• Many Tiruray also drink tuba and a small portion drinks hard
liquor.
• Past puberty, most Tiruray make a habit of chewing betel quid,
a mild stimulant, as their only form of intoxicating intake.
• Medicine: Tilala ( Cordyline fructicosa ) as known to the
Tiruray is used for (1) hemoptysis due to pulmonary
tuberculosis, (2) threatened abortion, (3) excessive menstrual
discharge, (4)hematuria, (5) bleeding piles, (6) enteritis and
bacillary dysentery.
• Barantiya (Jatropha curcas ) is used as a cure to pruritus,
eczema, rheumatism, arthritis and traumatic experiences.
ethics
• Tiruray believes in the vulnerability of humans and their capacity to make
mistakes.
• A golden rule in their society to never anger or abuse a person as it is very likely
that he will exact revenge and start a feud between kinsfolk.
• Adat or their behavioral customs is simply put to treat others with respect.
• If one fails to do so, he is burdened with the responsibility (sala) for the
consequences.
• The one wronged then has a justifiable reason to retaliate (benal).
• He is to plead his case to the legal authority or the kedafawan who will then try
to make peace between both parties involved.
• Bono – an organized killing party set to eliminate kindred of each side.
references
• http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cult
ural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/central-cultural-communities/the-tedu
ray/
• https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15502/RP
• http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/people/ethnic-groups-in-the-philippines/t
iruray/
 END
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