AN

L A L E
’
B O P
P E
The B’laan people, are one of the
indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao
in the Philippines. Their name could have
derived from "bila" meaning “house" and
the suffix "an" meaning "people".
According to a 2021 genetic study, the
B’laan people also have Papuan admixture.
The Blaan are neighbors of the T'boli, and live in Lake Sebu
and T'boli municipalities of South Cotabato, Sarangani,
General Santos, the southeastern part of Davao and
around Lake Buluan in North Cotabato. They are famous
for their brassworks, beadwork, and tabih weave. The
people of these tribes wear colorful embroidered native
costumes and beadwork accessories. The women of these
tribes, particularly, wear heavy brass belts with brass
"tassels" ending in tiny brass bells that herald their
approach even when they are a long way off.
 INDIGENOUS B’LAAN RELIGION
Some of the deities in the B’laan pantheon include:
Melu – The Supreme Being and creator. He has white
skin and gold teeth. He is assisted by Fiuwe and Tasu
Weh.
Sawe – Joined Melu to live in the world
Fiuwe – A spirit who lived in the sky.
Diwata – A spirit who joined Fiuwe to live in the sky
Tasu Weh – The evil spirit.
Fon Kayoo – The spirit of the trees.
Fon Eel – The spirit of water.
Fon Batoo – The spirit of rocks and stones.
Tau Dilam Tana – The spirit who lives in the
underworld
Loos Klagan – The most feared deity, uttering his
name is considered a curse.
 WEAVING TRADITION
The B’laans have a system of weaving using abaca fiber. The art of
abaca weaving is called mabal or mabal tabih, while the cloth
produced by this process is called the tabih.

B’laan weavers do not use spinning wheels. Instead, they join

together by hand strands of the abaca fiber, which are then used
to weave the tabih.

Fu Yabing Dulo was one of two surviving master designers left of

the mabal tabih art of ikat weaving.
BRASS AND COPPER WORK AND BEADWORK
The B’laan have a tradition of creating art from brass and copper.
The B’laan smelt brass and copper to produce small bells and
handles of long knives. These knives, called the fais, are made
with intricately designed brass.
The B’laan also sew plastic beads or shell sequins to create intricate
designs on women's blouses and trousers, called the takmon.
Geometric and other designs depicting the environment or the
solar system are sewn using cotton yarns onto men's pants and
shirts, called the msif.