10 Tribes of Davao City - Tagabawa part (7-10)

This is the 7th part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Tagabawa

The Tagabawas inhabit the areas from Toril in Davao City, Santa Cruz, Digos, and Bansalan in Davao del Sur, to parts of Makilala and Kidapawan in Cotabato. The Spaniards identified Sibulan in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur as the "more important capital" of the Bagobos.

At the Davao Poblacion site, Bagobo territory is bounded by the Davao River, beyond which live Giangans and Atas. The Spanish priests estimated Bagobo population at 12,000 in the 1880s. But it may be difficult to determine their exact number as many of them have been assimilated into the majority Bisayan culture.

The name Bagobo used here is restricted to mean the Tagabawa, which means "from the south". It does not include the other tribes found in Davao City such as the Obo and the Giangan. At present, the name Bagobo is loosely used to include the tribes, sometimes to include the Matigsalugs in the Marilog area.

However, the original Bagobo, as used by the Spaniards, refer only to the native inhabitants centered around Santa Cruz and nearby areas, that is, the Tagabawa,

In 1888, Fr. Juan Doyle described the Bagobos as the most advanced and intelligent of all natives in the Philippines archipelago.

Tagabawa people occupy the districts of Marilog, Baguio, Calinan, Tugbok and Toril, where majority of them dwell.

Click here to see the rest of the Davao tribes.

10 Tribes of Davao City - Obu Manuvu part (5-10)

This is the fifth part of the list of 10 tribes in Davao.

Obu Manuvu

Deputy Mayor Omelis Duyan

The Obus occupy Tambolong, Baguio District, and Marilog District on the Davao side, and Arakan, Antipas, Roxas, MAgpet, Kidapawan, Makilala on the Cotabato side. Stray froups can be found in Southern Cotabato.

As the Obus lived in very remote areas, the Spaniards failed to identify them as a separate tribe and simply lumped them together with the Atas. Pastellas called Atas "the indigenous natives who generally lived about the western districts of Mt. Apo." 

An Obu epic tells of the adventures of Tuwaang, particularly his fight with the Moros. Tuwaang is actually claimed by many other tribes, as variants of the Tuwaang epic are also sang among the Ata Manobo tribe in Talaingod in Davao del Norte and the Matigsalogs in San Fernando, Bukidnon. But instead of Tuwaang, the name of their hero is Tulalang. A common theme of his adventures is his fight with the Ikogans (tailed men) who are associated with the Moros.

Obu oral tradition tells of Apo Sandawa's journey from the north to Davao. Apo Sandawa's point of entry in Davao was at Ulas. If so, this suggests a sea journey. From Ulas, Apo Sandawa and hid family moved north towards the Talomo mountains, even reaching Mt. Sinaka. Apo Sandawa's journey ended in Mt. Apo where he was buried. Apo Sandawa is considered the ancestor of the Obus.

Based on oral tradition, we can say that the Obus would most likely come from Butuan area. They would most likely be related to the Manobos of Agusan. Indeed, Obus can be classified linguistically under the Manobo. Oral tradition and linguistic similarity tend to make the Obus, Kulaman Manobos, the Bagobos (Tagabawas), as well as the Dibabawons closely related peoples who belong to the bigger Manobo family.

The Obus can be found in the districts of Marilog, Baguio, Calinan and Tugbok.

Click here to see the rest of the Davao tribes.