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.

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10 Tribes of Davao City - Clata part (4-10)

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

Clata

The Clatas occupy a very small territory stretching from Catalunan to Calinan within Davao City. Their traditional population centers included Biao, Tagakpan, Dulian, Sirib, Gumalang, and Tamugan. They are also known as Giangan, with variants like Guangan, Gulangan, or Jangan, that means forest dweller.

The boundary between Tagabawa and Clata was fixed at Lipadas River. Talomo River (ikawayanlinan) served as the boundary among the Tagabawas, Clatas and Obos. Davao River became the boundary between Bagobos and Clatas in the northeast part of Davao. Matina was apparently originally Clatas but they were pushed back by the Bagobos who controlled Toril.

They were also known as Eto, Attaw, and Giangan. Despite the forest dweller appellation, the Clatas who were feared warriors, were also known for their fine artistry.

They wore the most beautiful and colorful clothes in the Gulf.

The Bagobo origin myth of the first man and woman is of Giangan provenance. Tuglay, the Bagobo first man is a Clata word for man and Tuglibong, the Bagobo first woman, is a Clata word for woman.

Click here to see the rest of the Davao tribes.