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Bagobo Tagabawa:
About this site
About this site
This site celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Bagobo Tagabawa, an indigenous group from the highlands of Mindanao, Philippines. Known for their vibrant traditions, distinct language, and deep connection to the land, the Tagabawa are renowned for their intricate weaving, beadwork, and traditional clothing. We aim to preserve and share their unique customs, stories, and artistry through insightful articles, visuals, and community-driven content, offering a deeper understanding of this remarkable culture.
Historical Background
Historical Background
The Bagobo-Tagabawa is an indigenous cultural community that has been living in Mount Apo for centuries. Their original settlement was in Sibulan, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, which was formerly known as Subuan, named after the Sibulan River. It was at this river that a significant blood compact took place between two leaders, Datu Betil and an Ubo leader, marking the end of their war. The term “Subuan” itself refers to the blacksmithing practice of heating a knife to sharpen it and then cooling it in the river. The term “Subuan” itself refers to the blacksmithing practice of heating a knife to sharpen it and then cooling it in the river. According to the informants of this study from Sibulan, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, the Bagobo-Tagabawa people use the word “Bawa” to mean south. This is why Bagobo-Tagabawa refers to the Bagobo people who inhabit the southern slopes of Mt. Apo. Bagobo Tagabawa's population estimates vary, with figures to 65,000 and they speak the Tagabawa language, part of the Austronesian family, with about 43,000 speakers as of 1998.
In the 19th century, the Bagobo were a self-sufficient and autonomous people, although they had trading relationships with outsiders and they were nominally under the rule of the Maguindanao sultanate. However, in 1838, Datu Ongay, a Maguindanaon, roused the ire of the Spanish colonial government when he attacked a Spanish ship.
Livelihood of Bagobo Tagabawa
The Bagobo-Tagabawa people primarily rely on upland cultivation as their main source of income, which reflects their strong connection to their environment. They follow traditional farming practices and utilize the palusong or bayanihan system for planting. Their agricultural products include corn, cacao, abaca, coffee, and coconut. Additionally, they grow various fruits such as durian, lanzones, mangosteen, and banana. The abundance of their harvests is believed to be a result of blessings from Manama, their deity. As a gesture of gratitude for successful harvests, the Bagobo-Tagabawa perform the pakak’karu ritual, led by their baylan or ritual practitioners.
Clothing for Men and Women
The Bagobo men and women wear close-fitting jackets adorned with shells, glass beads, and embroidery. They refer to their traditional attire as ompak (dress) among themselves and kostyum (costume) when speaking to non-Bagobo. Women’s two-panel sonnod (tube skirts) feature stripes or ikat designs, such as alternating patterns on a red base (linombos). A special inabal called dua talian uses an intricate twill weave (binubbud ta kamayway) achieved by skilled weavers.
The ginayan or panapisan, a treasured three-panel tube skirt, includes ine or ina (mother) panels dyed with the sinake technique, combining red and black patterns. Men’s contemporary sarwar (trousers) are cotton with a drawstring, topped by a shirt, while older men wear plain tangkulu. Men’s garments feature woven patterns like striped sinukla, kinabang, sinube, and plaids like ampit or kinarisan, including the dua talian.
Traditional woven garments are called mona or karaan (ancient), whereas garments cut in old styles but made with factory material are termed moderno (modern) or bago (new).
Jewelry
Jewelry
Bagobo men and women are known for their intricately patterned ceremonial clothing adorned with small brass bells, with accessories like bead strings under the chin and earplugs, often made of ivory for the wealthy. Women’s hair is decorated with bead-encrusted combs and plumes, while their attire features elaborate embroidery, beadwork, and appliqué. Jewelry includes bead necklaces, shell bracelets, brass armlets, leglets, and anklets that produce a tinkling sound when walking. Men carry ornate betel boxes and wear multi-strand bead necklaces, ivory or mother-of-pearl earrings, and bells below their knees. Traditional attire and ornamentation, now reserved for special occasions, reflect the Bagobo’s rich cultural heritage.
Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts
The Bagobo are best known for their ikat - patterned textiles woven from the fibers of abaca, which is a type of banana plant that does not bear edible fruit. The Tagabawa call their abaca cloth inabal (“woven from the loom”); the Ubo Manuvu, inavo; and the Jangan, nawow. Although abaca weaving is done in many parts of the Philippines, each ethnic group uses abaca to create textile that is uniquely theirs. The Bagobo woman’s creation of the ikat pattern begins with the stripping of the abaca stem, commonly thought to be its trunk, to obtain its fibers. Bagobo textile has only two colors: black and dark red or maroon. The black dye that the Bagobo use comes from the leaves and bark of the ebony tree (Diospyros) called kinarum, whereas northern Luzon groups use indigo for their black dye. The red dye comes from the sikarig (Morinda) palm root. The sheen of the undyed white fibers provides a sharp contrast.
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