Manobo Tribe

Mindanao: Philippine Folklore Literature

 Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary,
Agusan del Sur

Manobo
“river people”
from “Man” which means person or people
and “Suba” which means river.
Members of the Manobo tribe crossing a mountain river
on their way home. TIGWAHANON MANOBO, BUKIDNON.
The Manobo cluster
includes eight groups:
1. Cotabato Manobo,
2. Agusan Manobo,
3. Dibabawon Manobo,
4. Matig Salug Manobo,
5. Sarangani Manobo,
6. Manobo of Western Bukidnon,
7. Obo Manobo, and
8. Tagabawa Manobo.
Common Lifestyle of Manobo
Agriculture
• Slash and Burn
• Kaingin

Society
• Patriarchal
• Polygamous

Politics
• Sultan, Datu
• Royal and Non-royal class
The Tigwahanon Village of the Manobo Tribe.
San Fernando, Bukidnon, Mindanao.
A Manobo family cooking rice and camotes over an open fire in their
home. Their diet mainly consists of root crops, rice, maize (once a year)
and anything caught in the forest (wild boar, birds, rodents, snakes,
lizards).
DATU BINITI
(Manobo tribal chieftain)
of the Tigwahanon Village.

The chieftain is in charge of

judgements and conflicts within
the community and what he says is
final.
Manobo Religion:
Indigenous Christian

One "Great Spirit”,

the creator figure.

The ritual communication is

established between human beings
and non- human beings such as
spirits, divinities, and the
spiritual owners of natural
species.
Manobo Literature:

Creation Stories
The creation is attributed to Makalídung,
the first great Manóbo.

He set up posts with one in the center.

At the central post is his abode, with a python.
Whenever he feels displeasure toward men,
he shakes the post, producing an earthquake.

It is believed that, should the trembling

continue, the world would be destroyed.
Manobo Literature:

Creation Stories
It is believed that the sky is round
and that its extremities are at
the limits of the sea.
Somewhat near these limits is an
enormous hole called
the navel of the sea
through which the waters descend.
Manobo Literature:

Creation Stories
It is said that in the early days of
creation the sky was low,
but that one day a woman,
while pounding rice,
hit it with her pestle
and it ascended to its present
position.
 THE TURTLE AND THE LIZARD
A turtle and a big lizard once went to the field of Gotgotapa to steal ginger, When they reached the place the turtle said to the lizard:
"We must be very still or the man will hear us and come out."
But as soon as the lizard tasted the ginger he was so pleased that he said:
"The ginger of Gotgotapa is very good."
"Be still," said the turtle; but the lizard paid no attention to the warning, and called louder than ever:
"The ginger of Gotgotapa is very good."
Again and again he cried out, until finally the man heard him and came out of the house to catch the robbers.
The turtle could not run fast, so he lay very still, and the man did not see him. But the lizard ran and the man chased him. When they were out of sight, the turtle
went into the house and hid under a cocoanut shell upon which the man used to sit.
The man ran after the lizard for a long distance, but he could not catch him. After a while he came back to the house and sat down on the shell.
By and by, the turtle called, "Kook." The man jumped up and looked all around. Unable to tell where the noise came from, he sat down again,
A second time the turtle called, and this time the man looked everywhere in the house except under the shell, but could not find the turtle. Again and again the turtle
called, and finally the man, realizing that all his attempts were unsuccessful, grew so excited that he died.
Then the turtle ran out of the house, and he had not gone far before he met the lizard again. They walked along together until they saw some honey in a tree, and the
turtle said:
"I will go first and get some of the honey."
The lizard would not wait, but ran ahead, and when he seized the honey, the bees came out and stung him. So he ran back to the turtle for help.
After a while they came to a bird snare, and the turtle said:
"That is the silver wire that my grandfather wore about his neck."
Then the lizard ran fast to get it first, but he was caught in the snare and was held until the man came and killed him. Then the wise turtle went on alone.