Ethnic group in Mindanao:

1. Badjao- are widely known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes seas,
the Badjao are scattered along the coastal areas of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan,
and Coastal municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur in the ARRM. They are found
living on houseboats where they make their livelihood solely on the sea as expert
fishermen, deep-sea drivers and navigators.

Costume/Clothing- Focusing on their mode of dressing the traditional attire of a

Badjao is the “patadjong.” It has many uses. They are made large enough to fit
any person and are used by both men and women as a skirt or gown tucked at
the chest level. It can serve as head cover, waistband, sash, blanket, hammock,
shoulder bag, cradle, pouch, hood, or pillow. The women’s “sablay” is a loosed
sleeved blouse reaching down to the hips. A “simpay” (band) forms the front
opening and extends to the back from a small collar. A woman’s typical
accessories are jewelry and colored combs. The bracelet is the most popular
ornament. Other pieces of jewelry are the pendant, earring, ring, necklace, and
anklet.
Way of living-they make their livelihood solely on the sea as expert fishermen,
deep-sea divers, and navigators.
Cultural practices- Unique to their cultural rituals is the concept of life and their
relationship to the sea. A newly born infant is thrown into the sea and members
of the clan dive to save the new born. Other traditions such as marriages are
prearranged by the parents for their sons and daughters, the process similar to
other ethnic groups. In that, a dowry is often presented to the parents of the
woman a man wishes to marry. And only the Badjao leader can consecrate a
marriage. Therefore a leader is chosen based on individual inherent virtues,
wisdom and “charisma” and male ability to attract followers. Dowry- property or
money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. The amount
varies from family to family, if the woman is educated the dowry will increase in
price as she is seen as a more desirable asset to the groom, a basic dowry is
10,000 peso and can exceed up to 50,000 peso.
Food/Cuisine- The Badjao are a group of tribal fishermen, so it is no surprise
that their diet consists of a lot of fish. In fact, the older generation don’t eat any
meat other than fish. They believed that other meats would make them sick.
Fresh fish, sweet potato, cassava, and rice are the staple diet of the Badjaos.
Staple - the food or foods that a person or animal eats most often.
Houses-As a nomadic tribe living in stilt huts or boat houses on shallow waters.
 Arts and Crafts- A woman's typical accessories are jewelry and colored
combs. The bracelet is the most popular ornament. Other pieces of jewelry are
the pendant, earring, ring, necklace, and anklet. Badjao believes that they are
descended from loyalty that is why they are a colorful, festive and musical
people.
Values- Badjao are primitive and friendly, they are believed to be world’s most
peace-loving people and consider themselves as a non-aggressive tribal
community.

2. Tausug- means "the people of the current", from the word tau which means
"man" or "people" and sūg (alternatively spelled sulug or suluk) which means
"[sea] currents".[3] The term Tausūg was derived from two words tau and sūg
meaning "people of the current", referring to their homelands in the Sulu
Archipelago. The Tausugs originally had an independent state known as
the Sultanate of Sulu, which once exercised sovereignty over the present day
provinces of Basilan, Palawan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga City, North
Kalimantan and the eastern part of the Malaysian state of Sabah (formerly North
Borneo).

Costume/clothing- The native attire of a Tausug consists of Badjuh Lapih

(upper) and Kuput (pants) for boys; while the top for girls is Batawi and Sablay
for formal occasions, and Sambra and Supa-Supa for daily use. The pants for the
girls are called Sawwal which, however, has a different design that would fit the
top.

Way of living- Tausugs are good farmers. They cultivate corn, sweet potatoes, and
vegetables for their daily subsistence. Coconuts, cassava and abaca are grown for
commercial purposes. However, they have to import all their rice.

Those who live by the lakeshore, rivers and seacoasts are good fishermen. They catch
many varieties of fish, sharks, sea cucumbers and pearls.

Cultural Practices- Most of the Tausugs build their stairways facing the rising
sun. They believe that fortune will come early in the morning if one's stairway faces the
east. The customs of marriage and the family follow Muslim tradition . Kinship
solidarity is very strong among the Tausug, and married children often live near—or in
the same household with—the parents of the husband.

Food/Cuisine- Beef Kulma this dish is a curry of tender beef cooked in

coconut milk, peanuts, tomato sauce and curry spices, it’s like a cross
between Beef Curry and Kare Kare. Tiyula Itum is a Filipino beef soup
prepared with beef or goat pieces that were cooked with lemongrass, ginger,
 turmeric and charred coconut meat. Its black like dinuguan but it does not
contain any blood, so where does this dish take its colour from? Burnt
Coconut Meat, it may sound weird and you may get intimidated by the looks,
but that burnt coconut adds a nice depth to this dish.

Houses- The typical Tausug house is built in a rectangular shape; the walls are
constructed with timber or bamboo beams and enclosed with coconut or nipa
palm leaves. It has a roof and sits on six to eight feet above the ground. The
house is surrounded by a series of raised porches leading to a separate kitchen.
Usually, a wall is built around it for protection. Tausug house typically consists of a
single rectangular room, bamboo- or timber-walled, with a thatched roof, raised on posts
about 2 to 3 meters above the ground.

Arts and crafts- Pis Siyabit (or simply Pis) is a Tausug woven head-cloth made
from cotton or silk (or with gold threads) characterized with intricate geometric
patterns of colors segmented into the smallest squares, triangles and diamonds.
“Ukkil” was a Tausug art form long before the Spaniards introduced Western-
style painting in the Philippines. The “ukkil” is a design form indigenous to the
Muslim ethnic groups in Mindanao — and it can be seen in their wood carvings,
brassware, and textiles, among others.
Tausug visual arts are represented by carvings, metalworks, woodworks,
tapestry and embroidery, mat making and basketry, textile and fashion, pottery,
and other minor arts.

Values- The Tausug regards themselves superior to other Philippine Muslims and still
live a combative way of life, running away from a fight is considered shameful. One old
Tausug proverb says: Hanggang maybuhay, may pag asa, meaning; Never admit
defeat as long as you live. Known for their courage and bravery.

3. T``boli- The name Tboli is a combination of tau, meaning “people,” and

bilil or “hill” or “slope,” thus meaning “people living in the hills.”
However, not all Tboli live upland: those inhabiting the shores of the
Celebes Sea, in the municipalities of Maitum, Kiamba, and Maasim, are
called the Tboli Mohin; those in the municipalities of Lake Sebu and T’Boli
are the Tboli Sebu; and those on the western mountains near the Manobo
are the Tao B’lai. the Tbolis in the vicinity of Lake Buluan in the Cotabato Basin or
in Agusan del Norte. The Tbolis, then, reside on the mountain slopes on either side of
the upper Alah Valley and the coastal area of Maitum, Maasim and Kiamba. In former
times, the Tbolis also inhabited the upper floor of the Alah Valley. After World War II and
the arrival of settlers from other parts of the Philippines, they have been gradually
pushed to the mountain slopes. As of now, they have almost been expelled from the
fertile valley floor.

Costume/clothing- T'Boli ladies dress in a long sleeved, tight-fitting, waist length,

collarless blouse which is in simple black, darkish or military blue. Their tubular skirt is
ankle period. For special events, the T'Boli girl is wearing a pin-striped linen skirt. T'Boli
 men, no longer wear traditional attire T’nalak is a traditional hand-woven cloth
indigenous to the T’boli people from the Cotabato region. It is woven in order to
celebrate and pay tribute to major life events such as birth, life, marriage, or
death within the community. The cloth is woven from abaca fibers and is naturally
dyed from bark, roots, and certain plants.

Way of living- Until the present generation, the T'Boli were hunter/gatherers and
agriculturalists, using slash and burn techniques to farm both the upland mountainous
regions and the flat lowland areas.

Cultural practices- Parents arrange their children's marriages as early as just after
birth. Taking a child's illness as a sign that he or she needs a partner, parents will ask to
borrow a bracelet or other object belonging to a child with whom they wish to match their
own; they give this to their sick child. Once their child recovers, the family visits the other
child's family to propose marriage. The girl's parents visit the boy's for a feast during
which they settle the bride-price (gongs and horses or water buffalo). The two children
are made to lie down together on a mat and are covered with a blanket. The girl's
parents stay the night. A period of mutual house-visits follows before the formal
ceremony. As they are already considered married, the children may sleep together, and
the boy helps the girl's family with chores. If one of the partners dies, a sibling takes his
or her place.
When the children reach puberty (12 to 13 years of age), a final marriage ceremony is
held on a bright moonlit night with no rain (rain symbolizes tears).

Food/Cuisine- Their essential staple foods include corn, banana, gabi (taro), sweet
potatoes and cassava. During festivals and other special occasions, they serve
specially-prepared traditional food to their families and guests.

Houses- The house of the T'boli is raised about six feet ore above the ground with its
side always barely more than three feet high. The materials used for the roof is cogon or
sometimes dried grass which is strung and sewn to the bamboo rafters with strips of raw
abaca or rattan.

Arts and Crafts- The T'boli are famous for their dream-inspired and spirit infused
T'nalak weavings, but also for their embroidery, brass casting and other crafts.

The T'Boli, with their embroidered costumes and beaded ornaments, bangles, bracelets,
and brass link belts, are one of the most colorful of all Filipino groups. They are
renowned for their tie-dyed abaca cloth and metal industry, including intricate lost-wax
brass casting.

Values- hardworking

4. Bagobo - The term is bago, "new," and obo, "man." Originally, the term Bagobo
referred to the peoples of coastal south western Mindanao who converted to
Islam. Traditionally they live in the east and south of Mount Apo and the eastern
side of Cotabato.

The Bagobo warriors, known among themselves as the Bahani or Magani, were the
pillar of strength of the community. Many among those who wore these red kerchiefs
 (klobow or tanggkulo) prided themselves as the defenders of their territories against
those who would invade them.
Custome/clothing-The men wear a kerchief, folded and tied, on their heads; a woman's
coiffure is embellished with bead-incrusted combs cut out of wood, from which hang
heavy festoons of beads.

Way of living- The Bagobo are a settled people, practicing agriculture as well as
hunting and fishing. Their chief crop is rice, which they grow in clearings on the mountain
sides. Since this grain is their staple food, the whole routine of its cultivation is most
closely bound up with their religious beliefs and practices.

Cultural practices- TOUCHING foreheads by the bride and groom, under the guidance
and blessing of the wedding solemnizer, is the symbol of marriage in Bagobo culture.
Joining each other's foreheads is an act of union toward the future.

Tribal dance is performed by the Bagobo people of Davao del Sur. For the Bagobo, this
dance is called Miyamas neng Ommoy. The dance portrays the step-by-step cycle rice
culture; from planting, harvesting, up to the thanksgiving rituals for a bountiful rice
harvest.

Why is the Bagobo dance important? This dance of the Bagobo tribe is usually
performed during social gatherings especially after a good harvest as a thanksgiving
for everyone who has helped newlywed couples in starting their living.

Food/Cuisine- The Bagobo are a settled people, practicing agriculture as well as

hunting and fishing. Their chief crop is rice, which they grow in clearings on the
mountain sides. Since this grain is their staple food, the whole routine of its cultivation is
most closely bound up with their religious beliefs and practices.

Houses- The Bagobo traditional house is purely made of bamboos. Its main attraction
is the kitchen, where guests are always welcomed with food and refreshment as they
enter the door..

Arts and Crafts- The Bagobo are considered the most colorful people of the Philippines,
heavily embroidering their abaca clothing with beads and stitchwork . They also
produce fine metal craft, working in brass, bronze, and iron, and are known for their betel
boxes.

Values- bravery, and hardworking.

5. Maranao- Maranao means "People of the Lake," after their traditional territory in the
area surrounding Lake Lanao in the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau. They are known as
the “people of the lake” because they live around the lake called Lake Lanao, which is
hailed as one of the ancient lakes in the world and the deepest and second largest lake
in the Philippines. Maranaos are presumed to be the last tribe who embraced Islam as
their religion.

Costume/Clothing- The malong is a large, wrap-around tubular garment, measuring at

least 165 x 165 cm. They are used by the Maranao and Maguindanao from southern
Philippines. It can be worn by women as a dress and by men over trousers as a formal
wear. Traditionally, the malong is handwoven by women using a backstrap loom.

Way of living- Rice farming is their main livelihood, along with metalworking and
woodworking handicrafts. The Maranao are famed for their sophisticated weaving
and wood and metal craft.

Cultural practices-Polygamy is one of the traditions of Maranaos that is still

practiced upon to this day, especially for Maranao males. Polygamy is when a
person marries more than one wife or husband. During the ancestral times, Maranao
leaders, those who have royal blood, are usually the people who used to adapt
polygamy.

Food Cuisine- Palapa is a sweet and spicy Filipino condiment consisting of thinly
chopped white scallions (sakurab), pounded ginger (luya
pagirison), turmeric (kalawag), labuyo chili (luya tiduk), and toasted grated coconut
(niog). It originates from the Maranao people of Lanao del Sur. The ingredients are
mixed together and cooked briefly or cooked until somewhat dry. It is immediately stored
in sealed jars (garapon) after cooking. It can be used as an ingredient in certain dishes
(most notably in piaparan) or used as a condiment after briefly sautéing (usually with a
spoonful of condensed milk). Palapa can also be eaten fresh as salad
dressing. Palapa is an important cultural symbol of the Maranao people and is a
ubiquitous accompaniment at every meal

Piaparan, is a Filipino dish consisting of meat (usually chicken) or seafood cooked in a

coconut milk-based broth with grated coconut, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, young
wild shallots (sakurab), labuyo chili, and various vegetables and spiced with palapa.

Houses- There are three types of traditional Maranao dwellings. First, the torogan, the
homes reserved for nobilities. Second is the “mala-a-walay” or the big house. Finally, the
“lawig” or the small house.

Arts/ Crafts- Baur” or wooden chests are among the best pieces produced here. Unlike
other chests, the Maranao baur is handcarved with intricate okir motifs & inlayed with
“tipay” or polished shells. Also, Tugayanons are the best known makers of metalcrafts.
The “gadur” or brass jars, tabak or brass serving trays & the “kampilan” or swords are
among their masterpieces.

Maranao arts and crafts are unrecognizable without mentioning the “malong”, an
important part of their traditional clothing. Malong is a wrap-around garment worn by
everyone. There’s one for everyday wear. Then there are more for special occasions
called “landap”
Tugaya is famous for many crafty things — chests, drums, gongs & tapestries. They
work with various materials too like wood, brass, bamboo, plastic beads & abaca fiber.
The truth is, most of what's sold in many markets around the country are from this small
town of artisans

Values These traditional Maranao leaders is still seen by the respondents as honest
and dependable, morally upright, tenacious- firm and responsible , able to identify
and clarify the needs and desires of groups, as well as that of the community as their
priority.