The Mangyans in Mindoro

6/11/2015 TheMangyansinMindoro

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MANGYANTRIBESINMINDOROTheterm"sandugo"means"kapatid"andasgenerationspassitevolvesintoashorterterm"dugoy"orinakantoterm"'tol"

ClickheretosponsorMangyanChildren

GeneralOverview

MindoroCapital:MamburaoArea:5,879.8sq.km.Population:282,593

LOCATION

OccidentalMindoroisthewesternpartoftheislandofMindoro,southofBatangas.ItisboundedonthenorthbytheCalavitePassage,ontheeastbyOrientalMindoro,onthewestbyApoEastPass,andonthesouthbytheMindoroStrait.

THELAND

OccidentalMindoroconsistsofhighrollingmountainsintheeast.Tothewestarecoastalplainswherethetownsaresituated.Numerousriversflowfromthesemountainranges:PagbahanandamburaoMatamayorinthenorth,MompongandAmnayinthecenter,andCagurayandBusuangainthesouth.TheclimateisdryfromNovembertoAprilandwetduringtherestoftheyear.Theprovinceliesinthepathofdestructivetyphoons.

ABRIEFHISTORY

Mindoro,formerlycalledMait,wasknowntoChinesetradersevenbeforethecomingoftheSpanish.In1570,theSpanishbegantoexploretheislandandnamedit"MinadeOro"(mineofgold)afterfindingsomeofthepreciousmetal,thoughnomajorgolddiscoverieswereevermade.MissionariesbecameactivearoundIlinIslandoffthesoutherntip,LubangIslandoffthenortherntip,andMamburao.Mororaidslaterforcedthemtoabandontheseplaces.In1754,theMuslimsestablishedstrongholdsinMamburaoandBalete(nearSablayan).Fromthere,theylaunchedraidsagainstnearbysettlements.AnexpeditionsentbyGovernorSimondeAndaputanendtotheseraids.

Intheearlyyears,MindorowasadministeredaspartofBonbon,nowBatangas.Earlyinthe17thcentury,theislandwasseparatedfromBonbonandorganizedintoacorregimiento.In1902theislandofLubang,whichwasformerlyapartofCavite,wasannexedtoMindoro.InthesameyearMindoroandLubangwereannexedtoMarinduquewhenthelatterbecamearegularprovince.Mindorobecamearegularprovincein1921.OnJune13,1950,underRepublicActNo.505,Mindorowasdividedintotwoprovinces,OccidentalMindoroandOrientalMindoro.

THEPEOPLE

TheplainsofOccidentalMindoroareinhabitedbytheTagalogsandtheremoteforestedinteriorbytheMangyans.ExtensivetribalsettlementsofMangyansintheprovincebelongtosuchsubgroupsastheIraya,Alangan,Tadyawan,Buhid,Hanunuo,andBangon.TheMangyansaresimplepeople.TheywereoncecoastaldwellersdrivenintothemountainstoavoidreligiousconversionbytheSpaniards,raidsbyMoropirates,andtheinfluxofrecentmigrants.Theynowleadaseminomadicexistence.Mangyansliveinlooseclustersofupto20bamboohutswiththatchedroofsandraisedfloors.Theysometimesareawayfromtheirfamiliesformanyweeksinsearchoffood.Menwearaloinclothofpoundedbarkwhilethewomenhaveacoilofwovennito,asturdyblackvine,andrattanaroundtheirhips.Mangyanspracticeanimismandaresuperstitious.



COMMERCEANDINDUSTRY

OccidentalMindoroisbasicallyanagriculturalprovince.Theprincipalproductsarerice,coconut,peanut,andabaca.Theinhabitantsarealsoengagedincattleandpoultryraising,logging,andfishing.Thewatersonthewestcoastcompriseoneofthemostimportantfishinggroundsinthecountry.HuntingalongthebanksoftheBusuangaRivercanyielddeer,wildboars,andtamaraw.

MangyanRootsandHistory

Fortwodecades,CalapanCityinOrientalMindorohasbeenthevenueofoneofthecountrysmostcolorfulcelebrationstheSanduguanFestival.EveryNovember15,themainthoroughfaresinthecityareclosedtovehiclestogivewaytothedancingparade.Variousgroupsofstudentsfromdifferentlevelsreenactthefirstbartertradethroughdanceinterpretations.Theygarbthemselvesincatchycostumesthataremadefrommaterialsfoundintheirhometown,suchascalamansiandbananas.Touristscomeinscorestojointhisyearlyevent.

MangyanswerethefirsttoinhabittheislandofMindoro.Comprising10%ofthewholeMindoropopulation,theMangyansarecomposedoftwelvetribes,eachwithitsownlanguage,culture,andwayoflife.TherearetheIraya,Batangan,Buid,Hanuno'o,Alangan,Ratagnon,Tagaydan(orTadyawan),Bangon,Pula,Buhid,Nauhan,andFuruan.

Forcenturies,theylivedpeacefullyalongthecoastalareasofOrientalMindoro,wheretheyfishedforaliving.Thatwasuntilmigrantsfromnearbyislandssettledontheisland.Toavoiddisputes,themildmanneredandpeacelovingpeoplegaveuptheirland,movedtothemountains,andcamedownonlyforfoodandothernecessities.

Sadly,theyhavebeentreatedassecondclasscitizenslikeotherindigenouspeopleintheworldforyearsoftenexploited,neglected,anddiscriminatedagainstbylowlanders.Theyhaveexperiencedbeingmisjudgedasuneducatedanduncivilizedpeople.Theyoftenstrugglewithpoverty.Theysurvivebyfarmingrootcropsandfruits,whichistheonlylivelihoodtheyknow.

AtypicalMangyanhouse

Accordingtohearsay,duringtheSpanishtimes,aSpanishshipsankintheoceansnearMindoro.ItspassengersmostlySpanishsoldiersandsomeoftheirfamilies,rowedontonearbyshoresandsettled.Theydiscoveredthatitwasinhabitedbypeoplethe"mangyans."Someofthesoldierssleepwithfemalenativeandboresonsanddaughters.Thus,theiroffspringsgrewuphandsomeandbeautiful.

InsomeareasofMindoro,thereareMangyancommunitywhosepeoplelivesabetterlifeinconcretehouses,dresseslikecivilizedpeopleinlowlands,ownedriceandcornplantationandevenhavevehicles.



Amangyanmotherwithherkids

TheMangyansweretheonlyinhabitantsofMindorobeforetheyweredrivenfromthecoastsintothemountainousareasbyinvadingTagalogs.TheyareamixtureofAustronesians,protoMalays,IndiansettlersandMalays.Theyoncepopulatedthewholeislandincludingthecoasts.Since150yearstheyhavebyandbybeendriventothemountainousareasoftheislandbyinvadingTagalogsettlers.Todaytheirsettlementscanbefoundmainlyincentral

cordilleraandinsecludedareasofOrientalMindoro.Therearenowabout50,000MangyanslivinginOrientalMindoro.ThetermMangyanisagenericnameforthediversegroupsinhabitingthemountainsandfoothills.Individually,thegroupsidentifythemselvesbyothernames.

"Mangyan"isacollectivenameofuncertainoriginforseveraltribesofwhichthemaingroupsare:ALANGAN6,000to7,000(1991SIL).NorthcentralMindoro,aroundMt.HalconIRAYA10,000(1991OMF).NorthernMindorofromBacotoMamburaoBUHID(BUKIL,BANGON,BATANGAN)8,000.SouthernMindoroTADYAWAN(PULA,TADIANAN,BALABAN)2,000.EastcentralMindoroHANUNOO(HANONOO)10,000to12,000.SouthernOrientalMindoro

SomeMangyansinremoteareashaveconservedtheirtraditionallifestylehuntingwithbowsandarrowsandgatheringfood.Themajoritythoughpracticessmallscaleandselfsupportingagricultureandexchangeofproducts.Tagalogplantersemploythemfor"dirtywork"suchascleaningtheplantationsfromunwantedplantsorevenconvertingforestsintoplantationswhichcontributestofurtherreductionoftheirhabitats.

TheHanunootribeseemstobelessaffectedbyinfluencesoftheTagalogspeakingpopulationmaybealsobecausetheirsettlementsinthemountainsarelocatedinanareadominatedbytheNewPeople'sArmyguerilla.

TheirwayoflivingMostofthemrelyonplantingrice,corn,vegetablesandhuntingwildanimalstosupporttheireverydayliving.Amaleatage16canbecomeafamilymanifhecanbuildhisownhouse.Ahousemadeupofcoconutleaves,bamboo,treeforitspillar,andothermaterials.

DuringChristmasseason,theygodowntolowlandswithsomeoftheirhandicraftstosellofexchangeforanythingsuchasclothes,foodsandothers.

Amangyanisverymuchwillingandhappytogivetheirlivechickeninexchangeforacanofsardines.Forthem,sardinesisaveryspecialfood.

Fewyearsago,thegovernmentpassedalawdeclaringsomemountainsofMindoroaNationalParkandProhibitsthehunting

HANUNUO

HanunoMangyanscanbefoundwithintheterritoricaljurisdictionofthetownsofMansalayandSanPedro(Bulalacao)alongtheperipheryofSoutheasternMindoro.Theirpopulationisapproximately66,132.

Hanunomeans"true,""real"or"genuine."AccordingtoConklin,whenheasked



oftheTamaraws....

...theMangyansbecameangrybecausetheyfeltignoredandinstead(animals)Tamarawsweregivenmoreimportance.Theysaid"Butipaanghayop,maybatasparasilaaypangalagaansamantalangkamiaybalewala"

thewhatkindofMangyanstheywere,theMangyans'answerstohisquerieswerenothingelsebuttheirclaimtobetrue,realandgenuineMangyans.TrueenoughbecauseamongtheMangyanstheyhaveremainedfaithfultothetraditionsoftheirancestors.

AtraditionalMangyan'millingmachine'

TheHanunuosarefairlytallinstructure,andtheirbodiesareslimandwellproportioned.Theyhaveobliqueeyes,flatnose,prominentcheekbone,flatforehead,andoliveskin.Menhavetheircustomofsportingalongbraidedhairintheupperpartoftheirheadwiththerestoftheirhaircutshort,ifnotshaved.Womenhanguptheirhairbehindtheirheads,sometimesheldinplacebyabeadedband,whichservesasornament.Theyhaveasmall,evensetofteethcausedbytheircommonpracticeoffilingtheirteethwhileyoung.

Amangyanwomanweavingclothina'weavingmachine'

BeingmorestationarythantheotherMangyans,theirhousesaremorepermanentstructuresmadeoutoflightmaterials,elevateduptofourorfivefeetfromtheground,supportedbybamboopostsorsturdyforestlumberandroofedwithnipamaterialsorcogongrass.Thewholehouseisonebigroomusedforsleeping,eating,workroom,etc.

MajorityoftheHanunomenstillclingtotheageoldcustomofusingtheGstring,butthosewhohaveintermarriedwiththelowlanderssubstitutedGstringwithshortpants.Thewomencoverthemselveswitharectangularpiecesoftheclothwithbothandsewnthemtogetherwhichserveasskirt.Theybothwearanuppergarment,alongsleeved,tightfittingshirtcalledthebalukasformenandlambongforwomen.Foreverydayuse,theyhaveashortsleevedonethattheycallsubonforbothsexes.Theyusawovenbeltcallednitoandwearbeadedbandaroundtheirnecksandarms.

HanunuopossessasystemofwritingwhichisadescendantoftheancientSnaskritalphabet.IntheMangyanssyllabary,thereareeighteencharacters,threeofwhicharevowelsandtheotherfifteencharactersarewrittencombinethosevowels.Forwritingmaterials,theyusethesiyaworaboloshapedkinifeforinscribingandthebamboo,eithersplitorwhole,forpaper.Duringmerrymaking,themusicaljoustistheparticipatedinbothsexes.Gitgit,Kudyapi,Kinaban,allstringinstrumentsareusuallyplayedbymenwhilethoseplayedbywomenarethelantuy(abambooflute),taghuportanghup(awhistlemadeoutofbamboo).Likethemusic,theambahan(apoemoflinesofsevensyllables)hasfounditsplaceasatoolforcourtingwomen.

SociallifeamongtheHanunuosrevolvesaroundthefamily.Mangyangirlsmarryatanearlyage.Duringcourtship,ayoungmanconvincesthegirlofhisintentionthroughtheuseofambahan.Inbetweentherecitations,heplayshissubing,athreestarguitar.Marriageplansaredonebybothparentsincludingthedowry.Theactualweddingisshort,thegreaterpartconsistsofadmonitions,andadvisesdispensedbyamagdadniwakindofminister.



Relationoftheindividualtothecommunityisonedominatedbythespiritofcooperationandtogetherness.Theyhavenowrittenlaws.Theireldersverballyintheformofcounseloradvicehavehandeddownwhatevertheyhaveintheformoflawstothem.Insomecases,whentroublesarise,thedisputantssettletheirdifferencesinthepresenceofanelder,thejudgewhodecidesthematter.Justiceisthenmetedouttotheoffendedparties.Differentoffensesaregivendifferentpunishment.

Hanunuoshavetwoburialoccasions.Thefirsttakesplacesoonafterdeath.Thesecondafterayearortwoyearswhentheboneshavetobeexhumed.TheybelieveinaSupremeBeingcalledMahanaMakaakowhowatchesoverthemandlovethem.TheyalsobelievethattheirSupremeBeinghasasoncalledPresidentswhoexecuteshisfather'scommand.Theyalsobelieveinevilspiritsandinimmortality.

IRAYAThetermirayaissaidtomean"man"or"humanbeing."TheIrayaaretheMangyansofMindorowhooccupythenorthwesternpartofMindoroIsland.TheestimatedpopulationoftheIrayaMangyanis10,689distributedaround141settlementsintheMunicipalitiesofAbradeIlog,MamburaoandPaluan.

AccordingtotheIrayacustomsandtraditions,thefamilyisconsideredasthebasicunitofproductionandconsumption.Theirkindredsystemistracedtoboththefatherandmother'slinkswhichtheirsystemrefertousguruan.Thenuclearfamilyisreferredtoustalnakanwhereintheiralreadyexistsasocialorder.Theeldesttakestheplaceoftheparentsduringtheirabsenceandisoneconsideredthesecondparent.He/Sheislikewiseconsideredtheintermediarbetweentheparentsandtheyoungersiblings.

AMangyanwearingaGstringandatshirt.

AmongtheIraya,leadershipisprovidedbythepuonbalayan,inthelocalgroupreferredtoassanguraancomposedofcloselyrelatedfamilies.Moralandlegalproblemsarereferredtothepuonbalayanfordecision.Anycriminalactoroffensedoneiscorrectedwiththeuseofeitherthepangawortige.PangawistheIraya'sversionofthedetentioncell.Tigeontheotherhandisapunishmentwhereinthesuspectsofaparticularoffensearecalledandareorderedtoimmersetheirrighthandinapotofboilingwatertopickupthewhitestoneatthebottomofthepot.Anyoneofthe

susupectswhoserighthandgetsburnedisconsideredtobetheguiltyparty.ItisbelievedthattheinnocentpartieswillnotgetburnedinthisparticulartestbecauseApoIrayawillprotectthemfromharm.

RATAGNONTheRatagnonwhoaresometimescalledtheLatagnonorDatagnonoccupythesouthernmosttipoftheMindoroIslandfacingtheSuluSea.TheRatagnonoftheOccidentalMindorohasanestimatedpopulationof17,562scatteredinaround200Ratagnonsettlements

LikealltheotherMangyancommunities,theRatagnonareengagedinswiddenagriculture.Theirvillagesarenotformallydevelopedandsettlementsoffourtofivehousespersettlementsarelocatedapartfromeachother.AtypicalRatagnonhouseismadeofindigenousmaterialsmostlyofwood,bamboo,andnipa.

SomeofthemalemembersoftheRatagnoncommunitystillweartheirtraditionaldresswhichconsistsofaloinclothasalowergarment.Thewomen



wearwovencottonusedaswraparoundmatchedwithanuppergarmentmadeofhandwovennitojustenoughtocoverthebreasts.

The Mangyans in Mindoro

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