Discovering the Higaonon: An insight into Mindanao's Indigenous Heritage
HIGAONON TRIBE
The Higaonon is one of the least known lumads or indigenous peoples that inhabit the northern and central regions of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, and Lanao del Norte. The name Higaonon is derived from the words higa meaning living, the word goan which means mountains and the word onon meaning people. They are described as the “people of the living mountains” and “people of the wilderness” because their way of life is focused on managing the forests they live in and to create a co-existence with its other inhabitants in a harmonious way. The estimate of Higaonon population in a 15-20-kilometer radius is between 10,000 and 20,000, therefore, from Misamis Oriental to Cagayan de Oro City, there are approximately 100,000 Higaonon members. These people have resisted adjustment or enculturation with their traditional systems, practices and beliefs remaining relatively intact (Tri-people Consortium for Peace, Progress and Development in Mindanao, 1998).
CULTURE:
The
culture of Higan on tribe can best be described as One of Peace, for solving
their internal conflicts or settle feuds among other ethnic groups, the tribes
practises an ancient ritual called tampudas hu Balagun or the “treaty
of the green vine branch”, a traditonal and symbolic cutting of the vine,
“cutting disputes between ethnic groups”.
TRADITION:
Marriage in Higaonon culture is organized mainly by the
parents of the boy and girl. The procedure is a long and dreary process. Prior
to the wedding, the boy must live in the girl’s house for about a year to prove
his worth and where he is analyzed by the parents of the girl.
The ability of the Higaonon to effectively solve internal
conflicts has led to them to also being described as a genuinely peace-loving
community and the “weavers of peace”. The strive for peace is expressed in
their traditional fabric, the Hinabol. The term Hinabol comes from the
verb habol, which means to weave and is a Binukid term for
handwoven textile from the south of the Philippines.
LANGUAGE:
The language that they use is Binukid/Higaonon.
RELIGION:
The
indigenous religion of the Higaonon no longer exists but, remainders of Christianity
still remain with the older generation. And no one is against the recounting by
the older generation of stories concerning their traditional and indigenous
religion is common practice. Marriages, baptisms and other sacraments are done
in churches administered by the Catholic priest or Protestant minister,
respectively. When baptized the Higaonon keeps two names – a Christian and an
Higaonon name.
BELIEFS:
The Higaonon tribal people follow the habitual laws
of Bunkatol Ha Bulawan Daw Nang Ka Tasa ha Lana which
means “treasured unity of Love and Peace”, in fact, it is a code of
conduct that is the sacred bond that unites the entire Higaonon community.
WAY OF LIVING:
The political system of the Higaonon revolves around a Datu.
There is usually a Principal Datu who rules over an entire group composed of
several units that are each headed by Minor Datus. The Principal Datu is
supposed to be the wisest and bravest among his people, because, as headman, he
is responsible for looking into the needs of his people, and with such task
goes absolute power.
The main economic activity is slash and burn cultivation of
upland rice and corn, the agricultural cycle starts during March and April when
the Higaonon devote themselves to clearing and planting they also engage in
food gathering.
Their
livelihood is supplemented by logging timbers like apitong, lauan, yakal,
kamagong and narra. The timber is cut by hand and the logs are dragged with the
help of carabaos as draft animals to bring the logs down to the Agusan river.
The hunting of banog, bats, snakes, field rat, monkey and different kinds of birds is predominant. Fishing is also one of the major activities. Occasionally, poisons are used in streams and spear guns are also employed.
Thank you for reading my blog, see you next time! Stay safe, stay well! Ciao! <3
References:
https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/html/10125/21601/Sayong_index.html
http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/people/ethnic-groups-in-the-philippines/higaonon/
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/central-cultural-communities/the-higaonon/
http://thingsasian.com/story/last-tribes-mindanao-higaonon-people-living-mountains
https://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/blog/weavers-of-peace-the-higaonon-tribe-in-the-philippines#:~:text=The%20Higaonon%20described%20as%20%E2%80%9Cpeople,systems%2C%20practices%2C%20beliefs%20remaining%20relatively
It is great to know another tradition and culture I did not know. Did not expect that there are still tribes that are living in the mountains not affected by technologies
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog about the Higaonon tribe. It was so informative and gave me a deeper understanding of their culture, traditions, and the challenges they face. You did a great job presenting the information clearly and respectfully. It’s great to see more attention being given to indigenous communities. Well done!
ReplyDeleteDespite the rapid modernization of the world, this tribe continues to preserve its culture and traditions, reflecting our deep love for Philippine heritage.
ReplyDeleteI hope the tradition in our country is preserved like this. Having a culture that isn't common is a pride in the nation itself as it boast our uniqueness. The government and society must protect these tribes and continue to respect their traditions despite the differences.
ReplyDeleteI truly appreciated your blog featuring this tribe. As time progresses and our digital era evolves, traditional cultures or tribes are slowly diminishing or being forgotten. These kinds of blogs help us raise awareness.
ReplyDeleteThe Higaonon Tribe indeed have rich cultural heritage and deep connection to nature. Awesome blog right here! 🔥
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