Atong Banwa

ATONG BANWA BanwaLone’sns March 2022

ATONG BANWA BanwaLone’sns March 2022

Preface The beauty of a country can be seen by how it is blessed with natural resources and amplified by how it values and promotes its culture and heritage. A country’s culture and heritage are a developing story from the ancestors of a community and through time have continually evolved to what we have today. The Philippines, an ideal example, shows and values its rich tradition from the roots of it all, its indigenous people. But how do these indigenous people view the world? Welcome to Atong Banwa, a portfolio about the world from the Banwaon’s lens.

https://ncip.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Commission-en-Banc-Approves-CADT-255-of-the-Higaonon-and-Banwaon-ICCs-IPs-of- Esperanza-Agusan-del-Sur-768x576.jpg hhttps://ncip.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Commission-en-Banc-Approves-CADT-255-of-the-Higaonon-and-Banwaon-ICCs-IPs-of- Esperanza-Agusan-del-Sur-2-768x576.jpg

native soil certified! The Banwaon Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, have finally been given legal recognition of their rights to the ancestral territory after over two decades of long pulls. It is now officially known as CADT No. R13-ESP- 1021-255. After the approval of Republic Act 8371, also known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) in 1997, the Banwaon tribe applied and joined the petition for the conversion of their authorized Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADC) into Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) in 2004. The Banwaon petitioners’ identities are inextricably linked to their ancestral territory as this is home to their aspirations, goals, and futures. That CADT No. R13-ESP-1021-255 passed was an important step forward in the right direction—onwards to more rightful ancestral land ratifications! https://ncip.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Commission-en-Banc-Approves-CADT-255-of-the-Higaonon-and-Banwaon-ICCs-IPs-of-Esperanza-Agusan-del-Sur-4-768x576.jpg

THE B a n w a o n http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/images/lesser-known-banwaon.jpg

THE PEOPLE Adgawanon, Banuaonon, Banwanon, Higaonon-Banwaon, and Manobo are some of the other names for the Banwaon. “Banwa” means “people”, “nation”, “village”, or “country”. They are a subgroup of the Manobo. locality Agusan del Sur is home to the Banwaon tribe. It is also the area’s second-biggest group. They were historically nomadic, but due to the assault of civilization, they were compelled to settle. Their largest concentrations are around Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, extending to the borders of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

populace The Banwaon population numbered 12,000 in 2006. dialect The Banwaon are classified in a Filipino, Tribal people cluster within the Malay Peoples affinity bloc. According to People Groups (n.d.), the dialect that they primarily use is Agusan Manobo. This dialect is not just spoken in the Provinces of Agusan, but also in Surigao, located in the northeastern part of Mindanao, Philippines. There are more or less 60,000 people who speak this dialect (Schumacher, D. & Schumacher, R.,2008). Moreover, the Agusan Manobo dialect is made up of 17 consonants and 8 vowels. The consonants are the following: p, t, k, b, d, g, m, n, ng, r, s, h, j, l, w, and y and the vowel letters are æ/), o (/ɨ/ to /ǝ/), e (written as ey), u, ue (/y/), i, and iy (/iː/).

courtesies According to Runner (2017), there are general, daytime, and other greetings that the Agusan Manobo dialect has. Suitably, the Banwaon tribe also uses these greetings. 1) General greetings – Kumusta?, Kumusta na?, Hondà 2) Daytime greeting – Madojow now aedow 3) A greeting spoken to a person arriving, “where are you coming from?” – Andei ka man kapuun? 4) A greeting spoken to a person going somewhere, “where are you going?” – Andei ka ogdeg? 5) Reply to Andei ka man kapuun, Andei ka man, and Andei ka ogdeg – Duon da 6) Greeting spoken when arriving at home – Mayo, Ayo 7) Reply to Mayo and Ayo – Iyu naan

postulates The Banwaon tribe values their sense of community because they are a close-knit group that values kinship with their extended families. There are certain moral ideals that are embraced by the Banwaon-industriousness, cleanliness and frugality-which help promote the stability of their native communities. They have no concept of property. A new house is built only when the old one is too small for the family, and no one thinks about selling or buying land because no one believes in ownership. They follow the idea of what is a collectivist society. The Banwaons honor their dead by leaving their skulls on posts. They decorate the skulls with beads and flowers, and people pass by them every day. Also, the tribe values the environment. They tend to do things that would not damage their habitat, like burning trees or doing agriculture methods that are harmful to the soil. Living with nature is their way of life. Lastly, the tribe believes that an individual’s honor is a tangible measure of one’s own character and the character of their family. A datu’s influence of power increases due to intermarriages between the Higaonons and Banwaons led by tribal disputes.



sustenance The Banwaons are best known for their age-old tradition of headhunting; their part in harvesting rattan vines; and their practice of tungog or communal hunting as they survive on catching wild animals such as boars and monkeys. The men hunt for wild animals that they eat for dinner and the women forage for roots, tubers, and fruits that grow naturally in the jungle. In today's society, agriculture is the tribe's top source of livelihood. Also, they are knowledgeable in farming, raising livestock, and fishing (Ethnic Groups Philippines Staff, 2018).

Creative Expressions

Garments Banwaon ethnic attires are patterned with geometric figures and lines that are the central design to their attire. The lines may also frame the neckline and vests. The colors red, yellow, blue, and black are prominent. Men from the Banwaon tribe also wear vests, beaded headdresses, and scarves. Women wear earrings and beaded necklace as their accessories. Banwaons also wear casual clothes such as t-shirt, sando, shorts and pants the way people from the city dress, a sign of cultural assimilation. ornaments The traditional layered necklaces of various ethnic groups in Mindanao, also worn by the Banwaon tribe.

craftsmanship Necklaces and baskets are some of their handmade products. Inside the “banig” package is mountain rice which they freshly harvested and manually milled through the traditional way of using \"Hal-o kag Lusong\" or pestle and mortar. The sesame seeds are also freshly harvested from their land. The pangotob tattoo illustrates the bravery, charisma, and wit of the Bagani Hawodon. His name alone brings fright to those who have the memories of the past battles recorded. This body art uses coal ink and tattooing knife.

rituals Numerous injustices have been perpetrated against the Banwaon since the beginning. As a result of their unfortunate history and experiences, they have a strong commitment to speaking out against injustices and advocating for a more peaceful and harmonious world. The ritual named the \"Pahubay,\" which literally translates as \"soften the heart,\" is performed in their tradition to promote tranquility and harmony in the face of diversity and development. Thousands of times, the tribe has performed this ritual as they welcome the sunrise as a symbol of a new beginning filled with hope, love, and peace that will bring comfort to those who are troubled and calm those who are enraged. An animal in the form of a chicken is sacrificed in order to rid of the evil spirits that have taken residence in the oppressors' hearts. This ritual is intended to be dedicated to their highly revered ethereal spirits, whom they believe are attentive to their sincere cries and good wishes. Since its inception, this Banwaon ritual has been used to bring peace to the Philippines; as a matter of fact, on the 2014 International Day of Human Rights, the ritual was performed in front of the Quiapo Church's Plaza Miranda in the hopes of bringing an end to all forms of injustices all over the country. The ritual is in support of the call for justice in relation to extrajudicial killings and the forced evacuation of indigenous people in Mindanao as a result of the ongoing military operation, which has also caused widespread devastation on their mining lands.



dance & music expressions The music and dance expressions of the Banwaon tribe are solely based on the entirety of the Mindanao’s dances and music. Explicitly, the language of the tribe’s music is based on their own dialect which is Agusan Manobo. Numerous instruments are being used by the said tribe, an example is the Kuratung/ Kulintang and Budyung. Both of these instruments are used in order for the tribe to celebrate and commemorate different festivals and events. The dance rituals of the Banwaon tribe are based on the story of their history, example of this is the Limbay, the song speech of the tribe with traditional dance steps accompanied by the music. Compositions The tribe showcases a strong oral tradition. Their literature contains different stories that tackle heroes that journeys through intense combat and war. They share these stories with the members of their community orally, one generation to another. With this process, these stories have survived up to this day. Aside from their stories, the tribe also gives pride in a series of sacred verses which they refer to as the tud-om. They use these verses to ask for blessings, peace, or in asking for the institution of a new chieftain. They also use it for thanksgiving and praying for the departed.

Education The Banwaon tribe hold high regard for their customs, traditions, and beliefs. In the midst of modernization, they strive for the preservation of their culture. This is manifested in their long-running indigenous people (IP) school where they implement culture-based education. The school is located in barangay Balit and has been standing for more than 40 years already. It was built as a medium that the tribe can utilize to equip its members with enough knowledge and proficiency to safeguard their community and its treasured customs. One line delivered by the school head, Mr. Rene Dator, was “Nagsugod ang pagpatukod sa usa ka-tulunghaan alang sa mga kaigsuonan natong Banwaon niadtong tuig 1977. Tungod sa taas nato nga respeto sa Lumadnon nga tradisyon, atong giapil ang Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices (IKSP) sa ilang panulun-an sa Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) aron magpadayon lang gihapon ang ilang kulturang sumbanan.” In translation, Mr. Rene Dator said that the construction of the school for the Banwaon people started in 1977. It was due to their high respect for their inherited tradition that they decided to include the Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices in the EPP subject so that they can protect their way of life and spread awareness of its importance.

AAStSoEnMg BBaLnAwGEa. GE 3219 16-038 Introduction to Creative Movements and Expressions from Mindanao

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