ASSIGNMENT N0 3 CULANTHRO TMO9204 THE TBOLI TRIBE (Ethnic group in the Philippines) I.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

In the Philippines, different ethnic groups of more than 40 can be found, of which 18 tribal groups are found in the island of Mindanao. The most well-known is the tribe of the Tbolis. Since the arrival of the settling group that originated from the other islands in thePhilippines, gradually they moved to the mountain slopes and in the highlands live scattered. Tbolis these days still pursuing the life of the early Tboli ancestors from centuries ago. Distinguished by the colorful clothes and jewelry, they are a picture of creativity of native Filipino race for their complicated beadwork, woven fabrics, and brass ornaments. Culture of the Tbolis is inspired by nature, as ritual dances and movements are mimicked actions of animals such as monkeys and birds. These indegenous people has a rich musical culture and wide array of musical instruments, yet Tboli music are not for entertainment only, but their way of communicating with their ancestors to which they believe their souce of wisdom. They believe that everything has a spirit one must respect to gain good fortune, while bad spirits are the cause of illness and bad luck. Legend has it that Tboli are the descendants of the survivors of the great flood. La Bebe and La Lomi, and Tamfeles and La Kagef, two couples among many people who were warned by a man named Dwata for the impending flood, are the only ones who believed while the others refused to listen. They were told by Dwata to take shelter inside a huge bamboo in order to survive the flood. Of the survivors, one couple became the ancestors of the Tboli and the other ethnic groups in the highlands, while the second couple descended other Filipino indigenous groups.

II. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE A. ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE AND DIALECT The T'boli speaks a Malayo-Polynesian language called Tboli. In addition to their native language, many of the T'boli also speaks Ilongo or Bilaan.

B. BELIEFS/ RELIGION/ PRACTICES BELIEFS There is a strong belief in the power of the spirits of ancestors and in the influence of more than one god. Unlike most people of the Philippines, the T'boli follows their traditional animistic religion, believing that aspects of nature have spirits. If the spirits are not appeased, they can cause the people much harm. Although the T'boli believes in a great pantheon of gods, the two most important are Kadaw la Sambad and Bulon la Mogow. They supposedly gave birth to the lesser gods, who either bestow benefits on people or afflict them with bad luck or ailments. The T'boli place large wooden statues of the gods in their homes and fields. They frequently offer food and liquor to the gods for appeasement. RELIGION Only a few T'boli are Christian or Islamite. More than 95 percent of The T'boli people still have their animistic religion. They were hardly influenced by the spread of the Islam on the island. The Spaniards too, didn't succeed to Christianize the T'boli during the Spanish colonial period. Main reason was that the T'boli withdrew to the hinterlands in the uplands.

The T'boli and members of other indigenous tribes like the Higaunon, still believe in spirits who live on several places in the natural environment PRACTICES The T'boli are farmers who practice the swidden (slash and burn) method of agriculture. This involves cutting the forest growth, burning the debris, and planting in the clearing. Rice is their primary crop, though yams and cassava are also grown. Food is also provided through hunting, gathering forest produce, and fishing. To supplement their incomes, the T'boli sometimes sell bananas and other forest produce in nearby markets. The T'boli lives in "long-houses" that are built on six-foot stilts. Homes are generally about 50 feet long and nearly 30 feet wide. They are typically constructed of bamboo, wood, and palm fronds. The people do not live in towns or villages, but live apart from each other in their widely separated houses. Women wear ornamental combs, earrings, bracelets, and rings. The T'boli usually covers their heads with turbans or large circular hats. Marriages are usually arranged by the families after lengthy negotiations. Weddings are colorful celebrations that often require months of preparation. Monogamy (one husband, one wife) is nearly always practiced. However, the rich may sometimes have multiple wives as a symbol of prestige. C. ORIGIN OF WRITING

D. LOCATION/ PLACE The T'boli people live in the southern part of the province Cotabato, in the environment around Lake Sebu, west of the city General Santos.

III. CONCLUDING STATEMENT The cultural heritage is visible in their clothes and ornaments they wear. Housing, economic activities, cultural habits and often religion are all very traditional. Some groups learned to know tourism as a good alternative to earn extra money. In general however, the indigenous groups still live like in the past The T'boli has many physical needs. Many T'boli have little or no access to medical care. Education is inadequate, and at least 80% of the adults are illiterate. Running water and modern sanitation systems are virtually non-existent, and electrical power can only be found in a few neighboring villages. Their methods of transportation and communication are extremely primitive. The arrival of logging and mining operations in T'boli territory poses a serious threat to their culture and way of life. Despite the work of Christians among them, the T'boli continues to serve their various gods, daily living in fear. The New Testament is available in Tboli, but Christian resources such radio and television broadcasts are not yet available. All around the T'boli, conflicting religious groups continue to battle with each other. These precious people need to find the peace and love that comes through knowing Christ.