Agusan Del Sur

ETHNIC ORIGIN OF THE PEOPLE

Records of the Commission of National Integration show that the five native tribes were found in the province, namely: Higaonon, Mamanwas, Talandig, Banwaon and Manobo. Three of these tribes can be distinctly located the Manobos living along the National highway and the river towns towards the boundary of the Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte and Banwaons and Higaonons living in the the western side of the Agusan River, in the municipality of Esperanza towards the boundary of Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon.

The Original inhabitants of the Agusan del Sur were the Negritoes and Mamanwas who were in the very early years driven deeper into the land by migrating tribes from nearby Borneo, Celebes and Malaysia, and also by Manobo or Bagobos from the neighboring Davao Region. Mamanwas descendants still inhabit the innermost recesses of Agusan del Sur’s forested area.

Agusan del Sur is now inhabited by people coming from different ethnic groups. The lure of the “Land of Promise” has brought into the province settlers from different regions. Intermarriages between settlers and natives have continuosly pulled down the percentage of native stock. Predominant of the present-day inhabits are immigrants coming from the Visayas with Cebuano, being spoken more than dialects.

THE MANOBO TRIBE

The Manobos are of medium built body, light brown, straight hair, with an exception of a few who have kinky hair as of that the aborigines, stout and with brown eyes.

This is the result of the inter-marriages between the Duyag-Batang, Talandig and Mamanwa aborigines and the Indonesians during the Majapahit Empire; alsa the succeeding mixed marriages of the natives with the Malay River people during the Sri Visayan Empire upon their eastward migration and the Chinese traders who came to Agusan in the 11^th and 12^th century. The Coming of the Spaniards bring to forth another contribution to the webs of inter-racial and cultural marriages which composes the genetic fiber of what we now know as the Manob people. A concoction as they are, the Manobo tongue is also a mixture of the native dialect and acquired foreign language.

The name “Manobo”, however, is traceable to the influence of the Malay River People. These people are called “Mansuba”, from the “suba” the Malayan word for river, which means people living near or in the river (mostly in their floating houses). Later, Mansuba is shortened to Manuba which eventually took its masculine gender to become what we all know now as Manobo.

THE HIGAONON-BANWAON TRIBE

Higaonon-Banwaon Tribe is the second largest cultural community in Agusan del Sur. The concentration of this tribe’s populace is situated at Esperanza towards the boundary of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon.

Higaonon is derived from the native word “gaon” which means mountain, letirally, they are mountain people. Higaonon are somewhat nomadic, that is, they travel from one mountain village to another, looking for more fertile soil and better harvest. The enclosure of civilization made them settle their position to the confines of the area which they now claim as their ancestral domain; the boundaries of Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Sur.

The Higaonon people are of medium built with an average height of 5 feet and 2 inches, they are lighter skin complexion compared to other tribes in the province. Quiet a number of them have a very recognizable European features; aquiline nose, deep set eyes

And prominent cheeks, a legacy of the intermarriages between the natives and the Spanish conquistadores.

Generally, they are warm and friendly. They are one of the fiercest warriors when intimidated and one of the best organized and closely knitted as well. Higaonon are good hunters and farmers.

The Banwaon, on the other hand, is more likely to be thought as a relative to the Manobo tribe. Derives from the word “banwa” which means village or country, the Banwaons are village settlers. So, while the Higaonons occupy mountains area of Esperanza. The Banwaons set their domain at the lowlands and upstreams the Maasam, Libang and Adgwan rivers. It is geographical settlement that made the Banwaon more comparably the same with the Manobo; they are both adept in fishing and farming, and almost of the same built and complexion.

Being neighbors, these two (the Higaonon and the Banwaon) groups are constantly at odd with each other. Disputes as to properly, domain and the likes usually disrupt the peaceful co-existence which they are trying to maintain. To address this problem, the datus of each tribe will marrywomen from the other settle things up, to expand the authority of his power and to extend his personal relationship to the other tribe. Males of both tribes are allowed to marry as they want, for as long as the tribal elders and their wives will consent. Eventually the internmarriages between the Higaonon and Banwaon people closed the gap between their tribal differences and bring forth what we now call as the Higaonon-Banwaon Tribe.