English - Balay Mindanaw

LUMADNONGP AGKINABUHINGADTO SA KALINAWStories of Survival of the Higaunons ofBarangay Sangalan, Gingoog City,Barangay Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Orientaland Barangay Hagpa and Barangay Kalabugao,Impasug-ong, BukidnonKab-ot Gahum: Resource Center for Empowermentand Development (RCED) of the Balay Mindanaw GroupDeutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH- German Technical Cooperation20093

Lumadnong PagkinabuhiNgadto sa KalinawStories of Survival of the Higaunons of Barangay Sangalan, Gingoog City,Barangay Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental and Barangay Hagpa andBarangay Kalabugao, Impasug-ong, BukidnonPublished by Kab-ot Gahum: Resource Center for Empowerment andDevelopment (RCED), a member of the Balay Mindanaw Group© Copyright 2009This Research Study is funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fürTechnische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH - German TechnicalCooperationFor inquiries about this book, please contact RCED at the BalayMindanaw Peace Center, 53-A, 12th Street, Zone 2, Upper Bulua,Cagayan de Oro City, PhilippinesWebsite: http://balaymindanaw.org/rced/Email: rced@balaymindanaw.orgThe Research TeamAnthropologist-Team Leader: Leah Hernandez VidalResearch Editor and MentorResearch TeamJimson P. Hapson, Kalayaan Anjuli D. Gatuslao, Annie Mae C.Parco, Zyra Mae Guevarra, Jonas A. Penaso, Carmen C. Monter,Melody U. SaliseWriter/ConsultantMa. Elevyle D. MuycoEditorsHelen Grace ZerrudoBobby TimoneraCoordinatorCharmaine Mae J. Dagapioso-BacongaLayoutBobby Timonera4

This book is dedicated to all the Lumadsof Mindanaw. Thank you very much forsharing your lives with us.5

6LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAW

Table of ContentsPrefaceiiiPART ONEIntroductions 1An Orientation to the Study 3Weaving a Research Perspective:A Different Way of Presenting Higaunon Stories 11PART TWOFour Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Life 17A. Men of the Balaud: Mga Tagahusay(Amba: Datu Palasambag’s Life History) 18B. People of the Gaun: The Higaunons(Amay: Datu Mantangkilan’s Life History) 44C. Waves of Migration & Developmentand Armed Conflicts(Tatay: Datu Malindahay’s Life History) 64D. Function in Multiple Systems(’Tay Dikno: Datu Kili-kili’s Life History) 86PART THREEMga Paghusay: Concepts and Practicesin Conflict Resolution 107Balaud 109Husay 114Manggad 115Singampo and tampuda hu balagun 116Panlitub and Paggimokod 118Key informants and their cases 121PART FOURConclusion 155Acknowledgments 1627i


PrefaceWe commend Resource Center for Empowermentand Development, Inc. (RCED) for publishing the bookLumadnong Pagkinabuhi Ngadto sa Kalinaw as a result ofits study which was supported by the Poverty Reduction andConflict Transformation in Mindanao Project of the GermanTechnical Cooperation (GTZ).The book was inspired by the Higaunons in the provincesof Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur andBukidnon. It chronicles the experiences, practices, innovationsand indigenous processes in peace building and describeshow they are being performed. Furthermore, LumadnongPagkinabuhi Ngadto sa Kalinaw affirms that peace buildingand development are issues that cut across the sectors andgroups of people in Mindanao.We hope that this book would encourage exchange amongpractitioners, communities and organizations involved inpromoting peace building at the local and community levels,involving Indigenous People.Dr. Nikolaus SchallProgramme Manager/Senior AdviserGTZ-PRCTiii 9


Part 1 - IntroductionsPart OneIntroductions1


Part 1 - IntroductionsAn Orientation to the StudyWhy Document the Peacebuilding Initiatives of theHigaunons?“Maayad ha adlaw!”For over a year starting August 2005, young researchdevelopment workers have been traversing themountains the Higaunon people call home. We trekked toBarangays Hagpa and Kalabugao in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon;Barangays Kalipay, Sangalan and Eureka in Gingoog City andBarangay Minalwang in Claveria, Misamis Oriental. In thecourse of our travels, we met many of the Higaunons along theway. They talked to us, laughed with us, and shared us theirstories -- of their history, their ethnicity, spirituality, as wellas tales of development aggression and their correspondingstruggle, of conflict and war, and eventually of waging peaceto protect their lands, their tribe, and to keep families and kin3

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWintact. The people we met include children, youths and adults,datus, baes, community leaders and ritualists, ordinary menand women who live in the same community wanting forpeace to prevail.The Higaunons belong to a large and diverse populationliving in the forested interior plains and mountains ofNorthern Mindanao, in the provinces of Misamis Oriental,Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon. “Higaunon”is the name they call themselves, but they are also knownto outsiders by other names which refer primarily to theirgeographical location – the hinterlands, the mountains.(Paredes 1997:3)This research intends to gather “good practices,”innovations and indigenous processes in peacebuildingamong the Higaunon tribal communities. It is also our hopeto contribute to public understanding and to the body ofknowledge in peacebuilding and poverty alleviation and serveas basis in the design of future and follow-up peacebuildingprogram interventions in other areas.The important yet very elusive issue of peacebuilding is deeplyconnected to the issue of development of the island of Mindanaw.However, the issue of peacebuilding and development is not onlylimited to the Moro revolutionary movements in Mindanaw.While the peace talks between the government and the MoroIslamic Liberation Front (MILF) always take the center stage,there are other silent yet very significant peacebuilding activities,like the peace talks with the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ngManggagawa ng Mindanao (RPM-M), and among the Higaunonsin Mindanaw.Over the last 50 years, the once mighty and unitedHigaunon tribe in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Agusandel Norte, Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon has been subjectedto constant divide-and-rule tactics by various interests groups.4

Part 1 - IntroductionsThese interest groups are the logging companies, the militaryand the communist New People’s Army (NPA), the variouschurches, local politicians and businessmen with interests intimber, agricultural, mineral and other products. Throughthe years of aggression, we witnessed how the Higaunonsexperience deep divisions among the clans that resulted toviolence, violence that have kept low profile but could eruptanytime unless properly managed. Killings have been thepattern to resolve their conflicts, thereby causing the tribeto become weaker, disunited and continually in the state ofunpeace.The tribal elders and leaders, however, have always wantedto end these conflicts. Initiatives on conflict resolutions wereslowly started in the mountain borders of the four provinces.These initiatives need to be documented so that othermembers of the Higaunon tribe, especially those under similarsituations of unpeace, can learn from the experience. Othertribal communities, too, can learn from the peacebuildingexperience of the Higaunons.Hence, the answer to the question, “Why document thepeacebuilding initiatives of the Higaunons?”The Processes UndertakenThe research project commenced in the last days of July2005 and became full blown a month after.The project began with a “singampo” in the respective areasof focus -- Sitio Bagasbas, Barangay Sangalan in Gingoog Cityand Sitio Malunsagay, Barangay Minalwang in Claveria,Misamis Oriental; Sitio Kiudto, Barangay Hagpa in Impasugong,Bukidnon. The “singampo,” actually a tribal ritual, is away of asking the permission of the community, as well asthe “spirits and gods,” to implement certain projects. In the5

Part 1 - Introductionsand this is our Story,” produced both in the vernacular andin English. Although a very amateur production, we will beusing the video for alternative education on peacebuildingand advocacy work for the Higaunons.To wrap up the project, a presentation of the resultswas conducted last April 2007 participated in by partnersof the GTZ, also during the Mindanao Higaunon Cumadon(MIHICU) support group meeting representing the differentcommunities. A video showing and critiquing session withthe datus from Minalwang and Sangalan was also held shortlyafter. The whole Balay Mindanaw Group of NGOs also madecomments on the video production before it was finalized.Now, in 2009, the research is finally put into words in theform of a book.In SummaryPart One tackles the introductions, the reason behind thisstudy and the biases on how this study was done. It is alsopresented here the processes involved, and the perspective ofthe research study.Part Two deals with the stories of the Higaunons basedon the Life History of the four Major Key Informants -- AmbaPalasambag, Amay Mantangkilan, Tatay Malindahay andTay Dikno. Their stories show the life of the Higaunons,including the history of their culture, their existence, as wellas their present struggle. It is divided into four major parts:Men of the Balaud; People of the Gaun; Waves of Migrationand Development and Armed Conflicts; and Function inMultiple Systems. Their experiences on conflict resolution,peacebuilding practices, and their life stories are presentedalong with the story of the rest of the Higaunon people.Part Three talks about the concepts and practices on7

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWHigaunon scholars from Sitio Impadiding, Claveria, Misamis Oriental wearingtheir traditional clothes during their Christmas performance at the BalayMindanaw Peace Center, Cagayan de Oro City last December 18, 2005. Fromleft: David, Jomar, Alice, Marlen, Wennie.conflict resolution and peace initiatives. There are severalsample cases of conflict presented based on the sharing of theKey Informants.Part Four is the conclusion. It is in this part that we showedwhat the community wants for the future, their realizationas a result of their participation in the processes undertakenby the study. We did not mean to compare cultural theoriesthat have been formulated in the past and in the present.Here we emphasized the need to really tell the story of thepeople who have not been previously given the chance toshare their experience, about their life in the past, how theyare trying to cope with the present, and how they intendto deal with the future. The last part is the sharing of theHigaunons on how to pursue peace, how they want their8

Part 1 - Introductionsculture to continue.Lastly, we were able to interview 15 key informants,conducted 8 focused group interviews, 4 life histories, 3community feedbacking and validation workshops, 2 sessionsof exit conference, and several film reviews.What this means to us?Well, we may have counted the places, the people, theactivities conducted. But what is this for us? We were able tolearn the depths of the Higaunon culture, the intricacies of thelife that they have lived since the time they became the “peopleof the gaun (hinterlands),” learned how they do mediationprocesses and how they keep the peace and the harmony inthe tribe. They have shared to us a lot about themselves, butdefinitely, they have also realized that they need to continuetheir story, of upholding their culture being a peace lovingpeople.This is our greatest learning in this study, and we arehoping that the stories, the anecdotes we documented, willbecome a rich resource material for all the people workingtowards peace.Kab-ot Gahum: RCEDBalay Mindanaw9


Part 1 - IntroductionsWeaving a Research Perspective:A Different Way of PresentingHigaunon StoriesBaes sharing cloth to be used for the ritual during the Dumalongdong in SitioImpadiding, Minalwang, Claveria, August 2006.11

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWThe research team with Datu Mandedlyne (former Brgy. Capt. Agulio Nanulanof Hagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon) during the Community Feedbacking andValidation workshop at Sitio Kiudto in Hagpa last January 6, 2006. (Standing[L-R]: Carmen C. Monter, Kalayaan Anjuli D. Gatuslao, Leah H. Vidal, DatuMandedlyne, Xx Dagapioso- Baconga. Sitting [L-R]: Jonas A. Penaso, MelodyU. Salise, and Jimson P. Hapson.)Our task was to document the conflict resolutionpractices of the Higaunon groups in the localities ofSangalan and Hagpa. But we wanted to approach it ina way that is different from other lumad studies. We wantedto be able to capture the dynamism of the practices: how theyare actually performed and are being shaped in the process oftheir performance. Veering away from the usual notion thathuman practices are “standardized routine that one simplygoes through (Bruner 1986:5),” we wanted to capture howthe Higaunons actually shape and form their practices basedon their execution of such. So we turned to anthropology ofexperience. This was initially formulated by Victor Turner ashis “rebellion against the structural-functional orthodoxy withits static model of social system (Babcock as cited in Bruner12

Part 1 - Introductions1986:3),” and to structuralism, which “seek(s) a generalizedpattern, a model on a deeper level (1986: 8).” The two theoriesare the ones used in most ethnographic researches on thelumads that we have encountered.We asked the people to relate their experiences inpracticing conflict resolution, knowing that we will notcapture an absolute reality or the actual experience. Wewere mindful that we would be getting how they saw theirexperience, and how they are expressing it to us. They weresharing their “articulation, formulations and representationsof their experiences.” We identified several key informantsand respondents and we did not expect them to “tell the samestory.” We knew that “participants do not necessarily sharea common experience or meaning, what they share is onlytheir common participation.” Our aim was to capture theA gift -- two abaca woven bags, betel nuts, buyo leaves, money -- from DatuHulukuman to the Datu from Hinandayan who traveled all the way fromBuenavista, Agusan del Norte to participate as one of the mediating datus duringthe resolution of the Mandukita-Ansihagan conflict held at the Tribal Hall at SitioBagasabas, Barangay Sangalan, Gingoog City, last April 10 to 11, 2006.13

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWResearchers with Datu Palasambag and his wife Inda. He was the oldest datuof the Talugan in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon who called for the Dumalongdonglast August 16-20, 2005 at Sitio Kiudto in Impasug-ong. (Standing [L-R]: Bab,Carmen, Pipay, Donna of BMFI, Xx. Sitting [L-R]: Inda, Datu Palasambag, andFelix.)multiplicity of the voices in the three Higaunon communities,through the number and variety of informants we chose.In the beginning, we had two researchers: Bab for Hagpaand Pipay for Sangalan. We gave them training in conductingindividual interviews, focus group interviews, and incollecting life histories.Their work and output were closely monitored. However,towards the tail end of the data gathering, Pipay had to leavefor personal reasons, so Mai and Aili teamed up with Bab tofinish the work in Sangalan and Minalwang. The researchersbrought with them their own skills, experiences and personaldispositions. Bab, who is a Higaunon, proved invaluable.Although he was separated from his culture when he studied14

Part 1 - Introductionsand finished his course in Education, his natural sensibilitiesvis-a-vis their culture resurfaced while he was conductinghis interviews. Though the informants responded well tothe genuine curiosity of Mai and Aili, it was observed thatthe informants entrusted relatively more details and moreinsights about their experiences to Bab.In this final report, we relate our “story about theirstories.” In a sense, we are “interpreting the people as theyare interpreting themselves,” but we chose to actuallypresent the narratives of the respondents “to privilege actors’interpretations of their own conduct, thereby providing a routeto indigenous meanings.” Their voices need to be heard, andour interpretations will hopefully amplify and not obstructthose. Normally, only dominant narratives from the powerfulare allowed space in the mainstream consciousness, whilealternative stories from the margins “must seek expression inunderground media and dissident groups.” The Higaunonsshould be allowed to tell their own stories because enablingthem to do so “has a political component.”Through our story of the experiences of these groups ofHigaunons, we wish to present a particular way of beinghuman. A story that will hopefully critique the way theHigaunons have been portrayed in previous attempts totell their stories, to correct our misconceptions of this tribeas people in exotic costumes trapped in a time warp. Theirstories on their struggle amidst the layers of conflicts andindigenous systems in their midst will hopefully challenge thecurrent mainstream peace perspectives and current approachat peace initiatives.Dr. Leah H. VidalAnthropologist - Consultant15


Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifePart TwoFour Datus:Stories of theHigaunon Life17

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWA. MEN OF THE BALAUD:AmbaDatu Palasambag’sLife History18

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeMGA TAGAHUSAYLeon Ganahan Nanulan, more popularly known asAmba Palasambag, was the oldest datu interviewedfor this study. He declared he was 137 years old wheninterviewed, with more than 100 years of experience as datu,mangangaso (hunter), and palaghusay (mediator). He died inMay 2007. His name Palasambag comes from the Higaunonword “sambag,” or “tambag” in Visayan, which meansadvice. He was the adviser when there were conflicts andmisunderstanding.Amba Palasambag came from a lineage of datus. Hewas the son of Datu Lungkiyaw and Naylunkiyaw, and thegrandson of Binagtigan. Both his father and grandfather wererespected Higaunon datus. He was the fourth of 10 children.As a child, Amba Palasambag described himself as shyand aloof. In fact, whenever visitors would come to theirhouse, he always found refuge in the forest. He even built amakeshift house on top of a tree. “When I had no other thingsto do, I would climb a tree, clip my legs on a branch, and hanglike a crow.” Like any child, Amba Palasambag had his shareof childhood mischief. He recalled that once, he shouted atan old datu named Impasad, who at the time was teachingsomeone all about dasang, a monologue in debate form. Healso loved to tease others by hiding their belongings, returningthem only at a much later time.Amba Palasambag’s closest friend was the father of Manatanhay.They helped and supported each other in all theirundertakings. As Amba Palasambag was growing up, hetended to stay away from people, especially when he realizedthe implications of his childhood pranks. Amba Palasambagrecalled: “Whenever we have visitors, I locked myself insidemy room.”19

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWWhenever Amba Palasambag’s parents would talk, hewould eavesdrop on their discussions. “When my parentswould discuss something, I would listen to them so I willalways remember the origins of the Higaunon people andfor me to know what to do in the future.” From this, AmbaPalasambag became well versed of their culture, tradition,and their origins.As Amba Palasambag grew up to be a man and couldalready undertake tasks for grownups, he started to cultivatethe land and engaged in economic activities like fishingthrough pagsagop (with bare hands), or through pagpahubas(damming and draining a portion of a small body of water).Fishing is supplemented with hunting wild animals inthe forest, like wild pig (Sus barbatus) and barking deer(Muntiacus sp.). Higaunons have various methods of huntingwild animals and one of those is called panlaog, or huntingwith the use of a spear. Panlaog is usually done duringheavy downpour because, according to Amba, “Wild boarsare usually immobile during those times.” Another huntingmethod is panlais, which makes use of a spear trap to catchrodents, wild pigs and barking deers. Amba Palasambag, too,went into gathering of pamalayag (wild honey). What madehim go into this dangerous activity? “My father was afraidto gather wild honey, so I was forced to do it myself. I alsowanted to collect honey so we can eat something sweet.”Aside from wild animals, a viable source of protein to theHigaunon diet is frog, which they catch through pamanglo.Amba Palasambag recalled that in one of their pamangloactivities, he fell into a waterfall. He narrated:“At first, my kamuyot (an improvised backpack made ofwoven abaca fiber colored with indigenous tree saps) caught abranch of a tree. But then I eventually fell by the cliff. I went tothat area because there were plenty of frogs. I fell with my headfirst, and I got worried of the impending damage to my face. So20

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeI tried hard to land on my feet. When I hit the water, I struggledto reach the river bank while still holding my torch.”That night, Amba Palasambag and his companions caught500 frogs.Buya, or arranged marriage, was a prevalent practiceamong the Higaunons in the past. In his teens, his parents andrelatives were already pressuring him to get a wife. But herefused because at that age, he was still averse to the idea ofbeing with a woman. “They were forcing me, but I really didnot want to marry.” Because of this, his relatives teased himby calling him sissy. The pressure from relatives apparentlyemanated from the tradition of bearing children to continuethe lineage. Amba Palasambag’s adamant refusal to getmarried created such a stir among his family, with some evengoing to the extent of threatening to commit suicide. It was hisAmba Palasambag with wife Inda and daughter Bae. Photo taken during theDumalongdong 2005 which Amba called for.21

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWgrandfather, Datu Binagtingan, who finally convinced him toget married. Amba Palasambag relented to an old man’s wishto see his grandchild’s children while he was still alive.Amba Palasambag first met Inda (Francisca) in Dongkonear Hagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. They got married in amass wedding ceremony with about 20 other couples. Becauseit was a pre-arranged marriage, he and his wife only got toknow each other when they stayed at his wife’s residence inDumalaguing. At the time, Amba Palasambag was workingwith a logging company, but this was to be cut short becauseInda Palasambag, August 200522

of World War II.Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAmba Palasambag and his wife are blessed with 11children, some of whom have already died. One of his sons isnow serving in the military as a member of the Citizens ArmedForces Geographical Unit (CAFGU). He wished that one of hischildren follow his footsteps as a datu, but Amba Palasambagknew he could not compel them to. Instead, he continued topray for his children’s health, so they could continue servingthe people. He believed that even as a soldier, his son couldstill help the tribe. Though they are all grownups, Ambawatched his children’s lives closely.“What I do now is seeing how my children go on with theirlives, if they’re being good or not. If I see them doing good, Itell them to continue doing it. I always tell my children to beupright, respectful, to avoid insulting others and refrain fromusing harsh words that can hurt other people.”One of Amba Palasambag’s sons is Agulio Nanolan, orDatu Mandedlyne, who served as Barangay Captain of Hagpa.Amba Palasambag revealed that it was his grandfather, whohad also served as Barangay Captain, who prodded his son torun as Barangay Chairman.Getting a duway (second wife), an idea that is acceptable tothe Higaunons, was a remote possibility for Amba Palasambag.To those who encouraged him to get a second wife, his curtreply: “I did not even want to get married in the first place,why I would want a second wife?”Aside from the practice of duway, some Higaunons take astep further -- having three wives, which they call tagbubong.But unlike Muslims where the man needs to be economicallywell off to have up to four wives, this is not true for theHigaunons. In their case, it is actually the wives who takecharge, not only of the household chores, but also of the23

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWeconomic activities in this type of setup. To illustrate this,Inda Palasambag volunteered an actual observation with acertain Mansuklian who had three wives.“The wives do the household chores such as cooking,laundry, and taking care of the husband. In fact, in the caseof Mansuklian, I hate looking at him because one of his wivesgoes out to look for rice, another wife looks for fish as viand,Datu Mandedlyne discussing the issue of datuship with the datus duringthe Dumalongdong in Sitio Kiudto on August 2005. Behind him is DatuManyagusyos, claimed to be the ininay of the Higaunons who is from Sinakungan,Ezperanza, Agusan del Sur.24

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeand then the wives take turns feeding him.”The concept of taking a second or third wife alsosounded repulsive to Datu Malindahay. According to him:“I cannot imagine my wife shouldering the responsibility asbreadwinner, to do the planting, weeding the farm. It’s justnot proper. It’s the man’s duty to earn a living.”Paths to DatushipBefore he was married, Amba Palasambag learned theways of the datu, especially when he started assisting insettlement proceedings. Here, Amba Palasambag started toshow his skills in mediation. Four datus -- Apo Tumatangkob,Pinahangin, Namasiyaw and Binatahan -- had noticed hisabilities. These datus encouraged him to start mediating andsettling conflicts because he already knew how to do it and hehad the skills. “They saw my good deeds. Thus, the four eldersagreed to teach me all that they knew because they realizedthat I was already doing the things they had taught me.”Apo Tumatangkob taught him the art of recitingDasang, singing the Limbay, and Ulaging (history). Pangulding(upright and just behavior) was instructed byMandante, or Datu Namasiyaw, who was an elder fromSinakungan, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur. He also taughthim all the talawagon or the spirits commonly invokedduring the performance of singampo (prayer rituals). DatuPinahangin taught Amba Palasambag the Mangabansa(good attitude towards others), and Datu Binatahan taughthim the Bunsuda, which tells about the kapoon or origin ofthe Higaunon people. Aside from the one-on-one lessons,the Datus also collectively taught him more dasang andlimbay. A person adept at reciting dasang and limbay hasbetter ways of finding his way in the society. “Dasang isimportant because if you know exactly how to expresswhat you meant to say, your companions will be glad.25

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWAmba and Inda were blessed by the Baylan, Datu Manggul-anan, on the lastday of the Dumalongdong, August 2005.Even if he compares his dasang to yours, he would still behappy with the exchange.”Not all datus, however, are skilled at dasang and limbay, butAmba Palasambag does not think this poses serious problems.According to him, what is important is “mahibalo ka sa sukod saimong pangtawagon (knowing the spirits to invoke).” Knowingthe people and the rationale behind the performance of ritualsconstitute the sukod or parameters of being a datu. But AmbaPalasambag noted, “These parameters are difficult to teach.”Before his own marriage, Amba Palasambag had alreadynegotiated weddings. “The mediations I usually undertookbefore I was married pertained to marriages. When I gotmarried, I still negotiated marriages. But I was heeded tomediate on more serious types of conflicts, like the onesinvolving murder. Heavy stuff.” Amba Palasambag wasordained as a datu or nadang-olan pagkadatu when he startedto settle serious conflicts usually in the form of murder26

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeor lido. The formal conferment of a datu happens during adumalongdong. The dang-ol or tantamount to ordination isimportant, said Amba Palasambag, because “you could noteasily settle a murder before your ordination because you willget sick.”Amba Palasambag is regarded as the Masikampo not onlyby his fellow Higaunons, but also by the Dumagats (peoplefrom the lowland). Masikampo is the title of “pinakalabaw ngadatu” or highest datu. Paredes (1997: 132), who also made astudy on the Higaunons, reported that as early as 1890, someHigaunon elders were also called Masikampo. Paredes thinksthat the term masikampo is maybe a “corruption of Maestresde Campo,” a title conferred by colonial officials in the 1700supon local natives who had distinguished themselves by someservice for Spain or its government, such as fighting against theMoros for the Spanish flag. According to Amba Palasambag,to be called a masikampo is a great honor but he disliked beingaddressed as masikampo. Inda Palasambag explained herhusband’s opinion: “In the past, those who were conferredwith the title of masikampo became arrogant, and this preciselyis what your Amba disliked.” In another interview with DatuManuel Pinaandel in Minalwang, he preferred to call a datulike Amba Palasambag as “Insaan,” or one whom the peoplecan look up to for help and protection, rather than a masikampo.In his opinion, a masikampo is somebody as “murag naa ra sakampo (Someone being confined in a camp)” and “menus langsiya (low-ranking).”The Higaunons still maintain this title of masikampo. Aswith datuship, this title seems to be passed from generationto generation, but with varying interpretations. When in thecolonial past, this title applied to a person who displayedbravery and courage in fighting aggressors; the masikampotitle now applies to any datu who exhibits not just bravery,but other desirable qualities as well. Inda Palasambag offeredto give the details on the good qualities of her husband:27

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAW“It’s the people’s wish that Amba be called the highestdatu because they have seen his good deeds and the way hetreats each one fairly. He is not arrogant. He can manage tocalm down anyone with a temper. Amba Palasambag was alsoidentified by Father Cullen as the one who can trace the historyand origins of the Higaunon tribe, including their rights. He isalso generous because even if he has little, he is still willing toshare. If we have visitors, even just our neighbors, he wouldoffer them food to eat.”Father Vincent Cullen, a Jesuit missionary who hadworked in Hagpa and who published several studies onthe Higaunons, became a close friend of Amba Palasambag.He observed that Amba Palasambag was not only adept atHigaunon history and tradition; he is also familiar with theBible, particularly the Book of Genesis, the great flood, andNoah’s Ark.Higaunon Origins and the BalaudIn the famous Ulaging, the Higaunon epic, the story ofAgyu is narrated through a limbay or song. According toAmba Palasambag, Agyu and Banlak were giants. One day,they had a fight with the balbal (evil person) named Bagoapo,and as a proof to this, Amba Palasambag mentioned a hugerock in Dumalaguing that supposedly bore the markingsof the hands of Agyu. Inda Palasambag further mentionedthat it was not only the hand but also his testicles, but DatuPalasambag was quick to correct his wife, saying that it wasnot Agyu’s testicles, but that of the balbal’s which Agyusmashed with the big rock. When asked if this was really trueand not hearsay, Amba Palasambag asserted.The tale of the famous Ulaging seems to be forgottennowadays. Jimmy, a local chieftain of Minalwang, disclosed:“Others could follow the story, but I could not. It is a very28

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAmba Palasambag preparing himself to “share” the coins in the Bangkaso (altar)to everyone as a symbol of prosperity for the Higaunon Tribe.long epic. If we should trace the story, even a month is notenough. It is very long.”The Great floodAmba Palasambag related that Higaunon history points29

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWto a great flood that occurred long ago. The lone survivorwas a Higaunon named Tinampilan, whose real name wasApo Gahumon. Tinampilan was reported to have a brotherin hell who was a snake named Panugoton. During the flood,Tinampilan clung to a driftwood and floated until she reachedKapayagan or Mount Kimangkil. She was pregnant at thattime. This purportedly is the beginning of the Higaunontribe. Inda Palasambag further said that Agyu and his brotherBanlak came ahead of Tinampilan, and after they rose toheaven Apo Gahumon succeeded them.The picturesque view of the farmlands and mountains of Sitio Kiudto, BarangayHagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. This is located at the back of the Literacy Center.(Photo taken late afternoon after the Community Feedbacking and ValidationWorkshop on January 6, 2006.)Bungkatul ha BulawanAmong the Higaunons, the two major components of thebalaud are the bungkatol ha bulawan (golden rule) and nangkatasa halana (one cup of oil). According to Amba Palasambag, bungkatolha bulawan and nangkatasa ha lana are both just pasumbingay or30

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeparables to symbolize the good values that the datu shouldabide by. The laws are all about good morals or pamatasan.The Giling, Takulob and Golden Cane: ImportantHigaunon SymbolsThe most important symbol of Higaunon ancestral lawis the giling. Amba Palasambag described the giling: “It’slike a book. Giling is a small stick about one meter long withsmall inscriptions.” The giling is extremely sacred, said AmbaPalasambag, hence, no one is allowed to look at it. The gilingis said to have been bequeathed to his great grandfather(Amayon) named Dikain-in. It is said that when he died, thegiling also disappeared. The greatest Magbabaya purportedlytook this back since this was given only to Dikain-in for himto read and know the contents. Only the person to whom thiswas given could read the contents of the giling and it wasintended for the people to know the . Amba Palasambagadded that when someone teaches about the contents of thegiling, the listeners should not look straight at the speaker butsimply listen. The Higaunons believe that the giling existed asearly as the creation of the world.Amba Palasambag recognized the giling as a symbol oflaws of good values.“The reported contents of the giling were the laws on goodvalues. The people should be taught these values. The datusshould not cheat, and neither should they cheat themselves.When you want to help others, do it without expectingsomething in return. This is the symbol of the giling.”“Bulawan nga baston,” or golden cane, still exists untiltoday, said Amba Palasambag, and they are in the possessionof the huwes or judges. Some government judges reportedlyhave it, too, although they no longer use it. Amba Palasambagdeclared of having seen the bulawan nga baston. The bulawan nga31

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWbaston was used in the past,particularly when a persondies of an unknown cause.The cane is placed on top ofhis corpse, and when bloodcomes out from the body, itmeans that he was murdered.But if the fluid that comes outof the body is sago or clearliquid, this means that hedied of natural causes.The takulob (talakub inParedes’s accounts) containsThe Takulobthe reminders for the peopleon earth or “tugon sa kalibutan,” according to Amba Palasambag.During the recently concluded dumalongdong, this was hungat the bangkaso (makeshift altar). Amba Palasambag furthersaid that the takulob indicates whether the one holding it is areal datu.Baylan MovementAmba Palasambag had been part of the Baylan Movementthat occurred just before the outbreak of World War II in 1941.“The baylan (shaman) told us to go to Kapayagan because wewere going to rise to heaven. We did as we were told becausewe thought it was true.” Amba Palasambag said the reasonthey went to Kapayagan or Mt. Kimangkil, the highest peak inthe area, was not that they were afraid of the war but that anygunshot indicates libung. Inda Palasambag added: “The beliefat that time was that gun blasts was the time for the libung, orrising to heaven. This was what the baylans told us.”Cullen (1973:8), who conducted a study on animism amongthe Bukidnons, a general term referring to the native tribes thatoccupy the inland portions of Misamis Oriental, western Agusan32

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeand northern Bukidnon provinces of Mindanao, explainedthat the concept of libung was derived from a prominentBukidnon myth where the first people were said to be linibungor immortalized. This seems to be a cultural expression of thehuman yearning for immortality and unending happiness. Ifone becomes linibung or becomes an “instant happy immortal,”he is no longer dependent on food nor drink.The baylans were believed to have powers to foretell thefuture. When asked what is the difference between the baylanand the mamumuhat or ritualist, Amba Palasambag said thatthe baylan and mamumuhat do not bear much distinctionbecause both of them can perform the pamuhat-buhat (ritual)but it is only the baylan who can see the supernatural or spirits.“Propeta” or prophet was the immediate description of oneof the local chieftains of Minalwang, Claveria. That althoughboth the baylan and the mamumuhat can perform more or lesssimilar rituals like pamuhat-buhat, only the baylan can consultdirectly with the supernatural beings. Amba PalasambagAmba Palasambag with his contemporary, Datu Manyagusyos, discussing issuesraised during the Dumalongdong. (August 2005)33

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWattested to this when he said: “A baylan can make pangapog,or invocation of the spirits, the ritualist can also perform that.The mamumuhat also acts as medicine man. Their functionsare almost similar but only the baylan can bring the peopleto immortality because he is guided by the tumanod or theguardian spirit.” Amba Palasambag further disclosed that themost respected baylan in the past was Apo Baybayan, whohad already gone to heaven.The baylan movement participated by Datu Palasambag in1941 was led by the famous baylan named Dalas-agan based inHagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. Amay Mantangkilan, whoselife story is featured in the succeeding chapter, said that theyknew Datu Dalas-agan, who is in fact a distant relative ofthem and the grandfather of Carmelo “Meloy” Pinagawa orDatu Pignaoan in barangay Kalipay. Dalas-agan was a datuand a palaghusay or mediator. Amay Mantangkilan describedSingampo during the blessing of the Literacy Center prior to the Dumalongdongproper last August 2005. With Amba are the other leaders from the differentTalugans.34

Datu Dalas-agan as:Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Life“He was a righteous man. He was not an opportunistbecause the spirits guided him, and God trusted him. In ourplace in Misamis, within the municipality of Claveria andGingoog City, Dalas-agan, along with my father’s youngerbrother named Manggibayan, was the chosen baylan by ourelders. They were chosen as trustees. During the rituals, hewould ask his companions to get his ritual paraphernalia. Butnobody would oblige because it was far. So Dalas-agan wouldget the things himself, and he would surprise everybodybecause he would be back in less than a minute.”Amba Palasambag and his companions (estimated 1,000in Cullen’s account while 2,000 in Bietnarzki’s and 300 forDatu Mantangkilan) spent almost one month in MountKimangkil. People from the provinces of Misamis Orientaland Bukidnon and from Umayam and Pulangui went toclimb Mt. Kimangkil, said Amba Palasambag. There theyexperienced severe hunger because there was no food. AmbaPalasambag’s personal account of this movement goes:“When we arrived in Kapayagan, the people were hungrybecause there was no food. There were only trees. We werethere for a month. The children were forced to subsist oncamote peelings. Eventually, the baylan ordered us to gohome. And then we proceeded to Agtulawon.”Cullen (1973:8) noted that Dalas-agan blamed the failure ofthe libung to the killings committed by some of his followers.Amba Palasambag also said that it was because of the sala(sins) of the people. Amay Mantangkilan explained the failureof the libung as due to mga babag or hindrances.“The libung was not realized because there were hindrances.There were uninvited people who had unresolved sins. Theywere the Umayamnon. Only the invited people were supposed35

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWto join the libung but there were many people who went toKapayagan because they said that Dalas-agan would beimmortalized next to Baybayan.”To Amba Palasambag’s view, they were only deceivedby the baylan. “We thought we can already go to heaven asclaimed by the baylan. We were deceived.” Because of thislesson, Amba Palasambag stopped trusting anyone whopretends to be baylan, especially those not coming fromthe Higaunon tribe. For him, the only real baylan was ApoBaybayan since he had already gone to heaven. Duringthe dumalongdong, a ritual celebration in honor of the wiseteachingsoul, in August 2005, there was an officiating baylanbut they knew him because he is a Higaunon. In the case of realand fake baylans, Amba Palasambag said: “If I met someonewho pretends to be a baylan but is really a swindler, I woulddissuade him from pursuing it, telling him it’s bad. There aregood baylans but most of them are swindlers. There are alsothose who pretend to be baylans just so he could have a secondwife or just for the money.”During World War IIJust before the outbreak of World War II, Amba Palasambagwas already working in a logging company. He was alreadymarried at that time but they had no children yet. AmbaPalasambag disclosed: “I was already working in a loggingcompany for a number of years but I stopped because of thewar. In the past, whenever I received my salary, I immediatelygave it to my parents. But when the war broke out, I was notable to return to work anymore.”The Higaunons were not affected by the war. “We couldonly see the warplanes hovering in the sky dropping theirbombs,” noted Amba Palasambag. “We were not the target ofthe war. We only heard of gunfire and explosions in the skybecause they were fighting in the sky,” he added.36

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifePanampulot, a ritual of sharing the food that has been offered to the gods, part ofthe several rituals during the Dumalongdong.During the war, a number of Japanese soldiers reachedtheir place while escaping from the enemies but the alimaongs(tribal guards) finished them off.There was also one case of a wounded Filipino soldierwhose life Amba Palasambag saved from the alimaongs. “Wealso had alimaongs in the past. There was once a woundedsoldier who reached this place. He was about to be killed bythe alimaongs but I shielded him with my embrace because Idid not want him to die,” he said.That wounded soldier was a certain Galicano Mendozawho now lives in Surigao. Amba Palasambag revealedthat recently, Mendoza sent one of his children to checkif he was still alive and to invite him to come and visit thesoldier in Surigao. Amba refused. Another Japanese soldiernamed Khondo Nhagawa had reached their place. He wasaccompanied by Amay Mandagingan. Amba Palasambag said37

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWthat Khondo Nhagawa was a teacher in Japan. The Japanesestayed with him for three years and was accommodatedwell. At first, since the Japanese did not know how to speakthe Binukid language, they communicated through signlanguage, until little by little the Japanese learned some basicBinukid words. Likewise, Amba Palasambag learned how tospeak some Japanese phrases.“When you are about to leave you would say, “Dharagkhina sayu.” When you meet someone and you ask him wherehe is headed, you will say “Tokhu eh kimas ka?” And whenhe answers “Kalabugao egkimas,” it means he is going toKalabugao. I also know that the Japanese term for grandfatheris odjosang and grandmother is odjisang.”Qualities of a DatuAmba Palasambag claimed that integrity and sincerityare the foremost qualities of a Datu. He should be someonewho knows the sukod or parameters and qualities of beinga datu and he noted that not all the present datus knowand possess these qualities. Amba Palasambag had theseobservations:“There are several datus nowadays but only a few knowexactly the qualities required of a datu. I know some datus whosolemnize weddings just for the money. They have personalinterests. I also reprimand those who ordain persons unfit tobecome a datu. I tell them to stop what they’re doing becauseit’s not good practice, and would only ruin their names. Butas I said, others are in it just for the money.”Paredes (1997: 134-135) related in her study that in thepast, datuship was granted only to Higaunon men who hadachieved the position through gaining the respect of otherdatus. However, as this title is conflated with the Dumagatnotion of social status and political power, a non-Higaunon38

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifewho is simply respected because of his status may be given thehonorary title of a datu. Datu Malindahay, whose life historyis featured in the succeeding chapter, disclosed: “You can’t bea datu if you’re not Higaunon. But these days there are alreadymany datus. There was even a colonel who became datu.”Datu’s responsibilities to his GaopThe datu is responsible for his gaop. Gaop refers to aAmba Palasambag holding the Takulob before it was given back to DatuManyagusyos.39

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWdatu’s area and where the spheres of his influence reign andwithin his gaop are his sakop or constituents. The foremostresponsibility of the datu to his gaop is to protect his peoplefrom disruptions of any kind. “His responsibility is to protecthis people, and strive hard so they would not be oppressed.”The datu is responsible for ensuring the unity and welfareof his people. That is why during that occurrence of conflicts,the datu initiates the paghusay or mediation proceedings toput an end to the rift. He facilitates the restoration of strainedrelations between the persons involved. But as a mediator,Amba Palasambag opined that a datu should not dictateor command the parties involved in the conflict. “The datucannot dictate his whim upon the parties, so he could notforce them to do as he pleases. The feuding parties should bethe ones to decide if they conform to the advice of the datu.”Amba Palasambag, however, recalled of a case mediatedby his grandfather in the past when the latter forced thefeuding parties to follow his advice in ending the conflict. ItThe literacy center for the Higaunon community located in Sitio Kiudto, BarangayHagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon.40

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeSome of the active Baes of Sitio Kiudto and other parts of the Talugan.was good because all the parties involved complied with thedatu’s instructions. But it is different nowadays, noted AmbaPalasambag, because if the datu imposes his decision uponthose who come to seek help for a settlement may just stagea walkout. Amba Palasambag further noted that there wasnot a single case he heard wherein the parties questioned orresisted the decision and advice of the datu.Knowing the cause of the conflict is the first thing to do ina conflict situation. “What we usually do is to investigate thecause of the conflict, how it started.” The datu must possessthe ability to check the facts and look for evidence. During theactual settlement, the best thing to do for a datu is to listen toboth parties, establish rapport with them, and then give hisadvice. During the actual settlement, the dasang is the commonmedium used to tone down the hatred of each party. “On mypart, even if my companions would get mad at me, I wouldnot feel insulted. I would just laugh. I believe we should just41

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWnot be arrogant because it’s so easy to commit a mistake, butresolving it is extremely difficult.”Women, particularly the bae or a female datu, plays asignificant role in conflict settlement. Amba Palasambag,referring to his wife, said: “She is always with me. Duringconflict settlement, when the needed materials are notavailable, we help each other in collecting those. She alsowatches over me.”Inda Palasambag also disclosed that during the settlementproceedings, the bae may initiate ways to calm down everyone.There were times when the bae would crack appropriatejokes and stories that would make each one relax amid thetension.Datu Hulukuman, a respected datu of Sangalan, notedone big difference between the Higaunon and the mainstreamway of resolving conflict. “In the lowland, the one who settlesthe conflict would be the one paid. The lawyer who resolvesthe problem would be compensated. In the mountains, thedatu would shoulder all the expenses.”Looking into the FutureJust before his death, Amba Palasambag kept watch overhis children’s lives. Since he was already very old, he spenttime trying to impart all that he knew about the Higaunons’tradition to all those who asked and who sincerely wantedto know. At the same time, he was observing who amonghis constituents should be the right person whom he couldbequeath his status as a datu, someone whom he could trustand who possesses the desired qualities. Amba said that hewould be the one to choose who that person would be to leadhis people. He eventually named Datu Manggul-anan as hislikely successor. Aside from being a ritualist or umaampo, DatuManggul-anan is also a blacksmith or mananalsal and he can42

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAmba Palasambag always reminded his family that when he is gone, they shouldnot forget his beliefs and tulumanon or rituals.perform the pangapog or the invocation of the spirits. AmbaPalasambag hoped that Datu Manggul-anan would gain therespect of his fellow datus. Further, he always wished that allthe other datus would be like Datu Manggul-anan.43

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWB. PEOPLE OF THE GAUN:AmayDatu Mantangkilan’sLife History44

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeTHE HIGAUNONSNaabot Cumatang, otherwise known as AmayMantangkilan, was born in Sitio Mintapod, Hagpa,Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. He grew up in anothervillage, Kiudto, in the same municipality. He had likewisespent part of his childhood in a place called Imbungalos,which is part of Sitio Malunsagay, Barangay Minalwang, inClaveria, Misamis Oriental. When interviewed, he believedhe must be 60 years old because his mother told him that hewas born towards the end of World War II.The first thing he received from his father was a bolo.He treasured this so much that he used to bring it with himeverywhere. Since the young Mantangkilan was fond ofclimbing trees, he was also given a kamuyot. This he filledwith fruits of wild trees in the forest like adiis, tikala, panoon,lumbong and kudong. His favorite fruit was kadiis, until hisfather introduced him the balangas, a kind of rambutan butone that grows in the wild. “He showed me this tree so full offruits. You can’t reach the fruits, though, because the tree wasquite tall, unlike the rambutans we have now that are muchshorter. My father saw I was so eager to try it, so he climbedup the tree.” Another fruit he came across later, which hereally liked, is the kalapi, which he described as “very sweet.”As a child, Amay Mantangkilan loved to spend time in theforest, a fondness noticed by his mother. He was constantlyreminded that it was dangerous going there alone at his age, yetthis did not deter him from going there after school, sometimeseven until dark. He recalled that he liked wearing the talibud(g-string) despite his mother’s insistence for him to wear pants.Besides the bolo and the kamuyot, Amay Mantangkilanalso received a spear from his father. He had always wanteda spear like his father’s, so he was so glad when he got one,45

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWeven if it was so small compared to what the adults use. In hisattempts to practice using the spear, he threw it at birds andkalagsoy (small rats), but these animals were too quick for thisboy.Hunting and FarmingAmay Mantangkilan’s passion for hunting started whenhis father gave him a female dog. After five months of keepingit as a pet, they had observed its keen ability to go after wildanimals. His father suggested that they should bring it withthem to the forest when they hunt. His father told him: “Whenyour dog barks, it means it saw something. If not a wild pig,maybe a deer. If it’s a deer, wait for it in the water. If it’s awild pig, it will only be roaming around the forest.” He wasonly about seven or nine years old at the time. It was the onlytime that he hunted with his father, as he preferred to go onhis own from then on.Amay Mantangkilan recalled how he got his first catch.His dog chased a wild pig, which in the confusion veeredtowards him. Fearing that the wild pig would attack him, theyoung boy took out his bolo and lunged at once at the animal,almost cutting it in half. The wild pig weighed only around 15kilograms, so he was able to carry it all the way home. But hecleaned it first before bringing it inside the house. He removedthe animal’s entrails and gathered firewood he could use incooking the meat, as this was the instruction of his mother.Customarily, whoever catches the animal should collect thefirewood. His parents were happy with his conquest, andthey prayed that the spirits of tumanod and tulundano, theguardians of the forest, would always guide him.Another incident that Amay Mantankilan rememberedwas when his dog chased a deer straight into their farm.It was harvest season for rice that time, and upon seeingthe commotion, he impulsively ran after the deer. Amay46

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAs a child, Amay Mantangkilan enjoyed hunting in the forest all by himself.Mantangkilan recounted the incident:“I had no plan to go to the forest as I wanted to help in thefarm because it was rice harvest season. But my dog, maybeout of habit, went past the farm and into the forest. I just lether be. But then she saw a deer, and ran after it. The deer rantowards the farm, and the dog came chasing, so imagine thedamage both did to the farm. My dog finally caught up withthe deer along the side of the rice paddies. My mother was somad at me because she thought it was my idea. Nevertheless,I immediately ran towards the deer, and stabbed it with aknife. But it didn’t die soon enough, and was still able to run.So I tried to catch it, but my g-string caught a branch, whichleft me naked for all the people to see. There were so manypeople around because the whole community was helping inthe harvest. Looking for something to cover my private parts,I saw the big leaves of the taluangi tree. It was okay for a while,but when I sat down, the leaves got torn apart. It was such arelief when my father came.”Because of this embarrassing incident, Amay Mantangkilanstarted to wear pants. When he was almost 15 years old, he47

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWspent most of his time in the forest, sometimes taking weeksbefore he would come home. Most of time, he just wandered,spending time inside the caves, under the tall trees, or bythe huge rocks. “Because of my frequent visits to the forest, Ibecame familiar with the various rivers and creeks, as well asthe different mountains.”Aside from hunting, Amay Mantangkilan also collectedwild honey through a method called pamuhag or pamalayag.After owning nine dogs and ultimately losing them all, hethen studied another hunting method called panlais, whichuses spear trap instead of dogs. He said that the method wasquite difficult, especially for a young boy who lacked strength,because it entailed bending a big tree trunk.Amay actively participated in the community feedbacking and validation workshoplast January 6, 2006.48

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeThe young Amay Mantangkilan also ventured into fishing.His catch usually consisted of tambilolo, beta, kulop, and kalibad.He was pretty much self-sufficient while he was in the forestbecause, as he puts it, “One will never know hunger as longas he is industrious.”Higaunons make a living by farming, while gatheringforest resources and fishing on the side. Thus, aside fromhunting, the young Mantangkilan was also taught farming byhis father, including the identification of a good farming site.The latter was done through the pagbala, an oracle where aprayer is directed towards Ibabasuk, the guardian of the soil.Cole (1956:51) theorized that before any work was done, thefarmer must square accounts with the spirit world since theearth is like a person, and that if it were cut it would bleedand the spirit would suffer. Hence, the prospective ownercultivatormust seek the approval of the spirits.Amay Mantangkilan recalled that when he and his fatherfound a possible farming area, his father got a rattan vinemeasuring one foot long. His father then recited a prayer,asking Ibabasuk to grant them good harvest, and for the landtillers’ safety. The prayer usually lasted for several hours, andduring this time a piece of rattan is cut into halves. After theinitial prayer, the rattan was measured by the dangaw (thedistance between the tips of the thumb and the middle fingerwhen stretched towards opposite directions). If the rattanmeasured just about the size of a dangaw, it meant the areawas not fit for cultivation, or an omen that something badcould happen to the tiller or to his family. But if the rattanmeasured longer than a dangaw, it was a positive sign. AmayMantangkilan explained, “If the oracle conveyed somethingbad, we had to look for another farmland. This was our customin the past before we start plowing the land.”Amay Mantangkilan’s marriage was arranged, a practicelocally known as buya. He narrated his own experience49

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWconcerning his marriage:I never entertained marriage then because I didn’t think Iwould be able to financially support a wife, and the childrensoon to follow. But it was our parents who decided for us; wewere only informed of the agreement later. We were surprisedbecause we had not even been given the chance to talk, sounlike the courting process you know now. But it was the willof our parents, and since they had agreed on it, we could donothing but obey their wishes.”Amay Mantangkilan’s wife was from the nearby sitioof Impadiding, Barangay Minalwang, Claveria, MisamisOriental. Their families have known each other way back, ashis wife’s parents used to visit his relatives in Kiudto.The union, however, produced no child, owing to AmayMantangkilan’s problem in the reproductive system. Becauseof this, the couple opted to adopt children, numbering around20, now mostly grownups. The eldest is Ronnie Bio. DatuMantangkilan admitted that some people were encouraginghim to get a duway (second wife), but he rejected the idea.Amay Mantangkilan is one of the most respected datusof Hagpa. He had mediated countless conflicts although hewas not formally ordained as a datu. Amay Mantangkilanexplained:“I was not formally ordained as a datu, but it was thepeople who asked me to settle their conflicts. I startedmediating conflicts when CADC was implemented. I chosenot to be ordained because it was such a big responsibility.But I felt like I had been ordained because it was the people’swill. They chose me.”Amay Mantangkilan’s role as a mediator started whenhe had attended a meeting of the datus to discuss land50

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAmay Mantangkilan’s wife playing the kogot, a two stringed indigenousinstrument that produces a very enchanting music, during the life history sessionwith Bab at the tulugan in Sito Mintapod, Hagpa, Impasug-ong.boundary issues. He recalled that among the datus presentin the meeting, no one really knew the exact boundaries ofeach and every gaop. One datu stood up and told the groupthat Mantangkilan had full knowledge about the boundaries.The datus were from Impadiding, namely, Pinatambong,Pinabunong, Pinahugpa, and Pinaulantaw. “They werethe ones who volunteered the information that I knew theboundaries, realizing that it would take someone withauthority with regards to boundaries to settle the conflict.That started my career in conflict mediation.”Tracing Their OriginsThe Higaunons believed that the concept of land acquisitionbegan with somebody named Booy Pabuluson. Reportedly,Booy Pabuluson taught all his children regarding the tulugan,a meeting house in which people assembled for a paghusay(mediation), religious ceremonies, and other similar matters.The tulugan eventually grew into large Higaunon settlements.51

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWThe following is Datu Malindahay’s explanation regardingthe talugan:“In the past, we had no concepts of a barangay; we simplyused the term talugan. Every tribal group had a talugan, whichwere usually represented by a river, as in Odiongan, Linubos,Gingoog.”Aside from the various talugan, Booy Pabuluson apparentlyalso oriented his children about the pieces of land that belongto them, believing that it was his duty as a parent to informhis children the extent of their ownership to prevent conflictsin the future. This was what his parents and his grandparentshad taught him, so as to protect the scope and delineation oftheir land, which he would eventually pass on to his childrenand grandchildren. To prove land ownership, one must beThe elders identified the different talugans still existing. This is one of the outputsduring the Dumalongdong – the talugans were verified and point personsidentified.52

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeable to trace roots of tenure through his ancestors.“When we trace our ownership, we should also be ableto trace the roots of our ancestry or lineage, ensuring theaccuracy of the information, to bolster our credibility andthereby convince all those who listen. Failing to do so wouldbring down my credibility; whereas knowing my ancestrycould surely strengthen my case. In short, claiming a pieceof land means that one must be able to accurately trace hisgenealogy.”Amay Mantangkilan also disproved stories regardingBooy Pabuluson’s supposed multiple teats. He said this wasonly a pasumbingay (euphemism) to mean that he was learnedand knowledgeable.Panud, an activity that entails tracing and reciting one’sgenealogy, is usually done during gatherings and weddings.Aside from establishing one’s lineage, this will give a clearpicture of a person based on his ancestors. Thus, one shouldbe very good and adept at recalling his ancestors, and to beable to expound well the history of the land acquisition. Inthis manner also, one’s right to lay claim on a piece of landcan be justified, said Amay Mantangkilan. Dasang (chant) isusually the medium employed when tracing the origin.Amay Mantangkilan said that various land and boundaryconflicts were caused by some people’s inability to perfectlytrace their origins. An example of this was the case of theMandukita and Mandahinog clans, since both of them haveencroached on each other’s area. Amay Mantangkilan, whohad participated in the mediation, opined that the fault ofthe two parties lies on their failure to remember what theirforefathers or ancestors passed on to them regarding the exactlocations of their land boundaries.As far as the areas of Mintapod, Impadiding and53

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWMinalwang are concerned, Amay Mantangkilan said thatthere could be no conflict over territorial boundaries in theseareas because he is adept at recalling everything that helearned from his elders regarding their specific boundaries.Land boundaries, according to Amay, are usually marked bynatural borders like rivers and creeks, mountains and ridges.Hence, one cannot draw a straight line and declare it as hisduluna or land boundary because certainly, he is trespassingon another man’s gaop.The Higaunons and the ManobosAmay Mantangkilan declared that the Manobos and theHigaunons come from the same ancestors.“I was told that the Manobos and Higaunons basicallycome from the same ancestors. The delineation happenedwhen their respective forefathers decided to live in separateplaces. The Manobos opted to stay in one place, while theothers decided to move somewhere, to the gaun, that was whythey were called Higaunons.”Amay Mantangkilan added that the entry of the governmentand the influx of Dumagat settlers drove his ancestors, whoonce were coastal dwellers, to the gaun.The boundary that sets apart the Higaunons and theManobos is the area between Maramag and Salagapon.Salagapon, according to Biernatzki (1973: 22), is a waterfall ofthe Pulangi River in the vicinity of what is now the municipalityof Valencia, Bukidnon. Outwards of the said boundarywould be the territory of the Manobos, while the area thatsets inwards would be the Higaunons’. Amay Mantangkilanalso said that Tagoloan was the agreed boundary between theHigaunons and the Muslims.54“The original boundary was actually Salagapon, but

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifewhen both groups increased in numbers, the boundary hadto be moved towards Tagoloan. This agreement ensured thatMuslims could not enter the Higaunons’ territory, to keepthings in order after the Muslims set off a certain degree ofdisorder in the past.”Amay Mantangkilan clarified that the Tagoloan beingreferred to here is not the Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental, butthe one on the western side, within Lanao del Norte, whichAmay Mantangkilan performs a singampo prior to the actual interview by Bab.During this ritual, the recorder, the tapes, notebooks, camera, and chicken wereoffered to ask the gods their permission for the interview and for guidance.55

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWborders with Misamis Oriental. He refers to it as Tagoloan II.Paredes (1997:45), quoting Lao (1985:48-51), made mentionof “Moros conducting land raids on Higaunon settlements tothe south and west of Cagayan.” Further, Biernatzki (1956: 23)presented some accounts.Salangsang, the Cagayanon Chief, was a vassal of theMaranao chieftain Kudarat (Corralat in the Spanish records),although the Cagayanons were still pagan rather than Muslim.Kudarat resented the coming of the Christian missionariesand laid siege on the convent and village built and fortifiedby the friars and their native allies near the mouth of the river.With some military help from the Spaniards, the Cagayanoninflicted heavy losses on the Maranaos and finally drove themout of Cagayan. After this, Salangsang agreed to be baptizedand accepted Spanish rule.Amay Mantangkilan was amazed to discover that theManobos and the Higaunons are not that different withregards to their traditions and values. He realized this whenhe attended indigenous peoples’ conferences held in Davao,Malaybalay and Manila that gave him the opportunity to meetlumads from the other tribes. In one of the conferences, hehad the chance to speak to Datu Gawilantu of the MatigsalugManobo tribe.“I could understand what he was talking about althoughI advised him beforehand not to use sophisticated words. Inoticed that like us, they’re also into betel nut chewing. Theonly noticeable difference was the language.”Dumagats in Higaunon LandsThe provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental weregenerally off-limits to the Dumagats. Originally, the Dumagatswere not allowed beyond the Tagoloan River, but the datu56

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeRespondents and key informants during the community feedbacking andvalidation workshop last January 6, 2006 at the Literacy Center, Sitio Kiudto,Hagpa, Impasug-ong.tasked to garrison the place was apparently lenient aboutthis rule, thereby allowing the migrants to encroach in theirterritory.Paredes (1997:71) reported that there was a slow butsteady influx of Dumagat migrants from the coast into theinterior regions that have been “opened up by economicdevelopment projects.” The logging operations in the 1960swere responsible for opening up of Higaunon settlements tothe outsiders. It was noted that by 1970, settlers outnumberedthe indigenous people by a ratio of at least six to one” (May1992:128) as cited by Paredes (1997:70).Despite the gradual encroachment of the Dumagats, theHigaunons seemingly welcomed this new development.Amba Palasambag, being the oldest datu in Hagpa, said:“In the past, when the Dumagats came, Father Cullen and I57

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWmade an agreement. He told me, ‘Amay, we will allow theDumagats to live with us so we could learn new things. TheBol-anon, Ilonggo or anybody.’ He also said that in order tomaintain peace and harmony, we had to show respect to ourvisitors.”The entry of the Dumagats had also contributed to the wellbeingof the Higaunons. Amay Mantangkilan noted: “WhenAmay Mantangkilan during the Dumalongdong, August 2005.58

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifethe Dumagats came, we in the gaun found allies whom weknow we could depend on.” The Dumagats also taught themthe importance of cleanliness. “The Dumagats really did help,because from them we learned the importance of cleaning thesurroundings and our homes.”However, when the Dumagats settled in this place, theystarted to acquire more lands and gradually transformedthe erstwhile subsistence economy of the Higaunons to casheconomy. According to Amba Palasambag, their only sourceof cash income in the past was through the production ofabaca hemp. They stripped this manually, then sold to thetraders in town. When the logging companies started theiroperations, many of the Higaunons earned cash by workingas concession guards. Amay Mantangkilan also commentedthat the desire to earn money drove most Higaunons to let goof their most precious possession -- their land.When asked how the Dumagats were able to acquirevast tracts of land formerly owned by Higaunons, AmayMantangkilan said:“They were shown lots of money, and so the drive to earnbig money was instilled in their minds. Over time, the desireto have more money drove the landed Higaunons to sell orbarter their lands to the Dumagats. Now, most of them havenothing, relying instead on salaries from daily work.”Amba Palasambag said that Father Cullen had witnessedthis when he was still in the Kalabugao area, so he advisedthe Higaunons not to sell all their lands because if they dothey might end up living at the top of the mountain. “Indeed,it happened. So most of them are now living in the highestparts of the mountains,” he said. The situation even went tothe extent that certain lands in Kalabugao and Hagpa weregiven up in exchange of a bottle of some cheap wine orliquor.59

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWOld Ways and New WaysBasically, the land and the forests are the Higaunons’ life.This is where they derive their subsistence. Their seemingdisregard for this saddens Amay Mantangkilan.“The people never realized the importance of caring forthe land, especially the forest. The people in Kabagtukan,Pulahon, Hagpa, and Kalabugao never thought of those. Theyjust cut the trees, especially the Dumagats, maybe becausethey were not aware of laws governing the cutting of trees.On my part, I always see to it to know and adhere to the lawsso that others may not take advantage of us.”Paredes (1997:55) captured the opposing attitudes of theHigaunons and the Dumagats when she said that the former“do not abuse the land, the forest, or fellow humans, and aremore concerned about maintaining smooth social relations.The Dumagats, on the other hand, tend to be ‘businessminded’and willing to destroy resources for profit.”Nevertheless, Amay Mantangkilan said that he couldnot blame the Dumagats because they only satisfied thepanginahanglan (needs) of the Higaunons. The way Dumagatsrelate to the resources around them, the practice of workingfor wages, is indeed new to the Higaunons. This startedonly with the operation of logging companies that hiredHigaunon workers as concession guards, and the coming inof migrants.“In the past, we usually went around to see the forestand hunt. But when the logging company came, working forwages started. Instead of teaching our children about nature,others ended up teaching their children about work to earncash.”60Amay Mantangkilan said that in the past, food was

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeabundant in the forest and their only source of cash incomewas weaving (hinabol) and selling of abaca hemp. He furthernoted that in the past, they used no soap nor vetsin (sodiumAmay Mantangkilan posing with a hopeful smile in Naabat, Hagpa, said to be alost village of the Higaunons.61

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWglutamate), and to make their food tasty they used the plantcalled andayugong.The rampant practice of working for wages among theHigaunons has alarmed Amay Mantangkilan, hence heconstantly reminds his constituents, saying:“It is true that we need money but it is not good that we dothis always. We would work for wages but not on a permanentbasis because this is addictive. Only the rich would benefitfrom this while us poor would only become poorer. Eventhough we won’t get rich, as long as we have a decent life andsufficient livelihood from farming, we will not go hungry. Wejust have to persevere in the farm even if we have to workthere alone.”Reclaiming Higaunon LandsThe Agtulawon Mintapod Higaunon Cumadon, Inc.(AGMIHICU) located in Mintapod, Hagpa, Impasug-ong,Bukidnon was awarded with a Certificate of AncestralDomain Claim (CADC) covering 15, 000 hectares. It is nowknown as “CADC 112.” Amay Mantangkilan considers thisas his greatest achievement.“When the CADC was presented, I did not grab it rightaway since the first area covered was Mintapod, whichwas said to be the center. At first I was hesitant to acceptit because I thought they were only out to cheat us, thatthey will only make us happy for a short while, offer uspromises, but they will end up owning our lands. But afterweighing things for some time, I finally decided to acceptthe CADC.”He was told that Mintapod would become the center of theancestral domain because it was learned that this place has noboundary dispute ever since unlike Kalabugao and Hagpa.62

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAmay Mantangkilan said this was true, and thought thatthis was the will of dumalongdong and tumanod. He said thatafter he was convinced he conferred with Amba Palasambagand Kapitan Agulio.After the awarding of the CADC, Amay Mantangkilanwas grateful as he saw various advantages. He remarkedthat the CADC is of great help to the Higaunons becausethis provided them with a piece of document certifying legalownership of their lands. Through this, they would not beridiculed anymore and made as a laughing stock of outsiders,said Amay Mantangkilan. He was happy about their CADCbecause, finally, they had reclaimed their ancestral domain.In December 2006, Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title(CADT) No. 054 was approved and eventually awarded inMay 15, 2008.“This program paved the way for a stronger unity of thetribe. This served as a the bridge or the way towards unity.All the datus, baes, the spirits and the youth are all part of this,hence this is one instrument that has really helped us.”63

64LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWC. WAVES OF MIGRATIONAND ARMEDTatayDatu Malindahay’sLife HistoryMalindahay Mandahinog was born to both Higaunonparents in Barangay Sangalan, Gingoog City,Misamis Oriental. His father, Mantiguanan, wasfrom Maibo, Baligihan and his mother Digyaw-ang was fromOdiongan, both of Gingoog. He approximated his age at thetime of the research at 63, since his mother told him that he wasborn during World War II. Tatay Malindahay is the eldest in abrood of seven, composed of four men and three women.When Tatay Malindahay was eight, his family moved toTama, Magsaysay, and then later settled in Kalipay, also inGingoog. His father was an alimaong, “an assistant of a datuwho, when quarrel erupts, would pacify the parties involved,and would even hogtie those who create trouble.” The roleof the alimaong was to maintain the peace and order in thecommunity. “They were our version of the CAFGU (CivilianArmed Forces Geographical Unit) or the soldiers before thegovernment came to our land.” His father died when TatayMalindahay was 13, leaving his mother to care for them.His mother supported them by farming. He said they hadbountiful harvest even if their clearing was very small.

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Life& DEVELOPMENTCONFLICTSWhen he was a child, Tatay Malindahay used to do what hisparents did. Hence, he learned to cultivate the land, hunt wildgames in the forest, as well as to fish. He was able to attend first65

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWgrade in elementary in Malinao, Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental,but failed to continue. “I really liked to go to school.” But hisparents, who were against his plan to go to school, said: “Onceyou become educated, you may forget about the traditions, thelaws of the tribe.” His parents told him to instead study thelaws of the tribe. Even though he was not able to pursue formaleducation himself, he managed to send his siblings to school,even just up to the fifth or sixth grade. “I’m not comfortable ofthe thought that all of us are not educated.”Tatay Malindahay’s marriage was arranged by hisparents and elders. He was 18 years old then, and thebride, Bae Lilok, was only 16. He once had a sweetheart,but she was a Dumagat. His uncles disapproved of therelationship, because his relatives wanted him to marry aHigaunon. His uncles reminded him that the main reasonhis elders objected to his education was so he would focusTatay Malindahay with his wife, Bae Lilok, at their home in Barangay Sangalan,during the life history session.66

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeon their culture and tradition, so how could he think ofmarrying a Dumagat?His wife Bae Lilok is a member of the Damitan family ofSitio Malagwas of Kalipay. They proposed through a pamalayior nagugsak, a pre-marriage activity wherein the groom’sfamily would bring cooking pots, plates, and clothes to thebride’s parents. Tatay Malindahay narrated his experiencethis way:“The male elders would talk. The datu particularly wouldbe the one to relay the male party’s intentions. This is stillpart of the courting process; no agreements yet. You wouldknow if your proposal was accepted because all the thingsyou brought -- like the cloths, cooking pots and other things-- are not returned. If they reject your proposal, they wouldstill accept your gifts, but as a sign for you not to pursue yourintentions, they would later return everything, and evendouble the amount of stuff you brought. It’s like being told,‘Don’t worry being rejected; you’re getting all your thingsback anyway, and more.’”After their marriage, Tatay Malindahay stayed in hiswife’s residence for about two years. It is their practice thatthe newlyweds stay at the bride’s house for years after theirwedding. Tatay Malindahay and his wife were blessed witheight children.They eventually moved to Kalipay proper. Therethey sought the help of a certain Mrs. Locsin for possibleemployment in the logging company. He was hired as aconcession guard with the task of protecting the area fromthe kaingeñeros and squatters. Biernatzki (1973:44) observedthat datus were the preferred candidates for the positionof concession guard because of their ability to control theirband and “prevent the unauthorized cutting of commerciallyvaluable trees.”67

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWInto Bigger ResponsibilitiesTatay Malindahay was first taught about the rudimentsof conflict resolution by his grandfather and his uncle, DatuPanawagon. Before he was ordained, he had already beenassisting in the conflict mediation process. His first mediationconcerned petty theft. “My grandfather and uncle were notaround at that time. Had they been present, they would havedone the settlement. I ended up mediating three conflicts allby myself. My delighted companions then said I was ready tobecome a datu because I could already solve problems.”Eventually, the datus proposed that Tatay Malindahaywould be ordained as datu. But he refused at first because,like Amba Palasambag, he felt that the ordination would puta big pressure on him. “I was apprehensive because the job ofa datu is dangerous. Once he commits a mistake, he would bekilled. And the punishment is executed right away, no morequestions asked, because a datu is presumed to be aware ofthe laws, and so has no reason to violate them.”To convince Tatay Malindahay, his uncle datu invited thedatus from Mangumabo, Malindag-os, Kabuka, Pinalit andMalagwas to talk to him and make him accept his fate. Finally,he acceded. “I was told of the tradition that anybody offered thedatuship should not refuse, lest he suffer bad karma.” He was20 when he was first ordained as datu. Tatay Malindahay saidhe had been ordained four times. His first dang-ol was in Pinalit,a sitio of Eureka, in 1979 during a dumalongdong. Ordinationor dang-ol is done with a ritual or religious ceremony like thedumalongdong. To the Higaunons of Kalabugao, tagulambunghu datu patalawas, a rite synonymous to dumalongdong, isconducted mainly to confirm the succession of a new datu(Biernatzki 1956:35).As a datu, many people would come to seek his help. Inhis own words, Tatay Malindahay said:68

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeTatay Malindahay was among the elders identified to be part of the Mandukita-Ansihagan conflict that was resolved in a meeting on April 10-11, 2006, 30 yearsafter the strife erupted. Facilitating the discussion is Datu Hulukuman.“I was still a farmer at the time. When there were problems,people would come to our house. ‘Datu, help me please becauseI have a relative in the hospital, help me please because mywife divorced me.’ There were lots of problems. Traditionally,a datu must not receive payment for his services. It is the datuwho should provide for everything. For example, if someoneis to be killed, but you as a datu would not want him killed,then you should defend him, securing the needed manggad.”(A manggad is something offered by the party responsible forsome crime to the offended party.)It is the responsibility of the datu to help his constituents --and even people outside his territory -- who seek for his help.This is the reason why he said that a tribal datu would neverget rich. During the time of Col. Alexander Noble, an Armyofficer who formed the “Lost Command” in Higaunon areasin 1990, many Higaunon evacuees went to Tatay Malindahay69

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWto ask for his assistance. His brother Estoriano, the barangaycaptain of Kalipay, entrusted him all the responsibilities inattending to the needs of the evacuees. There were about ahundred of them. He said that the burden of responsibilitywas very heavy because he had to feed them, and there wasnot enough space for all of them.Many of his friends would tell him that if he only saved allhis money he could have already bought a car. Pangalawat, orthe practice of asking, still prevails until the present time, and asakop’s dependence on a datu is still evident. The experience ofTatay Malindahay showed that the sakops’ dependence on thedatu is not just political but, as in the past, economic as well.A datu would naturally attend to the problems within hisjurisdiction, and he should not violate the laws of bungkatolha bulawan (golden rule) and nangka tasa ha lana (one cupYouths enjoying the cool waters of Sangalan River that separates the barangayfrom the adjacent village of Kalipay.70

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeof oil). Bongkatol ha bulawan means that one should have agolden heart, and like the oil, it should not fade. These rulescall for honesty, of being compassionate and generous. TatayMalindahay further commented that in the past, there wereno Higaunon traitors and liars because they were afraid ofthe laws.As a palaghusay or mediator, Tatay Malindahay callshimself as dangan-dangan, or a datu who is courageous andbrave in settling serious and complicated types of conflicts.“There are two types of datus. There is the datu who mediatesminor conflicts, while the other datu, known for his braveryand good deeds, is called a dangan-dangan.”A husay should be orderly, and it should not cause anotherproblem. In settling minor conflicts, especially when partieswould come face to face with each other, a decorum shouldbe observed. Tatay Malindahay presented how order couldbe maintained in mediation. “I’d tell them it is our policy thatwhen someone is speaking, nobody else should speak. WhenI ask somebody to speak, he alone should speak. Let himfinish first. No pointing fingers, no shouting, no harsh words,because the purpose of the meeting is not to fight but to solveproblems.”Migration Into Higaunon LandsKalipay in Gingoog City where Tatay Malindahay residesused to be thickly forested, and there were but a handful ofHigaunons living in the place in the 1960s. When the AnakanLumber Company’s (ALCO) logging operation reached thisplace in the 1980s, Mayor Arturo Lugod of Gingoog requestedthe Higaunons to vacate the place to give way to the loggingcompany.The Higaunons first encountered aggression in 1983 whenthe concession guards of ALCO demolished the school building71

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWTatay Malindahay, at his home, narrates his life history to Pipay while holdinghis granddaughter as his wife Bae Lilok listens.built by the members of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), asocialist organization from the lowland. Organizing activitiesof FFF had reached the uplands with a handful of Higaunonsjoining them. Tatay Malindahay narrated:“We the Lumads did not know what to do. My uncle,who is my father’s brother, told me that we should build ourhouses where the school building used to stand. We’ll see ifthey will also destroy our homes. This is our place.”72There and then, around 80 Higaunons simultaneously built

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifetheir houses along the logging road, right from the Sangalanriver up to the heart of the present barangay Kalipay. TatayMalindahay recalled that when the armed concession guardsarrived and saw what the Higaunons did, a confrontationensued. After a dialogue with the management of ALCOin Anakan and with the intercession of Mayor Lugod, theHigaunons were allowed to remain in Kalipay where theyintended to establish a regular barangay.When the Higaunons were granted their request, peoplefrom other places, like Cebuanos and the Boholanos, flocked toKalipay. Tatay Malindahay said the Dumagats gained entranceto the Higaunon areas. “They requested that they be allowedto enter this place. We in the tribe had a meeting and I said tothem to allow the people from the lowland to live with us sowe could learn new ideas from them. This started the comingin of many other people.” Tatay Malindahay shared the sameview with Amba Palasambag and Amay Mantangkilan.This massive influx of Dumagat migrants was promptedby the resettlement program of the government startingfrom the post-war period and Philippine independence fromthe Americans. Migrants from Luzon and Visayas came toMindanao in search of greener pastures, competing withthe Lumads in the use of the island’s natural resources.Tatay Malindahay said that the migrants built their housesin the present Purok 5. Because of the increasing population,Kalipay became a sitio of Barangay Malibud, together withthe adjacent sitios of Kamanikan, Sangalan, and Eureka. Butunlike these three sitios, Kalipay was first to be registered asa regular barangay in 1985.When Purok 5 became congested, the leaders then dividedbarangay Kalipay into 9 puroks. “We established a barangayand as the population increased, we created the differentpuroks. Purok 8 for instance was in Kalamagan and Purok9 was in Malagwas. There were also many people residing73

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWin Sitio Mimpakiki. The population drastically increasedbecause of the presence of a school.”Tatay Malindahay reported that some Dumagats acquiredlands in Kalipay through direct purchase, while the others weregiven a parcel of land by their Higaunon relatives by virtueof marriage. Because the place was classified as timberland,Tatay Malindahay noted that they were not given land titlesbut they had permission from the mayor of Gingoog Cityto occupy the place. Most of the areas in Barangay Kalipayare under the Integrated Social Forestry Program (ISFP) andCommunity-Based Forest Management (CBFM). The releasedarea, which is no longer considered as public land, was onlyup to the crossing of Barangay Kamanikan, Gingoog City,said Tatay Malindahay.With respect to the residential areas, Tatay Malindahaysaid the Dumagats were allowed to build houses along theroad within the barangay proper, but they could not own theland.“We made a written contract with the residents. While wehad no doubts they’ll abide by our agreement, we’re not sureif their children would, so better have it in writing. None of theresidential lots starting from Purok 1 to Purok 5 had been givento anybody yet. My brother noted that the land in this barangaywas still communal. Our tribe was worried that should we startgiving the land to the residents, they may eventually sell theland, and us Higaunons may be driven away.”His brother, Estoriano Malindahay, the barangay captainof Kalipay, authored the concept of not selling the residentialareas for private ownership because they were afraid that whathappened to Barangay Bal-ason in Gingoog City would alsohappen in Kalipay. Tatay Malindahay said that all the lands inBal-ason were previously owned by Higaunons. But becausethey sold their lands, they were displaced and now most of the74

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifelands in Bal-ason are under the possession of the Dumagats.With the co-existence of Dumagats and Higaunons inBarangay Kalipay, Tatay Malindahay exercises impartialitywhen it comes to imposing justice. He expounded this,saying:“As a leader, I treat each one fairly. Even if it’s my childwho commits a mistake, I must impose due punishmentbecause a person would not behave unless punished. That iswhy here in Kalipay, I told the Dumagats not to hesitate inapproaching me should somebody -- be it my child or anyHigaunon -- commit a wrong against them, because I wouldnot defend a criminal, even if he belongs to my tribe. I mustuphold justice and the law.”As a datu, there were times when Tatay Malindahaywould mediate conflicts involving Higaunons in other areaspredominantly inhabited by Dumagats. But before doing this,he said he always asks permission from the barangay captainin that particular area, as he once did in mediating a case inBarangay Lunao in Gingoog. In Kalipay, where his brotheris the barangay captain, they made an agreement pertainingto handling husay, especially because a great portion of thebarangay population now are Dumagats. Tatay Malindahaysaid:“We struck an agreement. If all the parties in the conflict areDumagats, he would handle the case. But if it were Dumagatsagainst Higaunons, I would handle the settlement. But whenI do mediations, I would ask him to witness the event so hewould not forget our tribal policies and laws.”Higaunon Armed ResistanceTatay Malindahay witnessed and even initially took part inthe Higaunon resistance movement dubbed as the “Higaunon75

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWKumander Jabbar led the Higaunon resistance until his death in 1992.War” (Gatuslao: 1988) as cited by Paredes (1997:192). Thisresistance lasted over two decades until the death of itsfamous leader, Kumander Jabbar, in 1992, a nephew of TatayMalindahay.Several stories emerged to explain how the war started.Paredes (1997:193-194), citing Gatuslao (1988), said that itall started as a pangayaw when a logging company allegedlyassassinated several Higaunon datus, among them DatuMankalasi Mandahinog. The datus were reportedly killedbecause they refused access to the timber-rich ancestral landbordering Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Sur provinces.A similar version was a report by an informant of Paredes76

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Life(1997:194) who disclosed that Mankalasi was killed by thegovernment for the benefit of a logging company. Mankalasidrew the ire of the government and the logging company,as reported by Paredes and Gatuslao: “He would surrenderhis ancestral land to them if the company could guarantee ameans to feed, clothe and support his family for seven futuregenerations, because this is the equivalent of what he wouldlose if the company took the forest and the government tookthe land.”According to Tatay Malindahay, Mankalasi was invited bya certain Kosni, a fellow Higaunon who is barangay captainof Kagunitan, an adjacent barangay of Nasipit, Agusan delNorte, for a drinking spree. Tatay Malindahay added thatduring that drinking session, “They had a military contact andthere he was shot.” Why Mankalasi was killed by an allegedmilitary operative was not clear.Tatay Malindahay recalls: “There were false storiescirculating around that said he did not allow the operationof ALCO, and also the entry of rattan buyers. This was nottrue. In fact, he had an agreement with Mr. Pineda, one of theranking officials of ALCO. But he was falsely accused. So aftermy uncle was killed, we attacked ALCO. Immediately after,ALCO stopped its operation.”ALCO’s machineries were burned during the Higaunons’retaliation. Tatay Malindahay had even joined the group inone of their raids. Mankalasi’s son Kalasi, the father of Jabbar,declared a pangayaw. In Aniscal’s (1994) account as cited byParedes (1997:194), this situation was allegedly the consequenceof the government’s failure to attend to the various complaintson the atrocities committed by the logging company. Kalasithen formed the Pulang Bagani (Red Warriors) to “exactrevenge and to protect the ancestral land from being takenby the company (Ibid.).” Tatay Malindahay revealed that hisnephew, Kumander Jabbar, joined that band of armed groups77

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWand even invited him personally to join their cause.“He really came to talk to me. He said ‘Uncle, come joinus.’ But I replied I can’t. It’s difficult for me because I had smallchildren to care for. I also didn’t want to bring them with meto the mountains. So who would take care of them here?”During the time of Martial Law, the military were suspiciousof the Mandahinogs, according to Tatay Malindahay. Themilitary put the Mandahinogs in the watch list because theywere suspected of being members of Jabbar’s band. Even theirgenerosity, such as offering chicken to the military as a signof gratitude, was misinterpreted and dealt with suspicion.But at nighttime, Tatay Malindahay said, the military wouldsteal the chickens and the dogs of the residents. Those, hesaid, were only a few of the military abuses during the time ofMartial Law. His personal ordeal was when he was collaredby a soldier.“My wife was almost in tears when she saw me beingcollared by a soldier upon learning I’m a Mandahinog. Heasked how I was related to Jabbar, and so I answered that he’sa nephew, but that I did not join his group. The soldier wouldnot believe me and said I was a liar.”This incident almost prompted him to join Jabbar sinceeven his brother who was the barangay captain of Kalipaywas also suspected.“We Mandahinogs immediately had a meeting and Isuggested that we join our brothers in the mountains. Thebarangay captain told me to calm down, let the situation cooldown because our children were still small and they wouldbe helpless if we leave them. I said I didn’t understand whatwas happening anymore; we were being pushed to the limit.If only the soldier threatened me, or hurt me, I do not knowwhat could happen next. But we opted to just keep silent78

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeTatay Malindahay, with Datu Guwa (leftmost) and Inda, during the recitationof the genealogy by Amba Palasambag on the last day of the Dumalongdong,August 2005.because we were only civilians, but I was also thinking that Ididn’t care if we would repeat the past.”Related literature on the Higaunon armed resistancereported that when communist New People’s Army (NPA)forces entered Higaunon areas in 1976, they “found the tribalrebellion in full swing” and hence were easily able to recruitKalasi and his band of warriors (Gatuslao 1988:5), as citedby Paredes (1997:194). Through this, the Higaunons gainedaccess to arms and other weapons.Tatay Malindahay recalled that Jabbar raided thedetachment in Pinalit near Barangay Kalipay and strafeda house owned by the late Datu Mantudluan, an NPA79

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWTatay Malindahay sharing the challenges of the Higaunons in Gingoog duringthe Dumalongdong.surrenderee who became a member of the Citizens ArmedForces Geographical Unit (CAFGU). Killed were a femalecousin of Tatay Malindahay and two children. Jabbar wasreportedly outraged because his Higaunon comrades whosurrendered to the military were drafted to the CAFGU tofight them. “Jabbar did not like this because the agreementwas just to surrender.” As Datu Malindahay wanted to putan end to the series of killings involving Higaunons, hehad decided to talk to Jabbar. He recalled that many of hisconstituents dissuaded him from doing this for it would bevery dangerous, but no one could stop him. In his meetingwith Jabbar, he requested the latter to stop the bloodshedand the killings of their fellow Higaunons. Jabbar accededand requested Tatay Malindahay to prepare the necessarymaterials for the tampuda, a ceremony wherein parties agreeto end the conflict for good. During the tampuda, since Jabbarhad nothing to offer as manggad, he gave his Armalite rifle tothe offended party. The rift was resolved thereupon.80

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeAt the height of military operations in the hinterlands,Tatay Malindahay and Jabbar met in another incident wherehe requested the latter to spare their fellow Higaunons.“When Jabbar and I met, he asked me, ‘What now, Uncle?Should I surrender?’ I said, ‘No! I did not come here to facilitateyour surrender. My only request is for you to spare our fellowHigaunons in the killings.’ We had a good agreement. He toldme, ‘Okay, Uncle. When the Higaunons would have theiroperation, let them wear black or red headband so when wesee them coming, we would back out. We won’t shoot themanymore.’ Jabbar then asked what detachments I wantedhim to spare. I said the detachments in Kalipay, Eureka,Kamanikan and Tama.”Jabbar promised that he would comply with thisagreement and he would also instruct his comrades should hebe killed. But even after his death in 1992, military bombingson Higaunon settlements continued. According to Paredes(1997:198), the “the military has been bombing Higaunon andManobo areas all over Agusan del Sur and Surigao provinces”for the purpose of clearing the area for the coming in of largescale development projects, but they simply capitalized onthe presence of the NPA to justify these assaults.This was confirmed by Tatay Malindahay because henoted that Kalasayon in the municipality of Nasipit, Agusandel Norte was bombed. The adjacent areas of Malahuni,Hinandayan and Mimbahandi were also affected. Militaryaggression was greatly felt in the interior areas of Agusan delSur in their campaign to rid the countryside of NPAs.Because of this, Datu Kalasi sought the help of TatayMalindahay to put a stop to military operations in the abovementionedareas. There and then, Tatay Malindahay went tothe regional office of the National Commission on IndigenousPeoples (NCIP) in Butuan City. The NCIP staff then facilitated81

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWhis meeting with a certain Col. Rosseti. In that meeting, TatayMalindahay, together with some other datus, requested Col.Rosseti to stop their operation in Hinandayan, Mimbahandi,Malahuni and Salaysayon because the people living there werenot armed, they were civilians. But Col. Rosseti responded thatthese people are masa (NPA supporters) and they sheltered theNPAs in the area. Finally Col. Rosseti asked Tatay Malindahayif he could guarantee that these people would not side withthe NPA or would no longer shelter or accommodate theNPAs, the military would stop its operation. Thereafter, withthe prodding of Tatay Malindahay, Kalasi and his band madea peace pact with the military.Armed CultDuring the dumalongdong in Kiudto, Hagpa, Impasug-ong,Bukidnon in the 1990s attended by the datus from MisamisOriental, the Agusan provinces and Bukidnon, the datus inthe form of dasang requested the assistance of those presentbecause Mintapod has been occupied by an armed groupwhose members are mostly followers of Iglesia ni Kristo. Itwas a cult composed of around 500, including women andchildren. It was Amba Palasambag who made the requestrepeatedly. Because there was no one who responded to thisrequest, Tatay Malindahay went to the center and said that hewould try.The following morning, Tatay Malindahay went straightto then Mayor Lugod of Gingoog and asked for his advice.Mayor Lugod gave his support but reminded him to becareful. Mayor Lugod has requested the assistance of a pastornamed Renerio Dadulo of the United Church of Christ in thePhilippines (UCCP) to accompany Tatay Malindahay.The armed group had allegedly killed three datus who wentto speak to them. Tatay Malindahay said that this happenedsometime in 1985. He said he was also scared because of these82

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeprevious incidents and had been warned by his fellow datusnot to go because these people consisting of Ilonggo, Warayand even a few Moros were armed and dangerous. WhenTatay Malindahay and Pastor Dadulo reached Mintapod,they were searched and instructed to go to the house wherethe armed group’s pastor lived. They were ushered insidethe chapel. When the cult leader and Tatay Malindahay met,he introduced himself and his companion and discussed thepurpose of their visit:“Our purpose of coming here is to check your situation,because you know my brothers, this place, Mintapod, is sacredto us. This is the place where the Higaunons from the fourprovinces converge to pray and worship. This is true becausePanimahon is a place of worship for us. Hence, this is sacredfor us tribal people.”The head of the group listened intently and immediatelyapologized because they did not know that the place is sacredto the Higaunons. He even said that if only the three datushad only spoken to them the way Tatay Malindahay did, theymight not have been killed. The armed group then promisedto leave the place but left a reminder to Tatay Malindahay notto sell their houses and their crops, otherwise they would notbelieve him.Tribal ChieftainTatay Malindahay now occupies the position of a supremedatu of Misamis Oriental but he said the title of “chieftain” isa newly introduced concept. “No one was above nor belowothers. The chieftain thing, this is a new concept introducedby the government.” Tatay Malindahay narrated how he gotthe position of Tribal Chieftain:“There was an election. There were so many leaders,over a hundred of them. But the people were told to choose83

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWTatay at his peak -- Tribal Chieftain of the province of Misamis Oriental.only between Yukmo and Mandahinog and nobody else.Mandahinog emerged winner. Yukmo said he is currentlytaking care of another group, so he asked me to accept theposition. I refused at first but the people shouted repeatedlythat I should take the position of supreme datu.”As supreme datu, the tasks are heavier. Tatay said that hehas to attend to the problems not just in his place but there aretimes when he has to go to Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte andAgusan del Sur to settle some problems. There are times that84

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifehe would turn down the requests of his constituents becausehe did not have money for transportation. But most of thetime, he would be fetched by a vehicle so there is no reason forhim to refuse. Because of this, Tatay Malindahay lamented: “Icould no longer attend to myself. I always have to travel.”85

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAW’Tay DiknoD. FUNCTIONDatu Kili-kili’s Life History86

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeIN MULTIPLE SYSTEMSDikno Mansumagan or ’Tay Dikno, at 56, is the youngestof the datus interviewed for this study. He was born inMandalawat, Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.Mandalawat was formerly a sitio of Bal-ason, Gingoog City.He grew up in Bal-ason, a Higaunon territory, which used tobe an unayan or farm area. His parents are both Higaunons.His father is Datu Manluktuhan and his mother, Lumindita.His mother is of Pinagawa descent, the original Higaunonsof Bal-ason. ’Tay Dikno is the eldest from his father’s secondwife. Before finally residing in Bal-ason, his father lived inBaligihan and became a close ally of the grandfather of thepresent Barangay Captain of Eureka, Allan Mandokita.Kili-kili was a name given by his grandfather Manyugtaan.“The term kili-kili comes from the Higaunon word thatprimarily refers to people who has the ability to quickly makedecisions in meetings or dialogues. The elders realized thatthis name was apt for me because aside from making quickdecisions, I also make time to weigh the options to find aworkable solution. That’s kiling-kiling.”In the past, Sitio Mandalawat was a thick forest. Hisgrandfather had a house there, at the time when the loggingcompany had not discovered this place yet. Mandalawat wasentrusted to him and his first cousin, Meloy Pinagawa, also adatu of Barangay Kalipay, Gingoog City.In 1958, the eight-year-old Dikno started attending school inBal-ason despite strong resistance from his parents. His parents’apprehension was grounded on their fear that education mightmake Dikno abandon his culture and tradition. But he pursuedhis goal, stirred up by his desire to learn to write his name.To sustain his education, ’Tay Dikno worked as houseboy and87

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWerrand in Bal-ason. It was not easy since he had to wake up at3:30 in the morning to do the household chores. He resorted toworking at such a very young age for free board and lodging, aswell as to earn extra cash to buy school supplies, like pencil andpaper. When he was in third grade, he had to stop schoolingbecause his father took him out of the house where he worked,and brought him back to Mandalawat.’Tay Dikno also engaged in hunting wild animals (panlais)and fishing. “Even as a child, I already knew how to hunt andfish. It was my job to gather food from the forest.” He alsolearned to farm.During his teens, ’Tay Dikno was fond of going to differentplaces, so he made friends with a lot of people. He had stayedin Camiguin, in Aposkahoy in Claveria, Misamis Oriental,in Dangcagan, Bukidnon and in Butuan. He met someone inCamiguin who eventually became his girlfriend, but he hadto leave her when he went back to the mainland. Since hisparents did not allow him to go back to Camiguin, ’Tay Diknowent to Butuan, where he worked in a logging company in avillage called Tungaw. Whenever he had a chance to go hometo his parents, he always made it a point to do some farming,so they would have something to harvest when he sets off toanother place again.In 1972, ’Tay Dikno was married to a 10-year-old Higaunongirl. It was, of course, an arranged one. ’Tay Dikno narrated:“She had no idea what was going on; she was just a child.I took care of her since it was the wishes of our elders. Therewere times when she would take a shower, naked, right infront of me. She felt no embarrassment. I told her not to dothat. I wanted to teach her how to behave properly.”In the first few years that they lived together as a couple,’Tay Dikno’s wife thought that they were just siblings. When88

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeshe turned 16, their parents finally told the girl that she wasactually married to Dikno, and as such, had marital duties asa wife. When she was 17, she gave birth to what was to be thefirst of their 10 children, 5 girls and 5 boys.At present, ’Tay Dikno is the local chieftain of Mandalawat,representing the sitio in the barangay as leader in communityaffairs during meetings in the barangay. When the CADCwas awarded to the entire barangay Minalwang, ’Tay Diknowas elected as one of the board members of the MinalwangHigaunon Tribal Council (MIHITRICO). Aside from this,’Tay Dikno handles several positions in the community.He is a paralegal and a peace builder, having attended theextensive training dubbed Op Kors, or the Operation PeaceCourse for Peace Builders in Mindanao. He is a trainedLocal Community Organizer (LCO) of Balay MindanawFoundation, Inc. (BMFI), a Cagayan de Oro-based nongovernmentalorganization, and a member of the CitizensArmed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU). With his variousresponsibilities, he has difficulty managing his time. Here’show he does it:“If there are conflicts in my schedule, I have to decidewhich one to prioritize. If one meeting has really more seriousand urgent issues to discuss, then I’d rather go there than theother meeting to be held at the same time but with not-soimportantagenda. This is not always an easy task. That’swhy I have been asking different NGOs to coordinate theirschedule, or hold related activities jointly so we won’t bewasting precious time. As a datu, I have many other things toattend to, because aside from my various positions, I also haveto respond to the invitations of the other datus. I’d also relyon the babalaon (oracle) to determine what functions I shouldattend to. Sometimes very important events would just cropup somewhere, like in Agusan or in Bukidnon, when theywould call for a dumalongdong, then we should really respondto that.”89

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWThe tulugan where the tribal council of Barangay Minalwang, which includesTay Dikno, discuss conflicts for resolution activities.’Tay Dikno admitted that because of his very busy schedule,he is sometimes unable to pursue economic activities. He hadto entrust these to his son to support the family. He dependedon his wife to provide guidance to the children. There weretimes when he could not come home for three to four days. Tomake up for the lost time, he and his wife would spend timetalking about many things. Sometimes she would ask him foradvice and opinion on certain issues. He would oftentimes tellhis wife that they would just go on with their everyday life,and he would continue to attend to his various obligations.They may feel economically deprived, but they are happywith the fact that at least they still have something to shareduring mealtime.’Tay Dikno opined that it is not easy to handle severalpositions. “It is difficult because if you do not know how tomanage, you will fail in all your positions. But if you knowhow to handle things, somehow you can manage.”90

Becoming a DatuPart 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Life’Tay Dikno comes from a lineage of datus. Hence, he wasalready aware of his destiny even as a child. ’Tay Dikno said:“Since I was a child I knew I was going to be a datu. ButI’m still not comfortable being called a datu, even up to now.Because the title requires that one be really knowledgeableabout the Higaunon customs and traditions, the traditionallaws, and has earned the respect of his constituents.”To ’Tay Dikno, being a datu is not an easy task because itentails a lot of responsibilities, as what he had observed withhis elders. He laments the fact that these days, anybody couldjust earn the title despite ignorance of the customary laws.As a datu, ’Tay Dikno has to look after the welfare of hisconstituents. He explained that he does not only attend to thewelfare of the 25 households in his community, since there areother people who need his help. The people look up to himwhen it comes to decision-making. But ’Tay Dikno stressedthat a datu’s decision will not always be correct, or that it willbe absolutely followed.“The datu would only facilitate the discussion, like in thecase of pamamahandi ritual. When agreements are forged, hehad to consult the opinion of everyone, if they are amenableto it or not. The datu will not just be deciding on his own.”Like Amba Palasambag, ’Tay Dikno believes that a datustill has to listen to the ideas and opinions of his sakop.But because of the people’s respect and belief in the datu,oftentimes, whatever his decision is automatically accepted.Although some datu may like that because it makes theirjobs easier, ’Tay Dikno insists it’s not the right thing to do.A datu must present his opinion to the people, and they caneither agree or disagree to it. Thus, in a gathering a datu must91

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWconsult and seek the opinion of everyone in order to come upwith sensible decisions.“For me, the datu does not have the sole authority indecision-making. I don’t know what others think. Butthe majority of them now, except the really good datus,decide all by themselves because they’re the datu anyway.Traditionally, however, the constituents make the decision,and the datu only has to concur. It is the same with thebarangay captain, because he could not make decisions onhis own without consulting the kagawads. It has alwaysbeen like that.”Like Amba Palasambag, Amay Mantangkilan and TatayMalindahay, ’Tay Dikno believes that the datu’s role inaddressing conflict is only to offer suggestions and restorethe good relationship of the parties involved. Moreover, thedatu should also be a model or a good example to others. ’TayDikno said:“The datu should explain the laws relating to the conflict,but he could not impose his opinions on the parties involved.His family should set as an example. If a datu does not respecthis family, how can he expect to earn the respect of others?”’Tay Dikno had already been mediating conflicts evenbefore he was ordained a datu. He called himself a “traineedatu.” This experience is common among many Higaunondatus such that prior to ordination or their being formallyconferred as datu, they have gone through a lengthy internshipstage (Paredes: 1997:125).His father, being a datu palaghusay (mediator), was theone who taught him all the rudiments in settling disputes.’Tay Dikno started mediating minor conflicts, like lalis-lalis orpetty quarrels, and marriages. “My father often tasked me tosettle conflicts. Sometimes he would let me settle spouses in a92

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifemarriage which has no defect in the first place. This is what wecall as ‘gold,’ those settlements without flaws.” Conflicts thatare not serious are termed lumba bulawan or minor conflicts,while conflicts involving blood relatives are termed sisisma hulido or anip ha lido. This is also called kinakatangkawan or highestform of conflict because it is like “sipping one’s own blood.”“These are conflicts when relatives are killing each other, likethose involving nephews, uncles,” according to Tatay Yukmo,a respected Higaunon datu of Sangalan, Gingoog City. Crimesof incest are termed lubad dinagsaan. “Like coveting your son’swife. It’s bad and dangerous,” said Tatay Yukmo.’Tay Dikno disclosed that when he started mediatingconflicts, he was extremely cautious because he was afraidthat he could utter inappropriate words during the pangapog(invocation) and in the actual settlement.’Tay Dikno remembered the first wedding heThe Talakub, mamaun, salay, galang and candles used during a singampo.93

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWsolemnized: “I was not scared. I was only thinking how tomarry a young lady and a man.” The Higaunons considermarriage as a form of husay since both parties should comeinto mutual understanding or agreement. ’Tay Diknorevealed that the union of the first couple he wed prevailsuntil now. To the elders, this is a sign that his authorityto solemnize weddings is effective because the first unionremains intact. Had it been a failure, ’Tay Dikno said hemay make officiating weddings his last priority. For him,solemnizing successful marriages is one of the sukdanan,or basis of being a datu.’Tay Dikno’s wife has always been with him since he startedmediating conflicts. She helps in procuring the manggad -- likepigs, chickens, and others -- needed for the mediation. Duringconciliations, his wife also helps in calming down people withtemper.Becoming a CAFGU’Tay Dikno volunteered to become a member of theIntegrated Civilian Home Defense Force (ICHDF), thegovernment’s paramilitary arm, in 1982. His first trainingwas conducted in barangay Eureka, Gingoog City handledby the composite team of the Scout Ranger and the PhilippineNational Police. There they were taught about good attitudeand proper discipline. His first assignment was at BarangayBal-ason. As part of the paramilitary unit, he reports for duty15 days each month.He was also assigned in various places, like Dinawihan inGingoog City, Malinaw in Magsaysay, Tungaw, Tinamaybayand in Bankasi in Butuan City, all under the Army’s FourthInfantry Division. In 1989, ICHDF was changed to CitizensArmed Forces Geographical Unit or CAFGU. He is still withthe CAFGU now, assigned at the nearby sitio Palo, BarangayHindangon, Gingoog City.94

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeThe CAFGU Detachment at Sitio Palo, Barangay Hindangon, Gingoog Citywhere Tay Dikno is assigned.’Tay Dikno’s unforgettable experience being a CAFGU waswhen they were ambushed while on their way to their campin Agusan del Norte. With more than 20 years of experiencein the paramilitary service, encounters and ambushes hadalways been a part of that risky task. In times when his lifewas in danger, ’Tay Dikno said:“You should have a plan, because war is not just all aboutbravery. You need the plan for your safety. You can achievenothing with just bravery, so it is important that bravery iscoupled with good planning. If you have a plan but withoutbravery, you could also achieve nothing, you will end updead because you will be overwhelmed by panic.”Being a CAFGU is not easy, according to ’Tay Dikno. “Itwas always a near-death experience. In ambush situations,seldom could anyone survive. It was just pure luck.”95

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAW’Tay Dikno said he joined the CAFGU as a means tohelp protect the area from those who want to spread chaos.He noted that had it not been for the presence of CAFGUs,several lawless elements could have penetrated the area andsucceeded in their bad intentions. ’Tay Dikno recalled that in1983 or 1984, there was a massive recruitment of NPAs in theirarea and what ensued was a bloody encounter between fellowHigaunons. “Higaunons were killing their fellow Higaunons.They could no longer distinguish who’s Higaunon and who’snot because they all carried firearms. It ended up Higaunonversus Higaunon.”’Tay Dikno admitted that they were so naïve in the past. Theywere easily deceived since they had no idea that everythingthe NPA taught was propaganda. He had also learned thatyoung students, particularly scholars who were proficient inpublic speaking, were recruited into the movement.Tay Dikno seriously listening to the presentation of the research results duringthe feedbacking last February 2006.96

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon LifeCoping with a Complex Situation’Tay Dikno said that it is difficult to maintain the traditionin the midst of modernization.“I don’t know if we can still keep our tradition. I’d saymaybe 90 percent that we can’t keep it as it was. It’s becauseof several modern influences nowadays. While us the oldergeneration wanted it here in our traditional lands, but ourchildren travel everywhere they want to.”Aside from the opportunities to travel outside theirtraditional areas, even in their midst there are variousagents of change. Among these are the media, like televisionand videos, said ’Tay Dikno. The shows broadcast in thesecommunication devices, he said, are what is occupying theminds of their young. They learn bad things from the media,’Tay Dikno maintains.“I don’t know. I haven’t seen shows in Betamax. They haveTV, CD, too. Then they would show movies they call ‘gold,’or ‘bold,’ or is that ‘gold label’? [Laughing.] The children getto see those, which could pollute their minds.”’Tay Dikno abhorred these communication devices. Heremarked that in his home, they do not even have a transistorradio. He used to own one, but it incurred huge expenses onbatteries, so he told his children that instead of buying batteries,they better use the money to buy clothes or underwear, orsalt. It is not easy to earn money, he stressed.He only wished that his children would not experience allthe hardships he had undergone. But he said that if they donot listen to his advice, they might even experience worse.Education is very important, according to ’Tay Dikno, but itrequires patience and hard work. He told his children thatsince they were not able to finish their studies, they might as97

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWwell do their best in farming, and make the land productive.The farm serves as their “office” because farming is also aprofession.Conflict and Peace in a Changed CommunityHigaunons now have to cope with multiple changes intheir communities, and with these come various conflictsmore than what they were used to -- quarrels as a result ofmisunderstanding, drinking spree fights, stabbing incidents,homicide and murder, military abuse, robbery, theft, jealousy,land boundary disputes, spreading false rumors, poverty,greed, and pride. They observed that drinking alcoholicbeverages triggered most squabbles, even homicide.Apprehension and fear are the common reactions ofeveryone every time there is a conflict in the community.Effects on the people in the community are less felt whenconflicts are considered minor, but if these involved murderthat are yet to be settled, people have so much to worry fortheir security. In most cases, curfew is imposed at night,especially among the young. Teenagers are told not to go toplaces where unresolved conflicts exist. Women in Kiudto saidthey could not function normally in the presence of prevailingconflicts. They are afraid to go to their farms, or indulge inother economic activities and provide for the needs of theirchildren. One of the barangay tanods in Kiudto said that asan effect of the conflict, “members of our family would beafraid even just to go downstairs to go to the comfort room.”Stores would close earlier than usual. What they are afraidmost is the possibility that the offended party would retaliate,and this would mean further chaos and bloodshed. One of thewomen in Sangalan noted that:“We are supposed to be one family because we are allHigaunons, but we are killing each other. I told my children,one of whom is a member of the Lupong Tagapamayapa98

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Life(a quasi-judicial body in the barangay level) while anotheris a barangay kagawad (village councilor), not to join inmediating hotly contested conflicts because even the innocentgets dragged into the trouble. But one of my children insistson standing by his being a lupon. It’s very difficult.”To resolve conflicts, the people resort to husay or mediation.This puts an end to their fears and apprehensions as to whatwould happen next when a conflict is left unsettled. “Conflictsmust be addressed to restore good relationships and for themto forgive each other.” However, variations as to who wouldhandle the husay have developed.Sitio or purok leaders, barangay tanods, barangaykagawads, barangay captains and the datus could mediateconflicts. The feuding parties may choose whom the mediatorwill be. It also depends on the parties involved. For example,A singampo is done at the start of the Sayuda daw Buntola of the Higaunonshosted by the gaop in Malitbog, Bukidnon.99

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWif the persons involved in the conflict are all Higaunons,settlement is entrusted to the datus. If all are Dumagats, thebarangay captain would handle the settlement. The youths inKiudto said that this division of tasks between the barangayofficials and the datus is followed because Dumagats mayencounter difficulties when the datus mediate their case.“In a case where Dumagats are involved, they could hardlycomprehend the settlement process because the datus usuallydo the dasang. They might think that the datus are quarrelingwhen in fact they are only conversing.” If the conflict involvesa Higaunon and a Dumagat, the datus and the barangayofficials join together to settle the conflict, as in the case inKiudto. “They come together and help each other settle theconflict.”A clear division of labor in handling cases is bestillustrated on the experience of Tatay Malindahay and hisbrother, Estoriano Mandahinog, who is the barangay captainin Kalipay. “In most cases, the datus only mediate conflictsinvolving the lumads. But there are also cases that could notbe settled by the datus, so they pass these on to barangayofficials.” In some cases, the reverse is also true -- of the datushandling the settlement when the barangay officials could notsettle the conflict, according to Tatay Malindahay.The youth in Kalabugao said that barangay kagawads maysettle the conflict if it falls within his area of responsibility. Thesame holds true for the sitio leaders. Conflicts pertaining tothe gaops are automatically the concern of the datus, accordingto the tanods in Kiudto. “If there was a conflict within a gaop,a datu may settle it first. But if the datu can’t settle it, onlythen it can be forwarded to the sitio leaders.” In Minalwang,conflicts involving both Higaunons and Dumagats are firstbrought to the datu before being endorsed to the barangaycouncil. The tanods in Minalwang see no problem withthis system, since majority of the members of the barangaycouncil are also Higaunons. In Kalabugao, the datus and100

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifethe barangay council often converge to mediate and resolveconflicts, whether involving Higaunons or Dumagats.According to the lupon in Minalwang, many residentsprefer datus to settle their conflicts. “Here in our place, manywould prefer that the settlement be confined within the tribeinstead of bringing it to barangay officials.” But in Kalabugao,especially among the youth, the barangay officials are morepreferred. One of the youths said, “I have more confidencein the barangay officials’ method of mediating conflicts.”Comparing the husay conducted by the datus and the barangayofficials, the people observed that the datus do the dasang,perform the various rituals and offer manggad, while thebarangay officials only conduct a prayer, and then the signingof an affidavit. The barangay officials also require a filing feeof Php25 from the one who files the complaint, according tothe tanods in Kiudto. Women in Sitio Kiudto noted that whenthe barangay officials conduct a settlement, there is always asecretary who would document the proceedings. Datus neverrequire a written record of their proceedings. The women alsoobserved:“When the datus conduct settlements, they have tosacrifice some of their personal belongings to ensure a peacefulproceeding. It could be a bolo, or some other thing, as long asthey have something to give away.”The youths in Minalwang also noted that Higaunons donot anymore allow feuding parties to air their sides of the storyregarding the conflict, contrary to the mainstream practice ofresolving issues. “In the Dumagat way of settlement, the twoparties are given time to tell their side of the story. This oftenleads to more conflicts because hurting words are usuallyhurled toward each other. In our system, only the datuusually does the talking, because he had already listened toboth parties before they are made to face each other, therebyavoiding delays.”101

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWTatay Manuel, ‘Tay Dikno and Tatay Cornelio share their experiences as membersof the Tribal Council in Barangay Minalwang, Claveria.Although their processes might be quite different, thepurpose of both husay of the barangay court and the datu’scourt is the same -- both want to put an end to the conflict andrestore peace.There are, however, varied opinions as to whose mediationprocess is more reliable. The younger generation in Kalabugaoput their trust more on the barangay officials.“It’s really different. I can really trust the way the barangayofficials mediate conflicts because they use various methodsin calming down people. Not to offend the datus, but therewere cases when a conflict was supposedly ‘settled’ by thedatus, but deep inside, the parties involved still hold grudgesagainst each other.”102Some of the youths in Kiudto said that they trusted the

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifebarangay officials more than the datus because “the barangayofficials have more authority to settle conflicts because theywere elected by the people, chosen to lead the barangay.”However, most of the young ones interviewed have noteven attended a single mediation process. The youth seemsnot familiar with the paghusay and therefore may not fullyappreciate the variations.The others remarked that the barangay officials, beingthe duly elected authorities, are recognized by the people.On the other hand, the datus, by virtue of being the eldersin the community, are respected for their wisdom. Womenin Barangay Sangalan, however, uphold that the Higaunonway is more effective because of the manggad. “The giving ofmanggad shows the respect of both parties to each other, andto the datu who mediate in the conflict.” The laws pertainingto manggad is embedded in each one’s heart, and the conflict ofthe parties cannot be settled unless there was a commitmentand willingness from both parties to finally end the conflict.Moreover, the datus’ wives believe that the traditional way isbetter because of the blessing from God through the singampo.Divine intervention, to them, has more weight. The Dumagat’sor the modern way, some say, is expensive and tedious sincea trial usually lasts for more than a year, hiring lawyers alongthe way, before a verdict is arrived at.The tanods trust the datus especially when the personsinvolved in the conflict are all Higaunons. The chicken (thatis offered as manggad) is equivalent to the affidavit that wouldseal their peace pact, said the tanods. The women in Kiudtoalso mentioned that, although conflict resolution proceedingsare not documented on paper, the tampuda already serves thispurpose.“They do not need a secretary because of the tampuda,the ritual which constitutes the most sacred agreement. Atampuda is basically an agreement that should not be altered.103

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWThe tampuda involves a long process. It is said to be the highestpact.”In the traditional Higaunon method of settling conflicts,no one goes to jail. “With the datu’s way, no one would beimprisoned. But with the barangay officials’ method, theguilty party goes to jail, unless there’s an agreement for thepayment of blood money.”The confidence of the people -- especially among women,youth and the tanod -- in a mediator depends on his capabilityand experience in mediating conflicts. Although the youthsin Kalabugao are vocal on their bias toward barangayofficials, they also think that a barangay official’s capabilityand experience as mediator are important considerations.One of the younger ones made this comment about a certainbarangay official: “He has no confidence in himself becausehe had to bring in another person to help him out. It seems helacks experience.” In the same manner, women of Sangalanand wives of datus in Kiudto do not trust the young andinexperienced datus to settle the conflict, saying, “We cannottrust them because they might just aggravate the conflict. Mostof the new datus nowadays drink liquor before mediating theconflict.” Women and youths are in agreement that confidence,capability and experience are the highest qualities required ofa good mediator.The Lupong Tagapamayapa in Minalwang establishedthe differences in the way conflicts are handled by datusand barangay officials. They said Higaunons do not havedocuments, but only manggad. Disputes are readily attendedto, and immediately settled. The tampuda serves as a pact,which symbolizes respect of both parties to each other, andrespect to the mediating datus. The settlement is “conducted”in the heart of everyone involved.104The community members desire to attain and maintain

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifepeace in the community. After having witnessed the varioustypes of conflicts, they suggested many ways in which conflictscan be avoided so that peace may reign in the community.All respondents said that there should be understandingand unity among all the people in the community. To avoidconflict, they need to respect each other, and practice the virtueof humility. According to the women in Sangalan, “We oughtto respect one another since all of us want peace.” The youthin Kalabugao also mentioned: “Those tasked to maintainpeace and order should not be the ones to start trouble.” Thisremark sprung from their observation that some CAFGUsdrink alcoholic beverages, especially during communityactivities like fiestas.Since some conflicts originate from misunderstandings,often aggravated through the spread of false rumors, womenin Sangalan commented: “The best thing to do if one hearsstories involving other persons or families is to keep it tohimself. It’s also better if we don’t listen to false rumors.”According to the datus’ wives in Kiudto, pangaliya (prayer)and pagsinabtanay (understanding) are ways to attain peace.The youth in Kalabugao also suggested that people shouldobey or follow the laws, and ordinances should be fullyimplemented.105


Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionPart ThreeMga Paghusay:Concepts andPractices in ConflictResolution107

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWTatay Manuel plays the agong in a ritual in Barangay Minalwang involvingthe sending of five children to share the Higaunon culture through dances inManila.Higaunons want to live by their laws and maintainorder in the community. This is the reason whythey initiate the husay whenever a conflict arises inthe community. The datus acting as palaghusay (mediators)go out of their way to reach out to the feuding members ofthe community in order to settle their grievances and avoidbloodshed, especially in cases involving murder, or whatis called lido. The Higaunons desire peace. In one of theconsultations, the elders remarked that they should not begeneralized as magahat or outlaw. “The magahats are the onesconsidered as cancer of society.”The Higaunons maintain social order primarily throughthe resolution of conflict following a set of laws they callbalaud, and the performance of rituals. The cases presentedhere show the different types of conflict and how they arepeacefully resolved.108

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionBalaudThe Higaunons relate with life, their social surroundings,and their habitat, including the spirit world, by observing thelaws or balaud that had been handed to them by their ancestors.This balaud forms part of the social control mechanism forthe maintenance of order and harmony in Higaunon society.According to Tatay Malindahay, “In the past, there wereno crooks among Higaunons, no traitors because they wereafraid of the laws.”Higaunon laws are orally transmitted from generation togeneration. These are not written and none among the datusinterviewed can state in toto the laws that they commonlyobserve pertaining to the resolution of conflicts. In maintainingsocial order, the Higaunons invoke the balaud. These lawsare used in settling conflicts in marriage, inheritance, landSangalan talugan visit and initial discussion on the Mandukita-Ansihaganconflict.109

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWuse, murder and kidnapping. A notable aspect of the balaudis that it does not convict offenders. As one of the barangaytanods in Kiudto puts it, “in the Higaunon way, no one goesto jail.” Paredes quoted Biernatzki’s (1973:19) contentionwhen he said that balaud is “chiefly a religious law,” whichmeans that it originally came from the spirits. Tatay ManuelPinaandel of Minalwang likewise affirmed this when hesaid: “The laws originated from our beliefs to a supremebeing likened to a god.” Tatay Malindahay has this to say oftheir balaud:“Our laws came from our ancestors, from Apo Pabuluson,Apo Lagawlaw, Apo Ayawon. We have many ancestors.Our ancestors were guided by the spirits. These spirits inthe mountain we call lalawag ungli. The laws were createdand handed down by Apo Pabuluson, Apo Ayawon, ApoLubagtikan, Apo Buabua, and Apo Bulahon, who was a tribalwarrior.”With reference to balaud, the Higaunons is quick to referto bungkatol ha bulawan or “golden rule,” which symbolizes“maayo nga batasan” or good attitude. In addition to bungkatolha bulawan is the nangkatasa ha lana (a cup of oil). In Minalwang,the datus added mating-aw ha batasan (pure attitude) as one oftheir guiding rules. When asked about the deeper meaning ofbungkatol ha bulawan and nangkatasa ha lana, the datus all havethe same answer, saying those are mere parables that speakabout love, love of oneself and others. Tatay Malindahayoffered an elaborate explanation:“Bungkatol ha bulawan is a symbol that means your heartis like gold that would not fade, would not change, could notafford to be a traitor, would not cheat nor take advantage ofothers. Compassionate and generous, that is the meaning ofbungkatol. Nangkatasa ha lana is also a parable which says thatlike oil in a cup, that when it overflows, it means that youhave violated the law, or may have offended others.”110

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionTatay Manuel leads the FGD for the Tribal Council of Minalwang last November2005 at the Minalwang tulugan Purok 1.Tatay Manuel Pinaandel, a respected datu of Minalwang,however, noted that each tulugan has its own set of batasan(also known as set of rules of conduct) and bungkatol ha bulawanand nagkatasa ha lana are the batasan commonly followed bythe Higaunons in Sinakungan and Baligihan. For the tuluganin Minalwang, Tatay Manuel said that maulan ha lana andmating-aw ha batasan were added as the prescribed attitude.111

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAW“This place was baptized with maulan ha lana or pureattitude. Maulan ha lana was what the barangay captain said asrespect for each other because we need to keep the agreementof the elders, which they call as bigula.”“Tumbasa daw bigula” or bigula as mentioned by TatayManuel is a commonly used parable that means “panagigsoonay”or brotherhood, a batasan they usually employ inmediating conflicts involving blood relatives.“This is about getting to know each other. About unity.This strengthens the bond of our brotherhood. As a form ofmanggad, we are inclined to give power, kamuyot, plates andbolo. These are the things I can give you in return as a sign ofstrengthening our relationship.”This set of expressions among Higaunons providesElders sign the document stating the agreement between the Mandukita andAnsihagan clans on a land dispute in 2007 at the tulugan in Sitio Bagasbas,Barangay Sangalan, Gingoog City.112

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionguidelines for a set of appropriate and desirable behaviorsand mode of conduct.Batasan hu lido is another law followed by the datus “whenthey conduct mediations.” Tatay Malindahay explained thatbatasan hu lido is a law governing conflicts involving murder.“The feuding parties are not allowed to be near each otherbecause there is a law on that, and doing so may cause themillness. Lido from our beliefs may cause sickness, such thatwhen you pass by the other party, you would just be surprisedwhy your companion suddenly died. It was because of theconflict, because of the attitude. For instance, if one of theparties in a conflict lives in Barangay Eureka, he should notcome to Kalipay while the conflict has not been settled becauseyet there is a law on that.”Another batasan that has almost vanished is the practicecalled panuos, which means respect for another person. DatuMandedlyne, a respected datu and chairman of BarangayHagpa, said:“In the farm, you should not take anything from there ifthere’s nobody from whom you can ask permission. That ispanuos. But if you are really that hungry and you see foodthere, but the owner is not around, then you may take it. Butyou have to put a sign that you took something. This was ourpractice in the past.”Datu Mandedlyne said that the sign that you tooksomething should be very conspicuous so the owner couldreadily see it. It could be an old coin or a piece of stick thatpoints to the direction where you live. This is a sign of one’srespect to the owner. Failure to do this is a violation of thelaws on panuos.The Higaunons moreover believe in the gaba or negative113

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWconsequences of a sala (sin), like some form of a punishmentfor a misdemeanor. The concept of gaba further reinforces theupholding of the balaud.HusayAs mentioned in the preceding chapters, the term husayamong the Higaunons is not only limited to conflicts or feudwhere there are aggrieved parties; it also encompasses thenegotiation of a contract like marriage. Minor conflicts aretermed lumbo bulawan or conflicts that do not involve bloodrelatives while serious conflicts in the form of murder andadultery are called anip ha lido. In this type of conflict, the lawon batasan hu lido applies. The term for the highest form of salais kinatangkawan. This refers to serious conflicts, like murderinvolving blood relatives.ManggadIn a paghusay, the payment or manggad or fine is leviedagainst the party or parties responsible for the crime. Themanggad may be in the form of cash or in kind, like a pieceof land, carabao, horses, and other valuable items. The datusizes up the degree of the offense and determines the amountto be paid to the offended party.From the details of the conflict that will be presented,manggad seems to be the most preferred form of retributionrather than confinement. Tatay Manuel of Minalwang callsthe manggad as “mga gahum” or powers. The datus believethat manggad serves as an effective deterrent to anyone whoplans to commit mistakes. “It’s a cure for one’s ill feelings, thatyou should not continue your hatred towards me, and thatI should also put an end to my hatred towards you,” TatayYukmo said of manggad. The two parties would exchangetheir manggad. This will serve as a keepsake of their restoredrelationships.114

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionIn most cases, because of the desire of the datus to resolvethe conflict, they are the ones who look for the manggadas offering to the parties. This particularly happens if theoffender has nothing to offer, so the datu himself procuresthe manggad just to settle the conflict. This is one of thereasons why, according to Tatay Malindahay as pointed outin his life history, a datu would never get rich. “My Dumagatneighbors would tell me, ‘Datu, if you just saved all yourmoney instead of using it to help other people, you couldhave bought a car. But since you always help others, you endup with nothing.”Manggad is costly, that is why most datus interviewedremarked that unavailability of money is one of the factorsthat may hinder the speedy resolution of conflicts. Themanggad, however, can be negotiated by the mediating datus,especially when they could see that the manggad demandedby the aggrieved party is more than what the offender andthe datu himself can afford. This was shown in the caseA cooking pot, plates, bolo, money and a cloth, are among those used asmanggad.115

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWhandled by Tatay Malindahay pertaining to a conflict wherethe groom-to-be withdrew from the wedding agreement.Tatay Malindahay negotiated the reduction of the manggadfrom Php15,000 plus one pig to Php10,000 and a pig.Singampo and tampuda hu balagunThe performance of rituals is part of Higaunon life,especially in paghusay. Ritual, according to Turner (1967:19),has reference to a society’s beliefs in mystical powers andbeings. In all undertakings, be it hunting, farming and inmarriage, the Higaunons perform various rituals as a signof acknowledging a powerful being or beings that rule theirevery activity.In the resolution of conflict, certain rituals are observed.Serious conflicts are usually resolved through singampo (prayerrituals) and tampuda hu balagon or the ceremonial cutting ofrattan. Singampo is an activity where the feuding parties arebeing prayed over as the datus invoke the intercession of themagbabayas and the spirits in the pangapog or pandalawit. Thesingampo is likened to a prayer asking God and the spirits torestore the good relationship of the parties involved in theconflict. Datu Manbutalan, the oldest and respected datu ofSangalan, Gingoog City, said: “The singampo is performedwhether the case is serious or minor.” The singampo maysometimes last for several days depending on the intensityof the conflict and the level of commitment of each party tocome to terms.There are rules as well as processes in conducting husay.But these processes may vary depending on the type ofconflict, its intensity and the style employed by the mediator.As Amay Mantangkilan puts it:“Settling conflicts is not easy, so there should be aprocess to be followed to make the mediation successful116

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionand so it would not create another problem. But this largelydepends on the situation because there are different typesof conflicts and the mediators have their own ways ofresolving it.”For lido and other serious types of conflicts, the tampudais done. Tampuda literally means kasabutan or pact. This ritualrequires a piece of rattan about a foot long and a youngchicken. There are, however, variations to this, depending onthe palaghusay who mediates the conflict. In a case reported inMinalwang, three tiny pieces of lanot or strands of abaca fiberwere included in the tampuda aside from the usual rattan andchicken.During the tampuda, the Higaunons dig a hole where theritual materials will be buried in a ceremony called panlitub.“The feuding parties hold both ends of the rattan, and thechicken’s neck will be placed near the rattan. The datu handlingthe settlement will then cut the rattan and the chicken’s neckwith one stroke of his bolo.” This happens with the followersof each party watching tensely, with their hands near the bolosready for the draw. Should the datu fail to successfully cut therattan in one stroke, bloody encounters between the two partiesmay ensue as the failure of the tampuda means that one partywas dissatisfied with the terms of the settlement. Tampuda isvery dangerous, according to Tatay Manuel Pinaader. “In thepast, if a datu cannot successfully cut the rattan, there wouldbe killings, which could include the mediating datu. Thefeuding parties’ bolos would be used against the enemy. Thisis why the datu and the alimaong would really watch theirback. If indeed there will be a commotion, the bae may screamto stop it.” When asked if there ever was an instance when therattan was not cut with one stroke, the informants said therewas none. “The datus always prepare for that,” they said.“The sign that the rattan was successfully cut was the singingof the limbay by the datu’s wife,” added Datu Pignaoan, ofKalipay.117

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWAfter the successful cutting of the rattan, the datu may alsolight candles or a salumayag torch and break an egg while makingdawit-dawit or invocation of the spirits. The rattan and the chickensymbolize the devils that rule the conflict. “A chicken is offered tothe malevolent spirits who dwell under the soil who are behindthe person who has killed. The offering is intended to covertheir eyes so they could see no further and thus could no longerrepeat the conflict.” Then the parties would shake hands as a signthat their good relationship has been restored. Tampuda is thenfollowed by panlitub, where the remaining ritual paraphernaliastill unburied would be buried.Panlitub and PaggimokodThe panlitub is directed towards ibabasok (the spirit ofthe farm), talabugta (the spirit of the land), pamalayag (spiritguiding the travelers), and panumanod (the guardian spirit).The spirits are invoked to finally put an end to the conflict andto arrest further complication. The spirits are asked to restoregood relationships among the people. The spirits talabugtaand ibabasok are further invoked in the panlitub to accept theofferings that will be buried.The rattan, chicken and the broken egg will be buried onthe ground and in some cases they include a burning salumayagtorch or a candle which will be put off the moment it touchesthe ground. The putting off of the torchlight symbolizes theending of the conflict, like putting off anger and hatred. Thebreaking of the egg symbolizes the shattering of the conflict,which is then impossible to reconstruct. During the dawitdawit,the datu would tell the parties, and also as if talking tothe egg, that whenever they would try to revive the conflict,the earth would open and bury all their constituents. Hence,the parties are made to swear not to resurrect the conflict. Ahuge stone is placed on top of the soil covering the area wherethe items were buried. The panlitub simply means ending andforgetting the conflict. Therefore, no one should resurrect118

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionit. Burying the tampuda ritual materials is a symbolic act ofburying the conflict because, as Datu Manbaldihan said, “thesewould just give us hardships, pain and chaos in Hagpa.”The Higaunon informants noted that if ever the conflictwould recur or be revived under the same reason, the onewho restarted the conflict would bear most of the sala (sins)because resurrecting the conflict is tantamount to lifting thehuge stone that covered the conflict, lighting the torch, andreconstructing the broken egg. If this happens, the datuswould have to agree on how to deal with it.During a settlement, the singampo is usually done first,followed by the tampuda. But there are also cases when thisis reversed. Datu Manggul-anan, a respected datu of Hagpa,noted: “That should not be delayed. When the feuding partiesmeet and you can sense outrage, especially when there is somuch hurt because of what happened, everything should behurriedly done. In this case, the tampuda should be conductedRepresentatives of the Mandukita and Ansihagan clans shake hands after a twodaydialogue and mediation process last April 10-11, 2006 at the Tribal Hall inSangalan.119

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWfirst.” In tampuda, the alimaongs usually stand in the middle toprevent the two warring groups from retaliating.After the cutting of the rattan and the panlitub is theritual known as pag-gimokod. The gimokod, representing thesouls of the dead, is requested to finally restore the goodrelationship of the parties. Pag-gimokod is done through thepangapog or prayer. A pig is butchered and cooked whilethe datus continue their pangapog. When the food is cookedthis would be offered to the spirits and there follows apanampulot or partaking a small amount of food. All thosewho were involved in the conflict would do the panampulot.Consequently, a prayer will be offered for the datus whosettled the conflict, in a ritual called dawitan, so that thegood spirits will always enlighten them and the rift theyjust settled would forever be laid to rest and would neverbe resurrected. The prayer also includes the blessing of thedatus, that they may always have good health and a longlife.A number of cases of conflicts and their resolutions arepresented here to illustrate in more detail how Higaunonsdispense justice through peaceful means. These cases wereselected based on their uniqueness and completeness of detailsaccording to the recollection of the interviewees. Aside fromthe cases of conflicts handled or mediated by the datus whoselife histories were featured earlier, more cases were collectedfrom other informants from Hagpa (Impasug-ong, Bukidnon),Sangalan (Gingoog City), and Minalwang (Claveria, MisamisOriental), like those of Datus Mandedlyne, Manggulanan,Manlisgayan, Manhustuhan, Pignaoan, Manlucina,Mambutalan, Mambaldihan, Amomahan, and Yukmo.There were times when the defendant would initiatethe request for a settlement, like in the case of MansumiliSanugan versus Lahunay in Dumalaguing, Impasug-ong,Bukidnon.120

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionKey informants and their casesKillingsMarcelo Sinuwayan Lumingo or Datu ManbaldihanMansumili Sanugan versus LahunayA certain Yabo has killed four women in the family ofMansumili Sanugan. It was reported that the killing wasintentional. Because of this, Mansumili avenged the death ofhis relatives by killing the only son of Mananding Lahunay,thinking that the latter’s family was responsible. When thishappened, Mananding Lahunay and Manpipay planned tokill Mansumili. The relatives of Mansumili went to AmbaPalasambag and requested for his intervention. SinceMansumili cannot simply roam around because his life wasendangered, Amba Palasambag was the one who approachedMansumili. Mansumili then requested Amba Palasambag toDatu Manbaldihan offering a dasang at the foot of the bangkaso during theDumalongdong. This was his last Dumalongdong for he died the year after.121

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWsettle the conflict. It was resolved through a singampo followedby tampuda hu balagun. Everybody then was happy that theconflict finally came to and end.The case presented above showed that one of the partiesinvolved in the conflict sought the assistance of the datu tointervene and settle the conflict. However, in cases when noone from the parties signifies intention to have their conflictresolved, the datu may initiate measures to reach out to thefeuding parties for the peaceful settlement of the conflict.This natural tendency of the datu shows his fervent desire torestore the smooth relationship among his people. This casehappened in Hagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon.Mantungkaban Sagula versus Imbok MongaMantungkaban Sagula suspected that Imbok Monga was amember of the New People’s Army (NPA). When proven thathis suspicion was true, Imbok’s father told Mantungkabanthat everything is up to him what to do with Imbok since hehas only caused trouble in the place. Mantungkaban thenkilled Imbok. Because of this conflict, Datu Manbaldihanproposed to the concerned relatives to settle the case. Theyacceded. Datu Manbaldihan as the lead palaghusay conducteda tampuda hu balagun.Datu Manbaldihan, who died of some ailment in 2007, isMarcelo Sinuwayan Lumingo. He was 70 when this researchwas conducted. He was born in Hagpa in Impasug-ong. Hewas popularly known as Manbaldihan because in the past, hewas fond of going to the bayle or benefit dance. And so the termmanbaylihan became an apt description of him. But the Higaunonshad difficulty pronouncing the name, so Manbaylihan eventuallybecame Manbaldihan. Datu Manbaldihan had been mediatingconflicts for more than 25 years. He had served Barangay Hagpaas a councilor for three years. He was one of the respected datusand palaghusay in the place.122

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionConflicts usually arise during drinking binges. For fearof retaliation the offender usually escapes from the place ofincident. The case below illustrates how Datu Manhustuhaninitiated the resolution of the conflict between the relatives ofPongkol Monga and his assailant.Datu Manhustuhan or Leon Mukling LumayaNestor Gumiba versus Pungkol MongaPungkol Monga, who was drunk at that time, hit Nestorusing his cane. This of course infuriated Nestor. A few dayslater, Nestor and his companion named Bugtong Gumiba,the son of Man-ampoan, overheard Pungkol bragging thateven if he is disabled, he could still kill Nestor and Bugtong.There and then, Nestor and Bugtong killed Pungkol. DatuManhustuhan, in a letter, summoned the suspects, requestingthem to come to Hagpa for the settlement. They came andagreed for the settlement. Datu Manhustuhan did the pangapogwhere he invoked the intercession of their ancestors and thespirits. After the pangapog, the tampuda was initiated followedby panlitub.The succeeding case portrays the feuding parties’tendency to ask for the intervention of the datu. The casefurther expounds the normal attitude of the Higaunons toexplore possible resolution of the conflict through an outof-courtsettlement or husay rather than reporting the case togovernment authorities. This conflict involved Oto Ginawatand Odiong. This incident happened during the festivities inpreparation for the Araw ng Pilot in Kalabugao, Impasugong,Bukidnon.Oto Ginawat versus Odiong UmanlogOto Ginawat shot and killed Odjong Umanlog, who was atthat time pasturing his carabao. The motive supposedly was123

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWjealousy. Before this can be settled, another incident followedwhen Larry the son of Madagudop, who was a relative ofOdiong, killed the younger brother of Oto. Since this was notyet settled, Sgt. Lando Manlimbana, a Higaunon, requestedDatu Manhustuhan to intervene and settle the conflict. Sgt.Manlimbana also told Datu Manhustuhan not to report thisyet to police authorities in Impasug-ong because he said thecase has to be settled first by the datus. Datu Manhustuhanthen resolved the conflict through the tampuda hu balagun. Tocompensate the aggrieved party for their loss, Larry gave onecow.The palaghusay, Datu Manhustuhan, or Leon MuklingLumaya, was born in Kalabugao, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. Heis 74 years old. The name Manhustuhan was derived from theVisayan root word husto, which means correct or exact. Thisname was given to him by his father-in-law to make all hisundertakings husto. Datu Manhustuhan comes from a lineageof datus. He has 16 years experience in mediation as of thiswriting since he started doing this when he was already 58. DatuManhustuhan is presently the Supreme datu of Kalabugao.Mediation, especially tampuda, is usually attended byseveral datus. There are datus on the side of the plaintiff andthere are datus who represent the offender. They do not act aslawyers or defense but as counsel. Unlike the lawyers, datusfrom both sides all help to attain peaceful resolution of theconflict. Together they do the pangapog, which is usually in theform of a chorus with each datu making his own invocation.In the case presented above, Datu Manhustuhan acted asthe lead palaghusay. He was joined by Datu Manpustahan,Datu Manbaldihan and Datu Binigno Man-ikatan. The datusrepresenting the other side were Datu Mandagodop and DatuMan-isyo.This case between Zosimo Molihon and Abundio Agsicfurther illustrates how the palaghusay, Datu Mandedlyne,124

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionpersuaded the aggrieved party to accept the payment ascompensation for the life of a family member.Datu Mandedlyne or Agulio Habunan NanolanZosimo Molihon versus Abundio AgsicThis case happened in Kiudto, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon in1995. Zosimo and Abundio were said to be good friends. Theywere even kumpares. They were having a drinking spree whenAbundio bragged about his past exploits. All of a sudden, theirritated Zosimo Molihon stabbed Adundio to death. Manypeople could not believe this happened because they weresuch close friends. Zosimo immediately surrendered to DatuMandedlyne.Datu Mandedlyne then talked to the wife of the lateAbundio if she was willing to have this conflict settledand accept the payment for the life of her husband. DatuDatu Mandedlyne posing in his homeland, after the community validation inKiudto January 2006. Behind him is the scenic view of Sitio Kiudto.125

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWMandedlyne explained that if the assailant would beimprisoned, she would receive nothing because Zosimo willbe serving his sentence in jail. He further advised the wife thatif she would accept the payment, this could greatly help herfamily since her husband was no longer around to supportthem. The wife said she would first confer with her relativesand that of her late husband. Eventually, the wife agreed toaccept the payment. Zosimo paid his late friend’s wife witha parcel of land planted to coffee, which Datu Mandedlyneestimated would cost Php30,000 at that time.Satur Autida versus Dodong CuevasThis incident happened on September 30, 2001 in crossingHagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. Satur Autida had long beenharboring a grudge against Dodong Cuevas, suspecting thatthe latter was having an affair with his wife. Satur had talkedabout his suspicion to a friend named Titing Borga. Satur’ssuspicion, however, was not validated. But he eventuallykilled Dodong Cuevas when the latter was at the house ofSatur’s brother, Nising.Satur and his brother immediately sought the help ofDatu Mandedlyne to settle the conflict. Both parties agreedto settle the conflict amicably. Relatives of the slain DodongCuevas requested that they would just be compensated. Thebrothers Nestor and Nising then looked for means to raise theamount demanded by the victim’s relatives. The settlementstarted when both parties told their versions of the story. Thecase was finally resolved after the offender paid the manggadconsisting of a horse, a carabao and a parcel of land. The datuestimated that all in all, the manggad was worth Php25,000.The palaghusay, Datu Mandedlyne or Agulio HabunanNanolan, is 57 years old. He is the grandson of Nangkuliyawand son of Amba Palasambag. He comes from a lineage of datupalaghusay. Datu Mandedlyne was born in Hagpa, Impasug-126

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionong, Bukidnon. The name Mandedlyne was given by his fatherwho said that the name came from a dream that instructedhim to give the name Mandedlyne to his son Agulio. DatuMandedlyne had with him 30 years of experience in conflictmediation. He became the barangay chairman of Hagpa andthe president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC)in Impasug-ong until 2007.In a conflict situation the datu is trusted as the best personwho knows what to do to arrive at a peaceful settlement. Inthe case between Paimalan and Pinatawan, Datu Kili-kiliexercised his best judgment to prevent further bloodshed.Paimalan versus PinatawanThis case happened in 1986 in Mandalawat, Minalwang.The conflict involved both Higaunons named Paimalanand Pinatawan. The two were said to be good friends whensuddenly they had a misunderstanding. This conflict wasfurther fanned by the spread of false stories until Paimalankilled Pinatawan.’Tay Dikno or Datu Kili-kili immediately brought Paimalanto the barangay proper and reported the incident to the police.Paimalan was imprisoned until the time of ‘Tay Dikno’sinterview. Datu Kili-kili did this to protect Paimalan frompossible retaliation by Pinatawan’s family. Then, the datu haddecided to settle the conflict there and then because the familyof the slain Pinatawan really wanted to avenge his death.’Tay Dikno summoned the family of the late Pinatawan forthe mediation. They conducted the singampo and tampuda hubalagun. Datu Kili-kili requested the police to bring Paimalanto Mandalawat for the tampuda. Pinatawan’s family disclosedthat they were not contented with Paimalan’s imprisonmentas the only punishment. Paimalan then offered manggad toPinatawan’s wife in the form of cooking pots, roll of cloth,plates and a bolo, which somehow appeased the latter.127

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWDatu Manggul-anan or Faustino Sinuwayan PantaonJunie Domino versus Damian HabunanJunie Domino confided his bad intentions on DamianHabunan to Datu Manggul-anan. The latter advised him notto pursue his plan and not to listen to whoever is commandinghim to kill Damian. Furthermore, the datu warned Junieagainst the complications he would get himself into. But Junie,sometime in 2002, shot and killed Damian.The conflict started when someone, whom Junie did notdivulge, instructed him to kill Damian. A few months later,when Damian spent the night at Junie’s residence, Junieattempted to kill Damian, thinking he was past asleep. Itturned out Damian was not asleep yet, so he grabbed a boloand fought back. It was learned that before Junie attemptedDatu Manggul-anan128

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionto kill Damian, he even asked forgiveness because he said hewas only instructed to do it. After more than a year, Juniefinally had another chance, and shot and killed Damian. Themotive, according to stories, was that Damian was suspectedof performing barang, some sort of black magic, but this wasnot verified. Damian’s brother Edjon planned to avenge thedeath, but he was worried of the troubles he would get hisfamily into should he succeed in his revenge. He instead wentto Datu Manggul-anan and discussed the possible settlementof the conflict.Datu Manggul-anan sought the assistance of the otherdatus. Datu Manggul-anan told Junie to procure a pig andsome chickens. The mediation was done at the barangayhall. Manpulusan, father of the late Damian, also broughtwith him pigs for the ritual. The people proceeded to dig thearea where the ritual paraphernalia would be buried. Whenthe parties came face to face with each other, the tampuda hubalagun was initiated. The alimaongs positioned themselves inthe middle to secure the proceedings. As soon as the balagun(rattan) was cut, all the ritual materials were buried. Includedin the panlitub were coins and necklaces. A broken egg wasalso included. A salumayag torch was put off before it wascovered by soil. A big stone was placed on top to seal theburied materials.After the tampuda, the singampo started while the food wasbeing cooked. This time, Datu Manggul-anan gave his boloto Junie, who in turn gave it to Manpulusan as his manggad.Junie’s gesture symbolized his asking for forgiveness fromManpulusan. After the food was cooked, the group startedthe pangapog. A betel nut was placed on a porcelain plate andthree candles were lit. All the datus uttered the pangapog forthe final reconciliation of the parties. This was followed bythe panampulot or partaking a small amount of food offering.Eating and drinking ensued as sign of the parties’ gratitudeto the palaghusay.129

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWThe palaghusay, Datu Manggul-anan or Faustino SinuwayanPantaon, is 66 years old. He was born in Hagpa, Impasugong,Bukidnon. The name Manggul-anan comes from theHigaunon word mangul-an, which means making things inorder. His uncles Datu Pinalilang and Datu Man-ampoangave the name. He is the grandson of Bugkag Pantaon, arespected datu and palaghusay. Datu Manggul-anan has 25years experience in mediation. He is still mediating conflictsat present, aside from being a mangangaso (hunter).The datu may also mediate conflicts that occur in otherterritories where his constituents are involved. The conflictdescribed below happened in Sitio Malunsagay in Minalwang,Claveria. Acting as palaghusay was Amay Mantangkilan.Junior and Mio Pinalandang, Angus-os Dumaguing and DatuMansukatanFour men, including Amay Mantangkilan’s nephew, wereinstructed to hunt for wild games in the forest intended forthe fiesta of Malunsagay. One of the hunters was killed. Whenthey searched for his body, it was already found decomposing.The relatives could not believe that he died of any illnessbecause he was in good health and his gun was still with him.It was suspected that he was murdered because his head wasnearly separated from his body. The suspects were Junior andMio Pinalandang, and Angus-os Dumaguing.The datus of Malunsagay, together with the barangayofficials of Minalwang, held a meeting to settle the conflict.There were already efforts done by the datus in Malunsagsayto resolve this conflict but to no avail. Hence, AmayMantangkilan went to Malunsagay and suggested to thedatus that he would settle the conflict once and for all. Thedatus of Malunsagay acceded and gave Amay Mantangkilan,who is from far away Impasug-ong in Bukidnon, authorityto mediate the conflict because they said that this case also130

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionconcerned his sakop.Amay Mantangkilan initiated the tampuda ha balagunfollowed by panlitub, which are commonly done to endkillings. There were offerings such as betel nut or mamaon, aporcelain plate, coins, galang, necklace, chicken and pig. Thedatus buried the chicken after it was decapitated, the neck wascut along with the rattan. The pig’s blood was also buried. Theburial signifies the end of the conflict. After the ceremony, theparticipants went inside the house and a singampo was donewith the cooked food, betel nut, and candle. The datus agreedthat there should be cessation of killings and the peoplemust maintain uprightness and unity. After agreements hadbeen laid, the pangapog continued to finally restore goodrelationships.It may be noted that even military authorities would wantto have a conflict attended first by the datus in the communityinstead of endorsing it immediately to the police. In thisconflict between Pori Dumala and Bogoy Okinlay, a militaryofficer first sought the help of the datus to attain a peacefulsettlement.Pori Dumala versus Bogoy OkinlayPori Dumala aimed his gun and shot Bogoy Okinlay buthis gun malfunctioned. The military then captured him. Thedetachment commander sought the help of the datus to havethis case amicably settled. Bogoy and Pori’s parents-in-law alsowanted this case to be settled by the datus. Datu Manhustuhanfacilitated the mediation. There was a negotiation and termsof payment. Pori requested the relatives of Bogoy not to file acase in Impasug-ong because they were willing to pay Bogoyin the form of a carabao worth Php5,000. The case was settledin the detachment of Kalabugao.Among the Higaunons, there were instances where the131

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWdatus whose families were involved in the feud sought thehelp of a neutral and highly respected datu in mediatingtheir conflict, as in the case of Tatay Malindahay whosefamily was involved in a lido with the Mandukita clansometime during Martial Law. This case also shows thatnot all lido culminates in tampuda hu balagun. The conflictbetween the Mandahinog and Mandukita clans may betermed lido but instead of tampuda, the datus decided toconduct the singampo that lasted for three consecutivedays. This was also a unique case where a Catholic priestparticipated in the activity.Mandahinog versus MandukitaAll the members of the Mandahinog and Mandukita clanswere involved in this conflict where a series of killings occurredon both families. The Mandahinogs and the Mandukitas arepowerful families and the datus admitted that this was themost difficult and most dangerous conflict they had eversettled.’Tay Manlindahay Mandahinog, together with DatuManasdang and Datu Pignaoan, requested Amay Mantangkilanto intervene and settle this conflict. The datus also invitedFather Bling Salingua, the parish priest of Kalabugao, to helpin the settlement process. After many lives had been wasted,it was found out that the Mandahinogs and the Mandukitaswere cousins. The datus settled this conflict by specificallyciting the balaud on tumbasa daw bigula.Amay Mantangkilan then advised the parties saying that it isnot good to hear family members quarrelling. Even though theconflict involved murder, the tampuda was not performed butonly a singampo that lasted for three days. Amay Mantangkilansaid that there are two types of tampuda: one where a rattan iscut and the other is tampuda through panlitubon, or a pact madeby burying the ritual paraphernalia.132

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionLidanhug versus ManpatilanThe Lidanhug and Manpatilan clans both claimed thatthey were the lawful owners of a piece of land. Because of this,a Manpatilan has killed a member of the Manbanulod clan,relatives of the Lidanhugs. Following this, Manlumabyongand Manyagusyos, relatives of the deceased, vowed revenge.Amba Palasambag was requested by the feuding partiesto mediate the conflict. He admitted that at first, he did notheed the request, but he was persistently approached andso he acceded. Hundreds of datus attended the mediationheld at the gymnasium of the municipality of Esperanza inAgusan del Sur. Amba Palasambag believed had he been notpresent in the mediation, maybe the conflict would not havebeen resolved.Amba Palasambag initiated the singampo followedby the tampuda hu balagun. Aside from the usual ritualparaphernalia, a pig was buried during the panlitub. AmbaPalasambag advised the feuding parties to come intomutual understanding and repair their broken relations.Afterwards, the two parties shook hands as a sign ofreconciliation and thanked the datus who helped in theresolution. Amba Palasambag said that everybody washappy with the good outcome of the settlement. Somekissed his hand while others cried in happiness that thisconflict finally came to an end.One of the most unforgettable conflicts that was settled inEureka, Gingoog City was the massacre of Higaunon datusby NPA rebels. This conflict originated from false informationrelayed to the NPA by a Higaunon, whose name AmayMantangkilan could no longer recall. The tribe consideredthis Higaunon a traitor. Even though the conflict wasted manylives, it was peacefully settled by a singampo.133

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWNPA versus Higaunon datusThe NPA rebels, through their commander, summonedthe datus in Likat, Kipunay in Barangay Eureka of GingoogCity. There were talks of something bad that might happenbecause they were invited for a singampo. A datu namedManduklita Manbinungkas did not attend because hewas suspicious of the motive. The datus were instructednot to bring any weapons with them because they weresupposedly only going to do a singampo. The datus weretold to stay close to each other, and suddenly they weresprayed with bullets. Eighteen Higaunon datus were killedin that incident.It all started with a certain Higaunon datu who fed the NPAfalse information, telling the rebels his land was reportedlytaken by the datus. This infuriated the rebels, hence theyfooled the datus into attending a singampo where they mettheir death.Amay Mantangkilan, together with other datus, conducteda singampo to finally end the conflict as well as the negativefeelings attached to that incident.Land and Resources ConflictsLand is a very precious possession among the Higaunons.The datus in this case considered the conflict over a piece ofland as makagaba, meaning something bad could befall on theparties involved.Datu Manlucina or Julio Naabot Cumatang.Nado versus LinisayNado and Linisay quarreled over the boundary of theirlands. Nado’s brothers went to see Datu Manlucina and Amay134

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionMantangkilan, requesting them to mediate the conflict. Sensingthat the hatred involved was so intense, Datu Manlucina andDatu Mantangkilan agreed to mediate to prevent the conflictfrom erupting into a violent one.During the mediation, the datus advised Nado and Linisayto end their quarrel because, firstly, they were cousins. Further,they were told that they should refrain from fighting over apiece of land because it is makagaba. After the two parties werepacified, they gave Datu Manlucina a chicken and a plate as asign of their gratitude. Datu Manlucina said that he normallyasks for anything when he makes a husay “so I won’t getsick.”Datu Manlucina, or Julio Naabot Cumatang, is 80 yearsold. He is the elder brother of Amay Mantangkilan. He hasmore or less 30 years of experience not only as a palaghusaybut also as a baylan.Another land dispute happened in Malunsagay,Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental. A Higaunonpurportedly sold the land belonging to the families ofManpawolan, Laoro Pinatalong, Premio Maanyag, Managsunod,Manbinasyonug Dumaguingan, Mio Pinalandangand many others. But reports also came out that the landwas not actually sold but only leased by the Dumagat. It wasestimated that around 30 Dumagat families have bought theland. The Higaunons blamed each other why this incidenthappened. The truth was a certain Sanny Takubaw wasthe one who negotiated with the Dumagats and sold theirlands.Amay Mantangkilan spearheaded the husay. It was learnedduring the mediation that 19 Dumagat families actuallyreceived the land. To put an end to this conflict, a singampowas done and two pigs were killed for the reconciliation of allthe parties involved in the conflict.135

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWIn land conflicts like encroaching on boundaries, a singampomay be done to resolve the conflict. It was reported that theCADC claim of Mintapod had encroached on portions of theland belonging to the people of Esperanza in Agusan del Norte,in Gingoog City and in Claveria, both in Misamis Oriental.Thus, on July 1, 2005, Amay Mantangkilan led the settlementof this conflict in Esperanza. There was a singampo attendedby representatives of the areas involved in the boundaryconflict, NGO people particularly from Balay Mindanaw, andrepresentatives from the National Commission on IndigenousPeoples (NCIP). Two pigs were buried during the panlitub tosymbolize the end of the conflict.This case presented below is a unique one since TatayMalindahay handled the settlement of a conflict involvingboth Dumagats. This case also showed that respect forthe mediator, more than anything else, counts as the mostsignificant factor for the attainment of a peaceful resolutionof conflict.Mr. Namok versus PregloMr. Namok and Preglo, both residents of barangayKalipay, Gingoog City, quarreled over the boundary of theirlands. This almost resulted to bloodshed. Tatay Malindahaywas hesitant to settle the case since both are Dumagats. Eventhe barangay council had been unable to settle it when itwas brought to their attention. It was reported that the twoparties involved had refused to be settled. However, one ofthe siblings of Preglo approached Tatay Malindahay andrequested him to mediate the conflict, believing it could bestbe settled the Higaunon way.Tatay Malindahay summoned the two parties and togetherthey discussed the cause of their dispute. Since they were notHigaunons, Tatay Malindahay did not do the singampo. Insteadhe made them tell their sides of the conflict. After hearing all136

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutiontheir stories, Tatay Malindahay analyzed that Preglo bore allthe guilt because of his being malimbongon (cheater). TatayMalindahay told Preglo that if he would humble himself andask forgiveness from Mr. Namok, a manggad would be imposedon him like giving a portion of his land to Mr. Namok. Thereand then, Preglo asked apologies from Mr. Namok and theymade an agreement to end the dispute. But in the beginning,right after the settlement, the two persons still seemeduncomfortable with each other. Tatay Malindahay said theylater gradually restored their good relationship since both ofthem had forgiven each other.Looking after the welfare of family members and helpingthem keep away from trouble is one of the foremost concernsof the datus. Datu Manbutalan of Bagasbas mediated thisconflict involving Allan Mandukita, the husband of his nieceand the barangay captain of Eureka, Gingoog City againstBayhon of Impaluhod. The conflict pertains to the rights toa certain piece of land and the natural and mineral resourcesfound on it.Datu Manbutalan or Pedro Sin-inganMandukita versus BayhonTo resolve the conflict, the datus asked the partiesinvolved whether they wanted their conflict settled amicably.The two parties acceded. During the mediation, a singampowas conducted. Since the datus perceived the conflict as quiteintense, they used two pigs and three chickens, plates andbronze as ritual paraphernalia. After the singampo, the twoparties were asked to relate the cause of their conflict. Thedatus discussed the possible solution of the conflict with thetwo parties agreeing on the terms and conditions. In makingthe agreement, Datu Manbutalan noted that it should befair to all involved and they should abide by this agreementbecause there would be consequences or punishment should137

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWDatu Manbutalanthe agreement be violated. After the parties agreed, theyexchanged manggads in the form of kaldero or cooking pots asa sign of their reconciliation.The palaghusay was Datu Manbutalan or Pedro Sin-ingan,a respected datu of Sitio Bagasbas, Barangay Sangalan,Gingoog City. He is the brother-in-law of Tatay Yukmo,138

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionanother respected datu in Sangalan. Datu Manbutalan actsas the mantukaw, one skilled at recalling tradition as well asthe natural land boundaries. He is older than Tatay Yukmoand he put his age at 65. He had spent more than 40 years inmediating community disputes. His sphere of influence spansthroughout the whole barangay and the whole Baligihanand Odiongan River basins. Datu Manbutalan has handledcountless cases, which ranged from lido, extra-marital cases,divorce, theft and land disputes.Conflicts normally arise out of misunderstanding andthese are usually aggravated because of the absence of a formalvenue where the parties could discuss their differences. Inmost cases, it is pride that dominates, causing the conflict togo on unsettled for years. In the misunderstanding betweenManposponan and Marcelo Linunsag that happened in Purok4 in Kiudto in 2005, Datu Manggul-anan provided a venue forthe feuding parties where they could discuss their differencesand finally come into settlement.Marcelo versus ManposponanMarcelo built a fence that effectively blocked the accessroad where Porferio used to pass. Naturally, the latter gotangry. Marcelo said it was not his intention to block theaccess road, he just wanted to fence off the carabaos, whichcaused destruction on the road. But Manposponan did notbelieve him. Manposposan was so angry that he vowed to killMarcelo the next time they meet.Marcelo was so alarmed by Porferio’s threat. Datu Manggulananintervened, summoning both parties for a settlement.During the mediation, Datu Manggul-anan advised Marceloand Manposponan not to continue holding grudges on eachother because they are cousins. Manposponan was also advisednot to use his anger, especially if he knew that he was wrong.After hearing the advices, the feuding cousins reconciled.139

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWFamilyIning and OmacMaintaining social order also means ensuring that arelationship within the family is smooth and harmonious.Thus, the datu may settle conflicts involving domestic affairs,be it husband-and-wife quarrels, adultery, or others. Thecase that follows presents how Datu Manggul-anan settledthe conflict between the couple Ining and Omac, who hadseparated. This happened in Kaanibungan, Kalabugao in2003.Ining and her children got sick because her husband, Omac,had been irresponsible. Omac did not care for his family andwas unable to provide them food. Ining’s father got furiouswith Omac so he warned him not to come to their house againor he would kill him. Before anything could happen, Ining’sfather requested Datu Manggul-anan to intervene because hewas afraid he could not control his anger and kill Omac.During the mediation conducted by Datu Manggulanan,the couple was advised to restore and keep their goodrelationship as a family. Omac was advised to work harderin the farm so he would be able to provide for his family. Thedatu also advised Ining to forgive her husband and keep theirfamily intact. Datu Manggul-anan likewise advised Ining’sfather to help in the reconciliation because the couple werealready old and he could not allow the two to prolong theirfeud. Ining agreed to the terms set by datu because of herrespect for the latter and the way he handled the mediation.The couple was once again reconciled. After the mediation,the datu asked Omac to look for two chickens for the gimokodritual. Omac asked forgiveness from his father-in-law andasked that he be accepted again as son-in-law. The fatheragreed on the condition that Omac change for the better.Datu Manggula-anan noted that the couple maintained their140

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionpeaceful and harmonious marriage until now.Auring versus BoboyThis case pertains to the conflict between Boboy Duranand his mother in-law, Auring, in Nasandigan, Kalabugao.Datu Manhustuhan mediated this conflict.The Higaunons normally intervene in conflicts involvingtheir relatives to minimize scandal.Boboy Duran constantly harassed his mother-in-law,Auring Quirabo. It was reported that Boboy had long beendoing this to Auring. He was so disrespectful to her to theextent that he used to tease Auring using his bolo. WhenBoboy was proven guilty, he was asked to pay his mother-inlawthe sum of Php500 and three chickens. The chickens werebutchered for the performance of the gimokod ritual to restoretheir good relations.Datu Pignaoan or Meloy PinagawaManga – CerilloA girl named Manga Nasapan left her husband CerilloNalipanta and went back to her family. Datu Pignaoaninitiated the husay because the husband was his relative.Datu Pignaoan and his team went to the girl’s house,bringing along with them a roll of cloth and a big cookingpot to serve as manggad for the girl. He said that these articleswere contributions of other people whom they asked for helpor support. Datu Pignaoan talked to the parents of the girl, inher presence, and discussed the problem. Finally, the parentsand the girl understood their good intentions. Datu Pignaoanpresented them the manggad, and the girl went back to herhusband. They had never separated since then.141

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWDatu Pignaoan and kids.The palaghusay was Datu Pignaoan or Carmelo “Meloy”Pinagawa. He is 55 years old. His name “Pignaoan” meanssomebody who was taught about good attitude and lessonsby the tribe. Datu Pignaoan comes from the lineage of ApoManaw, Samanawan and Apo Nanangkulo. He has 37 yearsof mediating conflict. He is both a datu and an alimaong. Heis also a paralegal and a member of tribal councils of Kalipay,Mandalawat and Minalwang.142

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionIt is said that the punishment for a datu who commits acrime is grave. This is because as a datu he was presumed tohave full knowledge of the balaud and has no excuse to violateit. Tatay Malindahay told this story of Datu Dayan-dayan,who was sentenced to death in the hands of the alimaongsafter he eloped with a married woman.Datu Dayan-DayanDatu Dayan-dayan was a resident of barangay Kalipay andwas ordained at almost the same time as Tatay Malindahay.Datu Dayan-dayan eloped with a married Higaunon woman.The couple went to Tama in the municipality of Magsaysay.In Tama, the datus and alimaong sentenced Datu Dayandayanto death after having been found guilty. TatayMalindahay revealed that Datu Dayan-dayan was even madeto dig his own grave in the presence of many people, whereeveryone present was warned not to follow what the datudid. After the incident, the woman returned to Kalipay whereshe was interrogated if it was her free will to elope with DatuDayan-dayan. According to Higaunon laws, the womanwould also be sentenced with death if found guilty. But thewoman said that Datu Dayan-dayan only forced her, and soshe was spared the death penalty and allowed to go home toher husband.Tatay Malindahay noted that among the serious offensesthat merit death usually are murder and wife stealing. Crimessuch as stealing properties and anything concerning land couldbe settled by the use of manggad or payment. The offender willbe made to pay the manggad and he will be banished. But adatu who commits even minor crimes like stealing and landgrabbing will be immediately stripped of his title because heno longer commands respect among his constituents.This case pertains to an unmarried woman who had an143

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWillicit affair with a married man. Both of them were Higaunonsand residents of Sitio Mandalawat, Minalwang, Claveria.Datu Kili-kili called the man and the woman and madethem realize the extent of their crime. He asked the man ifhe had no pity on his wife and children. Datu Kili-kili askedthe woman what would she feel had she been married andher husband an affair with another woman. The woman wasasked to leave the place and to offer a manggad to the wife andchildren of her lover.Tumanan and Ladaw caseThe families of Tumanan and Ladaw complained thatthe would-be groom of their daughter backed out in thewedding. The wedding date had been set, they said, and theinvitations were out. Surely, it would put the girl’s family inshame. The man’s family presented no plausible reason forhis action. In addition, the woman complained that therewere advancements made by his boyfriend but she refusedbecause she wanted to keep herself pure until their weddingday. “This is the law in our tribe,” said the girl.After conferring with the datu, the parents of the would-begroom admitted that their son committed a mistake. But theysaid they could not compel him if he did not want to pursuethe marriage. Tatay Malindahay said that this reasoning wasacceptable only if it was an arranged marriage. But in this case,it was the man who courted the girl, and so Tatay Malindahayanalyzed that it was the boy’s fault. The boy’s parents askedfor forgiveness. But Tatay Malindahay told them that thelaws of the government and those of the tribe are different. Ingovernment law, you could be forgiven and you will just signan agreement. But in tribal justice, if you were found guilty,you should be punished.144Tatay Malindahay made them choose whether their son

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionwould be imprisoned, be banished, or they would pay themanggad because of putting the girl’s family in a shamefulsituation. They chose to pay the manggad. The mother of thegirl demanded Php15,000 and a pig. But the boy’s mothernegotiated with the datu to reduce the penalty to Php10,000plus one pig. But the bride’s family would not accept it. Thegroom’s mother said she was leaving everything to thedatu because he was the mediator. Tatay Malindahay thenexplained to the girl’s family that the negotiated amount wasalright because anyone can commit mistakes. He noted, too,that the male party did not deny the mistake. Finally, themother of the girl acceded. There and then the payment wasgiven, and the party of the girl also gave bracelets made ofbeads to the boy’s parents.Tatay Malindahay explained to the male party that theywere not being taken advantage of; it was just “the law of thetribe.” He also told them to inform him whenever the boyfinally decides to marry so he could extend assistance.Alagasiya versus BoxingThis conflict happened among the datus in Kadangahan,Upper Pulangi area. Datu Banayakaw of Umayam accused thedatus of Bukidnon area of stealing and selling their carabaos.Datu Alagasiya of Alangilan, Malitbog, Bukidnon accused thepeople of Umayam of the same offense. Amay Mantangkilanfacilitated the mediation of this conflict through the tampudaha balagun and panlitub. This finally ended the conflict.Eugene Lumingo versus Mario TrazoThe case was about Eugene Lumingo and Mario Trazo,both from Hagpa. The incident happened in Niit, Bontongonin Hagpa in 1997. Mario was infuriated because he suspectedthat Eugene and his wife were having an affair. He intentionallywaited on Eugene in Bontongon, and a brawl ensued when145

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWboth of them were intoxicated. Datu Manbaldihan wasdismayed at the incident.During the husay, Datu Manbaldihan listened to both ofthem and gave advices not to do it again and to restore theirgood relationships.Tatay Yukmo or Eladio LutaoDatu Malindahay versus Datu ManlisdanganTatay Malindahay, Datu Tupa and Datu Manlisdanganwere accused of making false stories against each other. TatayYukmo and Datu Manbutalan, two respected datus of SitioBagasbas, Sangalan, summoned the three datus for mediation.Since datus were involved, Datu Yukmo had remarked that itwas difficult to mediate a conflict when mediators themselveswere involved. The conflict started in 1986; it was finallysettled only in 2002.Tatay Yukmo and Datu Manbutalan prepared a manggadin the form of three cooking pots, six cuts of cloths and twobolos. The mediators advised the feuding datus to end theirconflict and to restore their good relations. Since then, thedatus became friends again and, like in the past, they activelyparticipated in tribal activities again. The facilitating factorfor the settlement was the determination and commitment ofthe mediating datus, Yukmo and Manbutalan, to finally putan end to the discord. They noted that it was the pride of thedatus that deterred the early resolution of this conflict.The palaghusay who summoned the datus was TatayYukmo or Eladio Lutao from Sitio Bagasbas, BarangaySangalan, Gingoog City. He is over 60 years old. Tatay Yukmoor Datu Hulukuman is a highly respected datu and he hasamicably solved a lot of cases ranging from murder, theft,extra-marital affairs, divorce, and others. He has with him146

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionTatay Yukmoalmost 40 years experience in paghusay. His influence spansthe whole barangay of Sangalan and the entire Baligihan andOdiongan River basin area. Tatay Yukmo said he does notknow how to read and write but he has full knowledge oftheir customary laws.Stealing proves to be one of the causes of conflict. In thiscase, the datu himself was the victim and he was also the onewho mediated their conflict.Datu Amomahan or Manuel PinaanderDatu Amomahan versus AgwaunThe conflict started when the bananas of Datu Amomahanwere stolen by a certain Agwaun. As a punishment, DatuAmomahan asked the offender to prepare the manggad inthe form of a chicken, a bolo, one plate, one pig and P10. The147

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWmanggad would deter him from doing it again, according tothe datu.The aggrieved datu is Datu Amomahan or ManuelPinaandel, 58 years old. He has more than 25 years ofexperience in mediating conflicts. His lumad name is Salianan,which means somebody in charge of the ancestral land.Upon his ordination, he adopted the name Datu Amomahan,which means “to care” in Visayan. His experience in paghusayincludes marriage, stealing and other minor cases. He comesfrom the lineage of Apo Hasandingan Pinaandel and ApoPinatawa, who was the direct descendant of Apo Impadiding.His gaop includes Kalhaan, Lakbangan and Impadiding ofBarangay Minalwang in Claveria. Presently, Datu Amomahanis a barangay kagawad and a member of the tribal councilof Minalwang. He is also a paralegal, peace builder andlocal community organizer trained by Balay MindanawFoundation, Inc.Datu Amomahan148

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionDelpino Namilanta versus Dionio PinalandangDionio Pinalandang, who worked on the land of DelpinoNamilanta, was accused by the latter of stealing his produce.In this case, confidence and high respect of the parties on themediating datu were among the factors that influenced thespeedy resolution of the conflict.The two parties earlier signified that if they wished tobe settled, the mediator should be Datu Manlisgayan. DatuManlisgayan personally knew the parties involved and saidthat “they were like my sons.” So he summoned them to hishouse. Datu Manlisgayan listened to both of them and learnedthat it was not the intention of Pinalandang to steal the produce.He did it because Namilanta failed to give him his exact shareof the produce. After hearing everything, Datu Manlisgayaninitiated the singampo. Afterwards, Datu Manlisgayan toldDelpino Namilanta that even if he owns the land, Pinalandanghas the right to a just share because he invested his blood andsweat in making the land productive. In fact, he said, it mustbe Dionio who must benefit more from it. The parties listenedto Datu Manlisgayan and acceded to his advice.The palaghusay was Datu Manlisgayan or PindahanMandipanya, 68 years old. He is from Maibo, Baligihan,Eureka and now a resident of Barangay Kalipay, GingoogCity. His name “Manlisgayan” means that he fears nothing,and one who is not afraid to settle serious conflicts. He hasbeen a datu for 30 years and a manghuhusay for 25 years.Samuel Nabi versus people of MandalawatSamuel Nabi was a Dumagat resident of sitio Mandalawat,Minalwang. The people accused him of the series of stealingthat happened in the place. ’Tay Dikno talked to Samuelregarding these complaints. ’Tay Dikno analyzed that Samuelcould not afford to pay the manggad to all the complainants,149

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWso he just asked him to leave the place. Samuel and his familyleft Mandalawat. ’Tay Dikno explained his decision to thepeople concerned.Silverio versus FernandoThe parties were from San Vicente, Kalabugao, Impasugong,Bukidnon. Silverio warned Fernando to secure hischickens as these were causing damage to Silverio’s crops. ButFernando did not heed the warning. When it was Fernando’sturn to request Silverio of the same thing, Silverio also did notcomply. Because of this, Fernando sought the help of DatuManhustuhan to settle their conflict, as he was afraid thattheir differences would grow into a huge quarrel.Because both of them had committed offense, they werewarned that if they wanted to have peace, they should listento each other. After the hearing, they agreed not to resume theconflict. Datu Manhustuhan warned them that the next timethe same conflict would happen, they would be made liableto answer for it because this is not a good example to others.Youth of Barangay Kalipay versus Lupon of Barangay SangalanThis conflict concerned the members of the LupongTagapamayapa of Barangay Sangalan. A squabble occurredwhen there was a festivity in sitio Bagasbas, Sangalan,Gingoog City. The lupon accused the youth of Kalipay of theincident and detained them. During the mediation initiatedby the barangay captain of Sangalan and Datu Yukmo, it wasfound out that the youths were innocent. The members of thelupon were made to pay the manggad worth Php2,500 for theirirresponsible actions.Youth of Palo versus Youth of Minalwang150Fighting occurred between the youths of sitio Palo,

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict ResolutionHindangon, Gingoog City and those of the adjacent barangayof Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental in June 2005.Higaunon and Dumagat youths were involved in this incident.The youth of Minalwang complained to their kagawad, AlamatPinalandang, who immediately made an investigation. Hefound out that the youth of Palo were guilty for starting thetrouble. Kagawad Alamat summoned the concerned youth ofPalo to come to Minalwang for the settlement but the youthsrefused because they were afraid to go to there. Because ofthis, Kagawad Alamat went to Palo and there he undertookthe resolution proceedings with the youth. The concernedyouths were made to pay the manggad in the form Php 1,000.Mediating and Resolving Conflicts Not EasyAs Amba Palasambag puts it: “It’s easy to commit amistake, but resolving it is extremely difficult.” The palaghusayis constantly faced with the challenge to put an end to the feudand restore the good relationships of the parties involved. Inone of his paghusay, Tatay Malindahay heard comments fromthe audience: “Could the datu resolve this conflict when eventhe barangay captain himself failed?”In the middle of litigation, the palaghusay puts himself ina dangerous position. Junie, the son of Amba Palasambag,reported: “In the past, there had been bloody incidents.Relatives were fighting each other, and the hatred was intense.No other mediator would want to commit suicide by doingthe settlement himself. But Amba Palasambag, ever the gooddatu, risked his life and be the hero, mustering all his couragebecause it’s the only way to resolve the conflict.” AmbaPalasambag said: “We risk our lives in mediating conflicts.You’d feel like you’re about to die. Being a mediator is not ajoke.”According to Tatay Manuel, settlement of conflict andkeeping everything in order are foremost concerns among the151

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWelders. “There should be no conflict. If there would be discord,the datu should immediately intervene so chaos would becontained.” Thus, to Tatay Malindahay: “If you want to be adatu and you don’t know how to settle conflicts, then don’tbother taking the title.”Every datu has his strategy in successfully mediatinga conflict. Tatay Dikno said: “Mediation could not be donethrough fierceness; you have to do it in a nice way.” For hispart, Tatay Yukmo said: “I would control my temper, and I’dcharm them as if I were a child.” Humility is one of the qualitiesought to be possessed by a datu. Tatay Yukmo added:“I would not go against them. I would not fight them. Iwould not be angry. I would just smile. I would tell them, ‘Idon’t want your conflict to continue because I care for you.You should stop it because I don’t care if you sentence me todeath, as long as your conflict would be settled.’”The datus are loved by the people and admired for theirwisdom, good deeds and their ability to settle conflicts. Thisis also the reason why other people envy the datus. As AmayMantangkilan narrated:“There have been several instances when other datusenvied me. I just could not say the particular instances. ButI just keep silent and try to find means to solve that case I’mtasked to settle. I would also look for ways to change thenegative feelings of those people who envy me. Instead ofbeing demoralized and be mad at them, I would encouragethem to stop being envious with one another.”At the end of every successful resolution, the datus feel reliefand happiness. “It feels so good after a settlement, especiallywhen you see the good relations of both parties restored,” saidDatu Manbutalan. For Datu Mandedlyne, “I would really behappy if I could see the settled parties happy. This further152

Part 3 - Mga Paghusay: Concepts and Practices in Conflict Resolutionencourages me to continue my service to the people.” In oneof the successful husay conducted by Datu Manhustuhan,he said, “I’m happy because I have successfully resolved aconflict. I would only feel sad if there is death involved in theconflict.”Tatay Yukmo summarized the qualities of a datu as “onewho would not be easily provoked, humble, not afraid to risk.During mediation, he should be confident, courageous andwould not be outwitted nor outsmarted.” Without the datus,“chaos will prevail, no one would reprimand the people, noone would lead,” said Tatay Yukmo. And since life is onlyborrowed, Tatay Yukmo, like Amba Palasambag, wished that“the future generation could emulate what I have done. WhenI shall have perished from this world, they would succeedme so that peace would reign, so they would continue doingwhat I am doing, because life is finite but the task of resolvingconflicts has no end. Our desire for peace lasts forever.”According to Amba Palasambag, “if there would be no moredatus left, confusion would prosper, laws would disappear,relationships among people would weaken, manners woulddeteriorate, and the guiding spirits would go to sleep.”153


Part 4 - ConclusionPart FourConclusion155

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWThis is their story…The women of Kiudto.The story of the Higaunon struggle towards attainingpeace, of their history, of addressing conflicts, werepresented and validated with the different sectors of thecommunity in Sitio Kiudto, Hagpa, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon;Sangalan, Gingoog City; and Minalwang in Claveria, MisamisOriental. The datus, their wives, women, youth, membersof the Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO), LupongTagapamayapa and barangay tanods were grouped to answerthe questions posed at the end of the presentation.156

Part 4 - ConclusionThe questions were as follows:• “What can you say about the story that you justheard?”• “Is this really your story? What made you say so?”• “What were the important realities and lessons discussedin the story? What more can you add?”• “If people outside your tribe could hear your story, whatwould they possibly think and say about it?”• “What do you want to happen as your story continues?Varied responses from the sectors present were gatheredduring the presentation of the significant aspects of theresearch findings.“It’s our first time ever to have heard the whole story ofthe elders,” said some Dumagat participants and youths.They said it was good to hear the history of the Higaunons asnarrated by the datus whom they knew.It is their story, so said the women of Sangalan. Theycould not question its integrity because the datus were theones who told the story, and the women admitted, especiallyin Minalwang, that at present, only the datus have the fullgrasp of the history of the Higaunon people. The young donot know much about their history and tradition. As Mario,the son of Datu Cornelio Pinaader, opined, many of the youthshardly know the Higaunon culture anymore because “wewere being pulled away, towards the shore.” The tanods andwomen in Kiudto admitted that their tradition is graduallydisappearing, and it is good that an organization like RCED isinitiating the documentation of their history and culture.157

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWIt is a history of peace, according to the tanods, CVO andLupon members of Minalwang. The Higaunons have theirown way of maintaining peace within themselves, and that isthrough the conduct of paghusay or mediation. This practice,they said, is closely attached to their beliefs, hence, theperformance of the rituals. The rituals are directed towardsthe spirits “to resolve conflicts and problems, orderly andsuccessfully.” The Lupon and CVO of Sangalan have notedthat agreements made during the husay are binding and“nobody can break it” because it is supported by symbolicrituals like the sacrifices of pigs and chickens.“We’re happy because we have been educated,” saidthe tanods and women of Hagpa. Their youths said thestory helped them to ponder about their history, and thatunderstanding, unity and respect for each other are the mostimportant lessons.It was an awakening, said the youths in Minalwang.It helped to remind them that they are Higaunons becausemany of them have already forgotten their history. Theyadmitted they have always witnessed their elders perform therituals, but studying these and emulating the elders have notoccurred to them. Majority of the youths do not know how toperform the dasang, limbay and pandalawit (invocation). Likethe youths in Minalwang, the young people in Hagpa notedthat they have been enlightened and they were encouraged tolearn more about their history and tradition.The initial presentation of their history was hoped to pavethe way for greater understanding between the Higaunonsand the Dumagats. “It was shown that there is understandingbetween the settlers and the Higaunons.” “The story awakenedus and will help revive the culture of the Higaunons so itwould not be forgotten, so the future generations couldlearn from it.” The story would remind them to be unitedand to treat each one fairly with respect. Their history also158

Part 4 - ConclusionFocused group discussion for women at SangalanFeedbacking.during the Communitypointed to the various things held sacred and important to theHigaunons, like their land and forest resources. This madeone of the youths to say that they should take care of theirremaining natural resources. Amay Mantangkilan said, too,that the CADT should be maintained and protected.“We are not ashamed of our culture,” said the Higaunonparticipants. They added that if a non-Higaunon could readand get to know their stories, they might even be encouragedto look for the Higaunons.“They would be interested to learn more,” because theirstory is where the Higaunons and the Dumagats have united,said the participants in Kiudto.But the participants also aired their apprehensions. “Otherpeople who would hear our story might envy us, destroy159

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWour culture.” However, as their story revolved around theconcept of kindness and respect for each other in order toattain peace and unity, the datus’ wives noted that “theywould be encouraged to emulate us. They would learn fromour experience.”And their story continues…Higaunon children in Kiudto.“Let us continue our culture and tradition,” said a youthin Minalwang. “Continue studying our culture,” he added.They said that while their elders are still alive, they oughtto know everything so they could practice it. The datus andtheir wives also noted that Higaunon beliefs should still bepracticed, and while the young would learn more about theculture, they should also continue their formal education“so that they would not be oppressed.” The spirit of unity,160

Part 4 - Conclusioncooperation, respect and mutual understanding should bemaintained.While they were one in saying that the culture ought tobe preserved, yet there were aspects that need to be changed,according to Datu Mandedlyne. “I am not against thepreservation of the Higaunon culture but there must be a littlechange. While it had been our habit in the past to throw ourgarbage just about anywhere, this must change, to protect ourhealth. It is also not good to segregate the abode of Higaunonsand Dumagats. How could we become strong and united ifwe do not institute some change?”‘Tay Dikno also said that the story of cooperation betweenthe Higaunons and the NGOs should not be severed. They arewilling to cooperate for the development of their people. Forthe youth of Kiudto, they hoped that the government wouldgive them more attention. Another tanod of Kiudto suggesteda regular meeting of the datus which he termed “reunion.”The reunion and other related gatherings of the elders willshow that the Higaunon culture is alive. This activity is aimedto preserve the significant aspects of Higaunon tradition andat the same time arrest further negative effects of modernways on the culture of the Higaunons.Romeo Pinalandang, a sitio leader of Minalwang, said:“The culture is gradually disappearing. If only there would bea document that the young could read when the elders havegone.” This was the common suggestion of the participantsfrom the three barangays. They hoped that their story wouldbe written, or be made into a book, or be documented in anymedium. “May a book be written on the living story of theHigaunons.”May this book serve as a remembrance of their elders andas a guide to the youth and other people regarding Higaunonhistory and culture.161

LUMADNONG PAGKINABUHI NGADTO SA KALINAWAcknowledgmentsTo the Communities, specifically the Tribal Council, BarangayCouncil, Lupong Tagapamayapa, Civilian Volunteers,Women’s Association, Youth Groups, Children, LocalGovernment Officials of the following areas:• Barangay Sangalan, Barangay Kalipay, BarangayEureka, Barangay Kamanikan of the City of Gingoog,Province of Misamis Oriental• Barangay Minalwang, Municipality of Claveria,Province of Misamis Oriental• Barangay Hagpa, Barangay Kalabugao, Municipalityof Impasug-ong, Province of Misamis Oriental• Agusan del Norte• Agusan del SurTo the Balay Mindanaw family:• Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.• Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa MindanawFoundation, Inc.• Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Developmentin Mindanaw, Inc.• Balay Davao Sur, Inc.• Bangko sa Balay Foundation, Inc.To the support groups of the Mindanaw HigaunonCumadonPhoto credits:Kalayaan Anjuli Gatuslao, Jimson Hapson, Annie Mae Parco,Marcelo Penaso, Melody U. Salise, Donna Banaynal, ElizabethLaurico, Charmaine Mae Dagapioso-Baconga, GisebelleGarcia-Hernandez162

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