Mythologies of the Mamanwa Peoples
The Mamanwa language is a Central Philippine language spoken by the Mamanwa people. It is spoken in the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte in the Lake Mainit area of Mindanao, Philippines. It had about 5,000 speakers in 1990. Mamanwa is a grammatically conservative language, retaining a three-way deictic distinction in its articles which elsewhere is only preserved in some of the Batanic languages. Before the arrival of Mamanwa speakers in central Samar Island, there had been an earlier group of Negritos on the island. According to Lobel (2013), the Samar Agta may have switched to Waray or Northern Samarenyo, or possibly even Mamanwa. In addition to this, Francisco Combes, a Spanish friar, had observed the presence of Negritos in the Zamboanga Peninsula "in the Misamis strip" in 1645, although no linguistic data had ever been collected.
The nomadic Mamanwa (also spelled Mamanoa) people are one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines. They were previously believed to be a subgroup of the Negritos, but after numerous physical anthropological studies, they are now believed to be distinct from the Negritos. This frank but peace-loving tribe populates the areas of Panaoan Island, Southern Leyte, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. As of 1990, there are approximately 5,000 speakers of their language of the same name Mamanwa, which is under the umbrella Bisaya languages. Similar to the Negritos, Mamanwas are typically dark-skinned and bear small frames. They also possess curly hair and black eyes, and are mostly petite, ranging from 1.35 to 1.5 meters in height. Traditionally, hunting was heavily part of their customs and traditions, though this tradition has gradually disappeared. Instead, they now set up bayatik (spear traps) and gahong (pit traps) to catch animals in the forest, and they eat wild fruit, nuts, honey, and python meat. They also forge labor agreements with other nearby groups and weave baskets and hammocks.
The Mamanwa people group live in the Philippines in several places such as Agusan del Norte. They speak an Austronesian language and are also known as Mamanwa Negritos. The oldest males who are most well thought of are their leaders and they judge in community matters. The Mamanwa have great respect for elders. Leaders are prevented from conferring leadership to nearest relatives. Traditional hunting is disappearing but they have kept their other customs and traditions. They have work and support agreements with other groups they are allied to. Heavy industry has caused them to go to less well-off regions of the country. It has been said that the Mamanwa are descended from the original inhabitants of the Philippines. The Mamanwa eat wild fruit, nuts, honey and python meat. The Mamanwa make baskets and hammocks. They have a nomadic lifestyle which could be an obstacle to the gospel. They believe in spirits with Magbabaya as the main god.
The Mamanwa were once considered a Negrito group, but now are thought to comprise an older group entirely distinct from other Filipino populations. Like all Negritos, they have adopted the language of a dominant nearby group. They are concentrated primarily in Kitcharao and Santiago; however, they are quite mobile, and continually relocate. As hunting has declined in importance, the bow and arrow have largely fallen into disuse. The Mamanwa receive some of their subsistence from other groups with whom they have labor arrangements. Settlements consist of three to twenty households arranged in a circle in a high ridge or valley. The houses generally lack walls. Communities are kin-based, with leadership vested in the oldest and most respected male.
In 1991, a group of Mamanwa left their homes in Surigao, Mindanao to escape from hostilities and conflicts. They travelled to the Visayas area undaunted, holding on to their longing for a safe and peaceful refuge. “Our community suffered enough from human conflicts. Our living condition became unbearable. We were vulnerable to attacks from the conflicting parties of the government and the rebels. This situation compelled us to leave and find a new home, one that is safe for our family,” JR Kalinawan, their tribe leader says. Known as “first forest dwellers”, the Mamanwas chose to settle in the forested areas of Sitio Palayan in Brgy. Caucab, Almeria, Biliran. As they were settling anew in their newfound place, they lived hand to mouth. Their source of income was subsistence farming, relying solely on what nature offers. To sustain themselves in the days ahead, they ventured into kaingin or slash-and-burn farming. They too engaged in harvesting honey and making handicrafts like rattan baskets and hammocks. “We cultivated the land and claimed it as our own, maximizing the natural resources of the forest in our own ways and means. We were confident that nature will always be there to provide for all our needs from food, to clothing and shelter,” says JR.
Learning the techniques of modern organic farming was a turning point for a small community of indigenous people in an upland village here as they transformed from being wild hunters to cultivators of high-value vegetables. Mamanwa tribe leader Dioni Manatbanat, 49, of Kagbana village, said in an interview Wednesday that after completing an organic farming training last June, they abandoned their age-old practice of hunting in the wild and engaged in raising high-value crops. A total of 50 members of the Mamanwa tribe in Kagbana received a certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. The trainees -- 31 women and 19 men -- finished the 10-day training course on producing organic vegetable leading to organic agriculture and earned a National Certificate II for it. Specifically, tribe members were trained the organic of way of producing lettuce, broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers, radish, asparagus, onions and strawberries. The long-term goal is to supply the demand of groceries and hotels in the province. Tribe members also learned how to produce their own organic fertilizers using manure or agricultural residues available in the community. At least 15 of those who trained are former members of the New People’s Army. Their low level of education and poverty made them vulnerable to influences of community rebels.
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