STS ACT 4

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
OF VISAYAS

PANAY-BUKIDNON

Also known as the Tumandok or Suludnon, the Panay Bukidnon communities
are scattered among the hinterlands of Panay, particularly in the interiors
of Tapaz, Capiz.

Food Preservation &
Agricultural Practices


They hang the meat on top of their cooking place so the smoke
will act as a preservative.
Their agriculture is largely dependent on the Kaingin system.
Every activity they do whether in agriculture, fishing, and hunting
is influenced by the environmental spirits and deified umalagad
(souls) of the departed




MEtallurgical Works
They make bolos with elaborately carved handles, knives,
and spears.
Suludnon women have a passion for beauty wearing
jewelry made from coins strung together called biningkit,
a waistband of coins called a wakus, and a headdress of
coins known as a pundong.




Other technology
They weave baskets, mats, headwear, and dress like
saypang which they they exchange for lowland goods.
They also build coffin to bury important people and placed
under a shed made of cogon grass called Kantang.

ATI

The Ati, a Negrito indigenous group, are mostly found in Western and
Central Visayas. Large concentrations are found in Aklan, Capiz,
Antique, and Iloilo on Panay Island.

Food Preservation &
Agricultural Practices


Atis cultivate a variety of crops for their livelihood. Tobacco is
bartered for the products of their Visayan neighbors. During
September and October, they work at the sugar plantations of
Christian landowners.
They do not have a practice of food preservation because they
only eat what is available based on the season or based on their
diet.




Clothing
Not too long ago, like other Negritos in the country, their
clothing was simple, with women wearing wraparound
skirts, sometimes made out of bark cloth, and men
wearing loincloths.
However, today T-shirts, pants, and rubber sandals are
common as daily clothes.




Other technology
They have jewelry objects involving plants such as flowers,
while others use animal bones; particularly the teeth of pigs.
They obtained metal jewelry through trade with local tribes.
One custom that they observe is wearing a bracelet which
they believe is for protection against disease and as a
defense against harmful or entities or bad spirits.

ESKAYA

The Eskaya is an indigenous tribe found in the hinterlands of the towns of
Duero, Guindulman, Pilar and Sierra Bullones, Bohol’s southeast interior.

Agricultural Practices
The Eskaya practiced communal farming wherein all produce is
for the benefit of the whole community. In later years though, this


has not been observed. An Eskaya can now own land, till it, and
enjoy its fruits.
The practices of the Eskaya Tribe to know when to plant and
when to harvest, is when they hear the sound (cuajao) of the
Cuajao bird, it gives them the signal to prepare their farmlands
for this kind of birds appears commonly in dry season. The same
bird with pitpitpit sound signifies rainy season.




writing system
The Eskayan script is written characters based on parts of
the human body and positions of man’s head, arms, and
legs. According to some linguists the Eskaya language is
pure syllabary much like the Japanese Katakana.
Mystics and lay historians have suggested an origin in any
number of the following scripts and script families such as
Greek, Indic, Egyptian, Phoenician, Arabic and Javanese.




Other technology
The eskaya tribe is making products using coconuts fronds one
of it is called "pugaran" a shelter for an egg-laying hen and
woven coconut called "lukay" is a container made of coconut
leaves and it's triangular casing for "poo-so" a rice wrapped.
The elders of the eskaya tribe used "sipilya" or "alapres" as
planner and for creating a corner in a door or for decorative.

BUKIDNON-MAGAHAT

The Bukidnon-Magahats are also known as the Ati-Man. There are
concentrations of Bukidnon-Magahats found in southwestern Negros, Santa
Catalina, Bayawan, and Siaton in Negros Oriental; and in Negros Occidental.

Agricultural Practices

The Magahat-bukidnon are engaged in Swidden agriculture
because their settlements are in mountainous areas, hunted wild
game, and collecting edible forest products to add on their


harvest from their hillside farms. They are food gatherers and

good hunters as well.

The traditional method of farming is still being practiced by their
farmers in upland areas. The agricultural products produced by
the farmers are rice, corn, sugarcane, pineapple, coffee,
cassava, abaca, and vegetables.




Musical Instruments

& handiCrafts

The Bukidnon-Magahats musical instruments consist of
bamboo flutes, bamboo Jew's harp, one-stringed violin,
and the boatshaped guitar.

Their handicrafts consists of mats, hats, fishtraps, and
cloth weaving.




Other technology

When pregnancy has been duly established among women of
Bukidnon-Magahats, they take a bath in the nearest creek, river,
brook, or spring and they drink medical herbs mixed in boiled
water: banlot, makimanauon, and panangkilon.

At night before retiring they prepare some leaves from zangingi
and tampokao vines and places them over her abdomen. These
leaves are expected to eliminate pain while sleeping. They are
also supposed to ease delivery when time comes.

REFERENCES

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