The Mansaka tribe lives in valleys and coastal areas of Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley in the Philippines. They were originally a warlike group that acquired slaves through fighting, but are now a peaceful tribe. They speak languages in the Manobo linguistic group and have a traditional leadership structure headed by a matikadong. Their economy centers around farming, fishing, and hunting. They have rich cultural traditions including clothing, marriage customs that traditionally involved dowries of slaves, religious beliefs involving spirits and shamanic practices.

1. MANSAKA
Ethnic
Tribe

2. Davao del Norte and
Compostela Valley
• ManatValley
• MaragusanValley
• Hijo RiverValley
• seacoasts of
Kingking, Maco,
Kwambog, Hijo,
Tagum, Libuganon,
Tuganay, Ising, and
Panabo.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

3. MANSAKA
derived from “man” = “first” ; “saka” = “to ascend”
the first people to ascend the mountains or go upstream
peaceful tribe today, but there was a time when they were
a warlike nomadic group who fought the Moros and
Mandayas to acquire slaves, which were essential parts of
their dowries
under Manuvu linguistic
• Tagacaolo, Davaoeno, Isamal Dialects
Language

4. HISTORY
3 phases of Mansaka racial development
From 3000 to 500 BC
Indonesians + Native women = Manobo
From 300 to 200 BC
Malays + Manobo = Mandaya-Mansaka
13th century
Chinese + Mandaya-Mansaka = developed Mandaya-
Mansaka

5. 1851 – Davao was made the Fourth Military District of Mindanao
– substitution of the Muslims by the Christians
Spanish Period
Slavery was halted (practiced by some Islamized groups)
Introduced “Spanish reduccion”
– Was partially successful
American Period
Mandaya-Mansaka were encouraged to work in coastal plantations
and adopt the lifestyle of Christianized natives
Developed abaca industry
During the Commonwealth, there were laws liberalizing Christian
migration to the settlement areas of the Mansaka

6. ECONOMY
Farming; Fishing; HuntingMain Economic Activities
Farming Produce
humay (rice) & batad (corn) = harvested and stored
coffee & hemp = cash crops
paruda (sweet potatoes) & wakag (tubers) = dug from the
backyard when they are to be consumed
Fishing Methods Yamangot
Gabukad
Longyab
Ligwat
Yaaraw
Yobas
Tuba
Bingwit
Saranaw
Bows & arrows

8. Hunting Weapons Tuklo (spear)
Sumpitan (blowgun)
Purot
Piranasan
Litag
Katal
Arejas
Utotan
Metalcraft
– Presence of pandayan (blacksmith’s shop)
other Economic Activities
Weaving
– dagmay (abaca cloth with designs)
> woven with 3 types of fibers (bintok; sikarig; kanarum)
Wood carving
Pottery
Basketry
Budjak
Karasag
Busog

10. POLITICAL SYSTEM
Have unwritten laws based on their traditions, customs and beliefs
These laws guides the political leaders in judicial, social, and
political matters
Traditional Leadership
MATIKADONG - the leader of
the tribe
has a family
an AL-LANG or servant
a council of leaders
(MANGKATADONG)

11. BAGANI – a member of the warrior class
– lead the community with the help and advice of the
matadong
– protects the rights and lives of the clan members
 must killed atleast 12 people who have violated the Mansaka traditions
Distinguished by a red cloth which is the official headdress (MAROGANG)
The marogang can only be worn by a Bagani
MANIKLAD – a member of the warrior class
–killed at least seven persons but falls short of the minimum
number required to be a bagani
MATADONG (old wise man) - has great influence in community
decision making

12. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND CUSTOMS
depends on kinship ties which regulate the interrelationship between
families and between members of a family
Mansaka family is patriarchal
The community assigns members to manage the farm.
• Men - tasked in farm-related jobs , fishing and hunting
• Women - tasked to produce clothing and weave mats
-help in the farm during planting, weeding and
harvesting times
-cultivate crops as commercial products to sell or
barter

13.  Men - spades to till the soil using the TUTUDAKA, a 2.1-meter-long
wooden pole, on which is attached bai (a species of coconut plant)
Planting Season
 Women - sow the seeds
 Children - use the wawaris (bamboo brooms) to cover the seeds with soil
Harvest time = merrymaking occasion
 PYAGSAWITAN – first meal from their farm produce
 A ceremony is performed
 Families & neighbors join and witness the event
 Guests bring food and wine as their contribution
 Tribal dances are performed, coupled with singing & the playing of
indigenous instruments
 Each guest leaves with something from the farm produce

14. Marriage is arranged by the parents of the bride and groom
Mansaka maiden usually marries when she reaches 15
The parent of the girl sets the amount of dowry for their daughter.
The dowry is in terms of al-langs (slaves), agongs and patakia (a
container for betel nut chew).
 Daughters of Baganis command the highest dowry. It is usually from
10 to 15 al-langs with so many agongs and patakias to accompany
them.
In more recent times, they accept the equivalent price of one al-lang,
after the amount of dowry has been agreed upon.
COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE
The wedding ceremony consists of an exchange of rice between the
parties: the man takes rice in his hand and feeds his bride and vice versa. It
is followed by a religious rite to ensure the happy future of the couple. An
elder and a tribal leader officiates the wedding ceremony and sit with
them at the table.

15. CLOTHING
WOMEN - adorn their bodies with sampad, platena, balyog, and
bracelets.
- wear decorative combs of colourful beads and beaded hairpins.
-may have bangs or tie their long hair at the back. A portion
remains untied near the ears.
 The blouse of a daughter of the nobility is full of design motifs
called pyanaigon, byatotoan, limbotong, and binawid.
 Their clothes are made from abaca and saragboy, a soft cotton-like
cloth from a native shrub.
MEN - wear short pants or SYRAWTANAN also made from abaca and
woven by women of the tribe.

17. BALIAN (shaman) - usually female medicine person who officiates in
rituals involving sickness, death, planting and harvest.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
believes in a supreme being whom they call Magbabaya or Yumanum
Mansaka identify themselves as utaw or people created by
Magbabaya
 Mansaka manaog or domestic gods are represented by wooden
statues standing on a parangka (pedestal)
 Manaog have sexes which can be discerned on the sculpture and
ornaments on the statues
 Offerings are given to the manaog after rice planting, harvest, and
before death

18. Christianity has been introduced and accepted by many
Mansaka, but it has not totally eradicated the manaog cult. The
Mansaka believe in the saving grace of the Christian God but
remnants of the old religion, as in many ethnic groups, persist.
Curiously the Mansaka belong to various Christian denominations,
often at the same time.
 The rituals can be either indoor or outdoor
The manaog of the balian are kept on the ceiling near the kitchen,
where they become black from the smoke.
Mansakas offer food, wine and betel nut, areca leaves and lime or
“mama” to appease the evil spirits. They believe that human ailments
are caused by displeased super beings.