2. History
Trade among the Tau’t Bato is done through
‘’Sambi’’ (barter) or ‘’Dagang’’ (monetary
exchange).
Tau’t Bato’s trade is specifically for marine
fish which they get from the neighboring
Candawaga people.
The Tau’t Bato people also trade forest
products such as almaciga and rattan.
Tau’t Bato people live in a very remote place
which is not affected by any political
activity
They are also good in basketry.
3. Tau’t Bato
The Tau’t Bato or Taaw’t Bato (“people of the
rock”) stay in the Singnapan Basin, a bowl-shaped
valley in southwestern Palawan. Their territory has
Mt. Mantalingajan to the east and a coast to the
west. Tau’t Bato is a small but articulate subgroup
of the Palawan tribes. The language is spoken by
various groups in the area.
The term Tau't Bato originated from the words ''tao''
meaning man and ''bato'' which stands for cave.
4. Belief
The Tau't Batu people have their own
religion which centers around spirits. They
believe they must serve and appease
these spirits to gain blessings and not be
put under curses.
5. Traditions & Culture
The culture and tradition expressed by
the Tau`t Bato tribe identifies the people and
their unique view of how their world funtions.
The ways and means that they follow to be
able to fulfill and practice their culture may
be peculiar to the eyes of an outsider but to
those who possess the knowledge of ages, it
is their everything. It is them as one people -
their identity, their being.
6. The dead body of a Tau’t Bato will only
stay in his/her family’s house for a
maximum of one day. If the person died in
the morning,the burial will take place
before noontime. Burying their dead in a
cave that faces the front entrance of their
house is believed to bring bad omen to
the family.
7. Marraige Practices
Traditionally, the Tau't Bato has no
courtship. Pairing of children by their parents is
the common practice. They marry at a young
age of nine and above for girls and 15 and
above for the boys. During the marriage
ceremony, the bride and the groom will sit
together and eat boiled cassava
8. Birth and Child Practices
When a woman gives birth to her child,
she is assisted by two members of their
community: the ''Panday'' pushes and pulls
out the baby and the ''Mangungulin''is
responsible for cutiing the baby's umbilical
cord with the use of a bamboo split as an
improvised pair of scissors. They do not use
bolos or knives to cut the cord for fear of rust
which can cause sickness or infection both
to the mother and the baby. In some cases,
only the husband assists his wife in delivering
their child.
9. Physical Description
The female tao't bato wears patadyong
and nothing on top and under
However, the women starting wearing
shirts as they interact and barter
products with the lowlanders.
And the male tao't bato wears bahag or
G-strings. Many learned to wear ''ukay-
ukay'' or relief clothes are affordable.
