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Tiruray

The Tiruray tribe are an indigenous group living in mountains in Mindanao, Philippines, who practice subsistence farming, hunting, fishing, and basket weaving and maintain their own culture despite influence from neighboring groups. While some Tiruray have moved to other areas or integrated into the mainstream, others have retained their traditional communal lifestyle, polygamy, and indigenous legal system in their ancestral lands. The Tiruray have experienced varying degrees of assimilation over centuries from interactions with Muslims, Spanish colonizers, American colonization which introduced Christianity and land titling, and integration into the local Maguindanao political structure.

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Patrisha Marie Iya Bautista
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4K views3 pages

Tiruray

The Tiruray tribe are an indigenous group living in mountains in Mindanao, Philippines, who practice subsistence farming, hunting, fishing, and basket weaving and maintain their own culture despite influence from neighboring groups. While some Tiruray have moved to other areas or integrated into the mainstream, others have retained their traditional communal lifestyle, polygamy, and indigenous legal system in their ancestral lands. The Tiruray have experienced varying degrees of assimilation over centuries from interactions with Muslims, Spanish colonizers, American colonization which introduced Christianity and land titling, and integration into the local Maguindanao political structure.

Uploaded by

Patrisha Marie Iya Bautista
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1 Tiruray Tribe

INTRODUCTION
The word "Tiruray" comes from "tiru," signifying "place of origin, birth or residence," and "ray," from "daya," meaning" upper part of a stream or river." The Tirurau are a traditional hill people of southwestern Mindanao. Living high in an area of the 4,000 foot plateau of southwestern Mindanao bounded by the Tamontaca and Tran rivers and the Celebes Sea to the west, the Tiruray have retained much of their indigenous culture despite their proximity to the dominant Maguindanao, living in the Cotabato Valley to the east. They can be divided into three groups based on subsistence orientation: riverine, coastal, and the more numerous mountain; each has its own dialect. Tiruray Tribe may be found in the province of Maguindanao, with concentrations in the municipalities of Upi (13,535), South Upi (10,240), Dinaig (3,255), and Ampatuan (1,300). The population ranges nationally to 76,883 (NM 1994), with about 30,000 in Magindanao alone. There are about 12,000 in Sultan Kudarat and 695 in North Cotabato. The Tiruray are in constant interaction with the neighboring Maguindanao. There is also a special ceremonial and ritual language. Houses are generally built near the fields in the uplands, in groups called ingeds. Agricultural matters are decided based on a lunar calendar and another based on the stars. There is considerable interaction with the Magindanao, particularly with respect to trade. The Tiruray are very accomplished craftspeople, weaving exquisite baskets covered with distinctive motifs. They also make earrings, pendants, and necklaces out of horse hair. Tiruray have a solid social structure as reflected by their socio-economic activities, which include farming, hunting, fishing and basket weaving. While many have adapted to the political mainstream, a high number of their population still believe and practice their indigenous custom and ritual. Despite the much acculturation, the Tiruray maintain a traditional culture of their own, characterized by communal households, polygamy, and an indigenous moral-legal system. They are known for their craftsmanship in basket weaving in two-toned geometric designs.

2 Tiruray Tribe

Some of the Tiruray have moved to other areas. In 1974, Tiruray settlements were reported in Davao del Norte. Even if there is much influence from other cultures, they are able to maintain a distinct culture of their own, characterized by communal households, polygamy, and an indigenous moral-legal system. The Tiruray have occupied the same area for several centuries, but they have undergone varying degrees of assimilation and acculturation. It is reasonable to assume that before the Spanish appeared in Mindanao, there were extensive contacts between the Tiruray and the Maguindanao Muslims, particularly since the 15th century. During that time, the people of the Cotabato river basin had been won over to Islam, which had established a sultanate over all of Maguindanao. Attempts by the Maguindanao to subdue the mountain tribes of Cotabato did not succeed, but trade relationseventually flourished between the two groups. The Tiruray came down to the coast bringing forest and agricultural products for trade. Spanish influence in the area came rather late. It was only sometime in the 19th century, towards the end of Spain's colonial rule of the Philippines, that the central government in Manila and the Roman Catholic Church were able to establish a stronghold in Cotabato. A Spanish military garrison was put up in Cotabato City, while a Jesuit school and mission were built near Awang, close to the mountain region. The Spaniards were able to convert a number of Tiruray to Catholicism. The outbreak of war between the American occupation forces and the Muslim people of Mindanao in the early part of the 1900s signalled the beginning of another phase of colonization. The Americans, through the efforts of a Philippine Constabulary officer named Irving Edwards who married aTiruray, built a public school in Awang in 1916 and an agricultural school in Upi in 1919. The building of roads which ran into Tiruray territory opened up the region to numerous lowland Christian settlers, most of them Ilocano and Visayan, and Upi Valley became the site of many homesteads. The Americans introduced the idea of titling lands as homesteads. A significant number of Tiruray were persuaded to give up their traditional slash-and-burn methods of cultivation, and they shifted to farming with plow and carabao. This was the beginning of the dichotomy in Tiruray culture: many Tiruray refused to be acculturated and retreated deeper into their ancestral mountain habitat, while others resettled in the Upi valley and became peasants.

3 Tiruray Tribe

Many of the resettled and "modernized" Tiruray have been converted to Christianity, as a result of years of evangelization work by "clergy who are either American missionaries, Filipinos from Luzon, or profoundly westernized Tiruray". Their situation has remained basically unchanged since the American period. Political power is mainly in the hands of the Maguindanao who make up the majority population (more than half a million) in the rural and urbanized parts of the province. Local and provincial leaders, under the local government setup centralized in Manila, are mainly Maguindanao.

Ralph Ephraim Bautista II-BSBA Management Accounting

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Historical trade relations between the Tiruray and Maguindanao fostered economic interdependence between the groups. The Tiruray traded forest and agricultural products at coastal markets, establishing economic ties and cultural exchanges that enriched both cultures . Culturally, these interactions introduced the Tiruray to new practices, yet they managed to maintain their distinct cultural traits despite pressures from a more populous and politically dominant Maguindanao .

The Tiruray have maintained much of their indigenous culture despite continuous interaction with the Maguindanao. This interaction has led to trade relations, particularly with the Tiruray trading forest and agricultural products by coming down from the mountains to the coast . Nevertheless, attempts by the Maguindanao to subdue them did not succeed, allowing the Tiruray to sustain their distinct cultural identity, customs, and socio-economic activities such as basket weaving and agriculture .

The Tiruray have preserved their traditional culture by maintaining distinct social structures like communal households, polygamy, and an indigenous moral-legal system, even while interacting with the Maguindanao and experiencing periods of Spanish and American influence . Their ability to engage selectively with new practices while holding onto core traditions demonstrates resilience. Acculturation has not been entirely avoidable, as seen in some Tiruray converting to Christianity or adopting new agricultural practices, but a significant portion still adheres to their ancestral ways .

The introduction of land titles by the Americans disrupted the traditional Tiruray practices of communal land ownership and slash-and-burn cultivation. As a result of these changes, some Tiruray adopted plow and carabao farming methods, aligned with the concept of individually titled homesteads, leading to a transformation in their agricultural and social systems .

American colonization brought significant changes to the Tiruray, such as the establishment of public and agricultural schools which introduced formal education . They also introduced land titling, prompting some Tiruray to shift from slash-and-burn agriculture to plow-based farming. These changes led to a division within the community: some Tiruray adapted to new farming techniques and resettled in Upi Valley, while others retreated to their mountain habitats to preserve their traditional lifestyle .

The settlement of lowland Christian settlers during the American period led to significant demographic shifts, resulting in cultural assimilation and land disputes. Many Tiruray were persuaded to adopt new lifestyles or retreated further into the mountains to preserve their culture . This influx underlined disparities in political power, as settlers often held sway over local governance, contributing to marginalization of indigenous systems and practices .

Infrastructure development, such as the construction of roads, facilitated access to previously remote Tiruray areas, making it easier for lowland settlers to establish homesteads in these regions. This enhanced movement contributed to the cultural assimilation of some Tiruray, encouraging resettlement in areas like Upi Valley where new farming techniques and Christian practices were adopted . This infrastructure development significantly influenced the socio-economic fabric of Tiruray communities .

Jesuit missionaries, along with the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church, played a significant role in the cultural transformation of the Tiruray by converting a number of them to Catholicism . The mission built near Awang was part of the broader strategy of assimilating indigenous populations under Spanish control, which, although occurring rather late, introduced new beliefs and practices into the Tiruray culture .

Basket weaving holds both social and economic significance in the Tiruray community. It is an expression of their cultural heritage, showcasing their craftsmanship through intricate two-toned geometric designs . Economically, basket weaving is an important source of income, as these goods are traded and sold, facilitating interactions with neighboring groups such as the Maguindanao—a reflection of their socio-economic structure which includes farming, hunting, and fishing .

Language plays a crucial role in maintaining the cultural identity and social cohesion of the Tiruray people by providing a medium for transmitting indigenous knowledge, customs, and traditions . They use distinct dialects, which reflect their diverse subsistence orientations (riverine, coastal, mountain). Additionally, a specialized ceremonial and ritual language reinforces their cultural uniqueness and assists in communal activities and decision-making processes linked to indigenous practices .

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