The B’laan Tribe

The Tribe• The most industrious of

all the unchristianized tribes in the Philippines

• Is a proto-malayan group• The neighbor of the

T’Boli

Origin of Name• The name of this Indigenous group comes from the

words Bla and An, meaning Opponent People

• Also known as :– Tagalacad or “dwellers in

the back country”– Tagakogon or “dwellers in

the cogon”– Buluan in Lake Buluan– Bira-an/Bara-an – Villanes/Bilanes – Balud/Tumanao in

Sarangani Island

Language• Said to be the source of the name

for Koronadal City from two B’lann words, koron (cogon grass) and nadal (plain) and for the name Marbel, which is a B’lann term for the poblacion. The term is derived from Malb-el which means "murky waters" referring to a river, now called Marbel River.

Social Structure

• Organized under the “Fulong”

• Close family ties is a core value of B’lann society

Fulong

Head’s Family

Religious Leaders

Tribal Members

Religious Beliefs • believes on the supremacy of

the great Creator named Malu or D'wata

• strong believers on the interdependency with the environment and must respect the will of the Creator

• Believes that their weaving designs were imparted to the dreamer through the l'nilong (fairies)

• make offerings to their deities requesting for signs to know where to best make a clearing for a particular planting session

Customs• practice Sweden agriculture• Bilaan men wear their hair long and have

tattoos on their back, chest legs and arms, some of the main characteristics practised by men and woman of this tribe is the shaving of the eyebrows and the blackening of their tongues and filed incisors.

• A hand-woven mat is spread on the ground or floor and is considered to be a sacred place

• Has ritual dances. One of their well-known ritual dances is the Blit B'laan which is a courtship dance of the imitating the movements of the male and female birds during mating season.

Ethnic Art and Handicrafts• Colourful native costumes woven

from abaca and decorated with embroidery, buttons, beads and heavy brass belts with numerous tiny bells are worn by the women of the Bilaan

• The sequin-like capiz shells called takmon are used to give a distinct design and colour to their clothes

• Creates the brass ornaments and traditional beadwork• have their own system of weaving using abaca fibre• Musical instruments, like wooden lutes, flutes and

bamboo tubes with strings are used extensively with their rituals and dances

In the Modern Era • Although many have adopted the ways of the modern Filipino

and have been integrated into the main body politic, they still believe and practice their indigenous rituals and customs. The Bilaan of Southern Mindanao are still upholding their traditional ways of living, their values and their distinctive culture.