“Ang Ginoo nag-ingon: ang akong laraw mao ang kalinaw, dili kagubot; mosangpit kamo kanako ug patalinghugan ko kamo ug luwason ko kamo.” (Jer. 29:11, 12, 14)
Sacred History of the Kingdom of Tagoloan
Source: Datu Poona Pinto of Panoroganan, Boto Comunog, Tribal Historian, Descendant of Mampenao and Poona Pinto (Chieftain) of Tagoloan as told to his foster son Datu Sandigan sa Bayog Rogelio M. Cabiladas, published in the Mindanao Journal, October 2002.
As I look up to the heaven to pray to the Almighty Creator, The Blessed One, I pray to the souls of my ancestors and the Diwatas of the Bayug River, all the way from the mouth up to the waterfalls, that I will not be cursed nor condemned, nor punished to death.
As I open this History to the public, I pray that those who will misuse it instead of using it for the good of the Higaunon, will be punished according to the justice system of the Higaunon: that Ananampoc will hit with his poison bite, that Ananaplid will level off, that Amomogpog will blow his head.
- Datu Sandigan sa Bayog
Before the Great Deluge
The first person who lived in Bayog was Apo Sominam-ang or Tominukol who survived by hunting and fishing. In his meditation a diwata or angel made an appearance and instructed him to proceed to Abaga in Bayog which is now the Limunsudan Falls, to save himself from a big flood.
He followed the Bayog riverbed towards its headwaters. When he reached Kaluda where the rivers of Kapai and Bayog converged, he persuaded his brother Apo Imbalagel to join him so that the latter would also save himself. But Apo Imbalagel declined because he felt that his being Imbalagel (one who stops) will not mean anything if he could not stop the catastrophe that would arrive.
Apo Sominam-ang or Tominukol continued on with his trip until he reached near the side of Abaga in Bayog. He saw the swelling waters of the big flood that would cover the earth, which is why he stuck his dagger at that side of Abaga which in turn opened because the Diwata saved him while Magbabaya inundated the whole world. He is believed to be the first ancestor of the Dumaan because he married one of the Diwatas. His brothers Apo Migsuanob, Apo Imbalagel, Apo Makaupaw and Apo Balingbingan are still deeply respected by the indigenous peoples because their names are invoked during worship, at the rituals for the Kaliga, Kaamulan, Ibabasok and Panalikot.
According to the stories of the Higaunon in Tikalaan, Talakag, Bukidnon, another name of Apo Tominukol is Apo Agbibilin who built a raft during the deluge. To avoid drifting away, he joined rattan vines together, loaded these on the raft, tied one end to the trunk of a dakit (balete) tree and the other end to the raft, so that he will not be drifted to other areas.
When the flood subsided, he noticed smoke rising from the top of Kalatungan mountain. He went there to check and found a woman who built the fire or “hubo” and it was here that the word Manobo started to be used, referring the first person who built a fire. The name of the woman was Inay Ginamayon. She was saved from the flood because she rode on a big kalatong or bamboo drum. Apo Agbibilin married her. The people of Mindanao originated from them. This is why the various tribes like the Manobo, Higaunon (Tagolowanon), Talaandig, Bukidnon, Maranao and Maguindanao are related and their languages bear similarities. The mountain into which Inay Ginamayon drifted on a kalatong was called Kalatungan.
Tikalaan was also known as “Pusod sa Dagat” (literally: the umbilical cord of the sea) because the first man originated here, so was the first civilization and the first barrio in the province of Bukidnon. This is recognized as a sacred place by the Maranao, the Maguindanao, Manobo and Higaunon because it was there that they had their peace agreement or Tampuda Hu Balagon so that they could avoid big inter-tribal conflicts, or conflicts among relatives.
Pre-Islamic Period
According to the accord or kokoman of the first peoples, the justice system carries the symbols of ganta, egg and rattan (gantang, itlog and uway) and the way to settle conflict is by the taking an oath or the Tampuda using the ganta, egg that would be broken and rattan that would be cut indicating that they should release their grudge and hatred for each other and consider themselves as brothers. A Diwata called Tagulambong hu Gantang watches over the ganta; another Diwata called Ananaplid over the levelling off (?); still another Diwata called Ananampok over the uway (rattan), and the Diwata called Amomogpoc over the egg.,
The first people to do this were Gibariil, the father of Mamalu and Tabunaway of the Maguindanao and Sandab the father of Sultan Kawasa of Maguindanao and Datu Buri father of Patimata of the Maguindanao. They were the first people who designed the system of justice and conflict settlement. The settlement goes this way:
First, the datu would ask the offended and the offender whether or not they wished to have a settlement in order to avoid wiping each other out and getting many other people involved. If they wished for a settlement, the following customary process would be followed:
The acceptance of the offense. The offender sends a lugbak or token to the offended party as his way of admission of the offense. At the time when there was no money yet, lugbak may be buttons wrapped in white cloth; now this can be coins wrapped in white cloth. White cloth symbolizes the sincere, heartfelt admission of the offense.
The giving of the “Agaw ho Balaw” or item of appeasement. This used to be a material item, now it can be money.
The giving of “Bakos ho Balukan” or binding the hands so that he may not raise his pinuti (bolo) towards the offender. This may be material item or money.
The giving of padumol or something to make the offended party look the other way when they see the offender. This may be material item or money. The second, third and fourth procedures are akin to bail in the modern judicial system to enable the offender to look for material items or money that will be used to compensate for his offenses.
The giving of pangangawid or expenses for the offended party, like one carabao and four sacks of rice. The carabao will be killed by having all relatives of the offended party express their anger and revenge by stabbing the animal. The meat will then be cooked and eaten.
The giving of “bangon,” material item or money, in return for life taken.
Then follows the “arubang” or the ritual of making the families of both parties face each other. Both will swear using the ganta and the uway never to repeat the deed and to put an end to the rido and consider each other as brothers.
Second Tampuda Using Ganta, egg and rattan vine again
Apo Nanao, Mampingihing, Man-amotaw, Manbunlog ang Man-panolong established the system of governance of the tribe after the pattern of governing a household.
The protector is Apo Nanao; Apo Mampingihing is the “babag”; Man-amotaw is the door; Man-bunlog is the key, and Manpanolong is the wall.
Islamic Period: Ganta, Egg, Rattan and Qur’an
The third Tampuda of the descendants of Apo Lembobongan who live around Bayog river, intended to pay respects to the leadership of each place.
Pinto sa Panoroganan = Mampenao
Pinto sa Kapai = Maopaat
Pinto sa Pagalungan = Mantinyal
Pinto sa Tikalaan = Man-utob
Pinto sa Dulangan = Mambibyowan
Descendant of Poklawan of the old
talobo *(?)
Pinto sa Digkilaan = Mampanga-an
Pinto sa Iligan = Makalaglag daw
Makalupo, descendant of Pignayoan,
Son of Apo Sumondol and husband
of Apo Pignayoan is Apo
Makagenang…
History of their Descendants
At the time prior to the arrival of Islamic missionaries, the first inhabitants exchanged products with the Chinese through barter trade, using huge sea crafts called galleon. The Lumad inhabited the banks of big rivers like Butuan, Tagoloan, Cagayan and Bayog. Butuan was the center of the aforementioned kingdoms. In fact, it was believed that this was the kingdom of Nalundangan under the leadership of Agyo of the Ulaging epic of the Manobo/Higaunon or the kingdom of Bumbaran in the epic of Darangen of the Maranao.
There were dignitaries from Butuan who were brought to China as their partners from the Philippines which the Chinese in turn called Ma-i in the time of the T’ang Dynasty of China. Some of the dignitaries failed to return to Butuan which made the Lumad or Dumaan angry with foreign traders who came to Butuan for barter.
When the boat of Shariff Alawiya, a Muslim missionary, docked at the Tagoloan river, the Dumaan fought him although they failed to defeat him. However, his boat sustained heavy damage. It is believed that the mound at the mouth of Tagoloan River are the remains of the boat of Shariff Alawiya.
Shariff Alawiya married Bae Adsinalong, daughter of Datu Bansaan and Apo Pinaalong, both Dumaan. They gave birth to Bae Landa whom they gave away in marriage to Balabagan of Maguindanao, son of Shariff Kabungsuan and Potri Tomanena as “noni sa bangsa” or the marriage of the descendants of the Shariffs of Maguindanao and Tagoloan. When Bae Landa was pregnant, Balabagan separated from her because he went home to Maguindanao. She then married Datu Sogod, another Dumaan and son of Bae Kahangenan and Datu Mamasaw. Bae Kahangenan, offspring of Apo Dalinason is the first Baylan who went home to Abaga in Bayog, door to heaven, at the time of her death.
The son of Bae Landa was named Apo Lembobongan who inturn married Bae Papayongan, daughter of Shariff Aleyoden of Sulug, again as “noni sa bangsa” of Tagoloan and Sulu. The children of Bae Papayongan and Apo Lembobongan were:
Apo Kamayongan, Apo Eya-aya , Apo Namalan o Apo Tawagon, Apo Mangawan, Apo Mambatangan, Apo Bantakon, Apo Hampeson, Apo Panagsahon.
Apo Mangawan begot Apo Konumon who eloped with Bae Adsinili, one reason why the Tampuda Ho Balagon was made in Tikalaan, Talakag, Bukidnon, to prevent fighting between the Maranao and the Tagolowanon. The two begot Apo Sumondol who married Maedan and Anarendan, sisters and children of Bandara Alim of Maguindanao, as substitute to the failed marriage or “noni sa bangsa” at the time of Bae Landa and Balabagan of Maguindanao. The children of Apo Sumondol were:
Apo Dialahan – ancestor of the people of Pagalungan – Pinto Mantinyal
Apo Angadog – Pinto Mantinyal
Panoroganan – Pinto Mampenao
Apo Abano - Pinto Mampenao
Dulangan - Pinto Mambibyowan
Apo Ambowan - Pinto Mambibyowan
Digkilaan - Pinto Mampangaan
Apo Manaynon - female, married in
Tagoloan
Apo Pignayoan – female, married in
Iligan
Apo Namanglayan – female, married
at Cagayan
Bandara Alim of Maguindanao died while visiting his children who married Apo Sumondol then living in Panoroganan, Iligan. He died near Ka-agnayan river and was buried near Lidop creek, part of the territory of Panoroganan. As a sign of respect for him, the river near his place of death was renamed Karamatay, and the creek near his burial ground was renamed Kiapo.
Apo Pignayoan who married Apo Makagenang in Iligan begot Makalaglag and Makalupo who in turn begot Kapitan Damiano and Kapitan Poleliano at the time of the Spanish period. To Kapitan Damiano is traced the families of Actub and Ramiro. To Kapitan Poleliano is traced the Zalsos family, known for their skills in manufacturing (blacksmithing) bolos and other tools for household and agricultural uses.
