September, 1913. Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 53 



ers in several villages. In 1886 Father Gisbert reported eight hundred 

 converts living in five coast towns. Following the conflict between 

 Spain and the United States, and during the subsequent insurrection, 

 these villages were left without protection or guidance. As a result, 

 large numbers of the inhabitants retired to the hills where they were 

 again merged with their wilder brothers. Naturally, they carried 

 with them new ideas as well as material objects. With the re-establish- 

 ment of order under American rule many returned to the deserted 

 villages while others were induced by Governor Bolton to form com- 

 pact settlements midway between the coast and the mountain fastnesses. 

 The influence of the Government has become stronger each year, and 

 following the human sacrifice at Talun in 1907, that powerful village 

 and several of the neighboring settlements were compelled to move 

 down near to the sea where they could be more easily controlled. 



Schools have been opened in some localities and these, together with 

 the activities of Catholic and Protestant missionaries, are causing a 

 rapid change in the life and beliefs of the tribe. 



The presence of American hemp planters, with the consequent 

 demand for laborers, is also proving an immense factor in wiping out 

 old tribal lines and in introducing new ideas. 



Beyond a few letters written by the missionaries 1 we find scant 

 reference to this tribe in history, but their own traditions and genealogies 

 are well known even by the younger generation. 



According to the tribal historians the human race sprang from a 

 man, Toglai, and his wife, Toglibon, who lived on Mt. Apo. 2 "They 

 were there from the beginning, at a point near to the present settlement 

 of Cibolan. Many fruits grew on the mountains and the forests 

 abounded in game so that it was easy for them to secure food. There 

 were born to them children, who, when they grew up, married. One 

 day Toglai and Toglibon told their oldest boy and girl that they should 

 go far away across the ocean, for there was a good place for them. So 

 the two departed and were seen no more until their descendants, the 

 white people, came back to Davao. The other children remained 

 with their parents and were happy and prosperous until Toglai and 

 Toglibon died and went to the sky, where they became spirits. Soon 

 after their death the country suffered a great drought. This finally 

 became so severe that the water in the rivers dried up and there was 

 no more food in the land. At last the children were forced to leave 



1 Blair and Robertson. The Philippine Islands. 



2 See fuller account by author, in Philippine Journal op Science. June 191 1, 

 Vol. VI, No. 3, pp. 128-9. 



