IV. TAGAKAOLO. 



Synonyms. 



(a) Tagakaola. 



(b) Saka— "head of the river." 



(c) Kagan, Kalagan, Calaganes, Caeagars. 



(d) Laoc. According to the account of Paster 1 this name is given 

 to a small, degraded division of the Tagakaolo who live in the mount- 

 ains of Haguimitan on San Augustin peninsula. 



The present habitat and general condition of this tribe is nearly the 

 same as that of the Kulaman. 



Prior to Spanish times they held the hill region back of the coast, 

 between Malalag and Lais. On the Gulf side they were barred from 

 the sea by the Kulaman and Moro, while in the mountains they en- 

 countered the powerful Bila-an tribe. 



About fifty years ago that part of the tribe living furthest to the 

 north united under the leadership of a brave warrior named Paugok, 

 and made war on the Bagobo. They were successful in this conflict 

 and drove their enemies from the rich valleys of the Padada and Bula- 

 takay rivers, where they established themselves. This brought them 

 in close contact with the Kulaman and Moro of the coast, with whom 

 they lived on friendly terms. The influence of the latter group was so 

 great that the newcomers not only adopted their style of dress, but also 

 substituted cotton for hemp in the manufacture of their garments. 

 Today the members of this tribe can still be recognized by their close 

 fitting suits of red and yellow striped cloth, from which they have 

 received the name of Kagan. 2 They have also been constant bor- 

 rowers, from all their neighbors, of ideas for house-building and uten- 

 sils. They have intermarried to some extent with the Kulaman, and 

 in times past Bila-an and Bagobo slave women have been added to the 

 tribe. 



Today practically all the members of the Kagan division are found 

 living on the American plantations along the Padada and Bulatakay 

 rivers. They are on friendly terms with their Tagakaolo kinsmen, and 

 are still so like them in language, social customs, and religious beliefs, 

 that one description will suffice for both. 



1 Blair and Robertson. Vol. XLI'II, p. 259. 



2 The general name applied to red cotton trade cloth. 



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