V. ATA. 



The people classed under this name are the least known of any of the 

 wild inhabitants of Mindanao. They probably receive their name from 

 the word atds which signifies "those up above" or "the dwellers in the 

 uplands." It does not appear that they form a single tribe, or that 

 they are even of uniform type. 



The writer did no intensive work with them, and the following notes 

 make no pretense of being first-hand knowledge. I have drawn on all 

 possible sources for this scanty information, but am mostly indebted 

 to the letters and reports of the late Governor Bolton, who, without 

 doubt, knew more of this people than any other white man. 



I am thus compelled to make my descriptions vague ; indeed, my one 

 excuse for dealing with the Ata is to bring together such information 

 as we possess in the hope that it may be of value to some other worker 

 who may later take up the task of studying this little known people. 



According to Governor Bolton, the Ata inhabit the regions west and 

 northwest of Mt. Apo, the headwaters of the Davao river — north and 

 west of the Guianga — as well as the headwaters of the Lasan, Tuganay, 

 and Libagawan rivers. In all these regions they extend over the water- 

 shed, converging toward the center of the island at the headwaters of 

 the Pulangi river. 



It should be noted at the outset that the Eto or Ata, living between 

 the Guianga and Bagobo, should not be included in this division. 



In the region about Mt. Apo they are closely allied to the Obo and 

 Tigdapaya, 1 while in the region adjoining the Guianga they have inter- 

 married with that people and have adopted many of their customs as 

 well as dress. On the headwaters of the Basan river we are told that 

 they are known as Dugbatang or Dugbatung; that they are a timid 

 degenerate branch having no fixed habitations and very little clothing; 

 they are small, with crispy hair, and often decorate their bodies with 

 tattooed designs. About twenty miles up the Tuganay river Governor 

 Bolton encountered a similar group of Ata whom he describes as being 

 very wild. From the headwaters of this river he crossed over near to 

 the source of the river Bibagawan where he discovered a hitherto un- 

 known people — the Tugauanum — These he believed were mixed 

 Malay and Negrito, with crispy or curly hair and sharp features. 



1 Seep. 128. 



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