September, 1913- Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 163 



While in the central part of Mindanao, on the headwaters of the 

 Pulangi river, the writer saw about fifty people known as Tugauanum 

 who came over the mountains to trade. They were certainly of mixed 

 ancestry, showing a distinct infusion of Negrito blood, and in other 

 respects conforming to the description of Governor Bolton. Among 

 articles of barter carried by them were the typical knives and hemp 

 cloth of the west side of 'the Davao gulf region, showing that they are 

 at least in the line of trade with the tribes we have already studied. 



According to their own stories, the original home of the tribe was 

 along the river Mapula which flows into the Tuganay near its source. 

 Governor Bolton tells of hearing, while in this section, of a people called 

 Dedaanum "who were small and black and had curly hair," but who 

 had all been killed by the Tugauanum. He was also informed that a 

 numerous tribe of very small black people called Tugniah lived on the 

 headwaters of the river Omiern, which flows north of the Libagawan. 

 They were said to live in trees, to plant nothing, and to subsist on sago 

 flour. "Their bolos are like sabers and they use lances, bows, and 

 arrows." 



The Governor classes the Tugauanum as Ata "since they speak the 

 same language" but he adds "they are probably the same race as the 

 Libabaoan." This latter people are elsewhere in his notes referred to 

 as Guibabauon or Dibabaoan. They live along the headwaters of the 

 Tagum river and are, he believes, a mixture of Ata and Mandaya. 



From one source we learn that the Ata are small, in many respects 

 resembling the Negrito; that they are timid and are either nomads or 

 build their houses high in the branches of trees. Another writer tells 

 us that they are a superior type, with aquiline noses, thick beards, and 

 are tall. "They are very brave and hold their own with the Moro." 

 We are also told that they cultivate the soil and build good houses. 



The estimates concerning their numbers are equally conflicting. 

 Governor Bolton gives the population as six thousand; the report of the 

 Philippine Commission for 1900 credits them with eight thousand, 

 while Father Gisbert believed that they aggregated "not less than 

 twenty thousand souls." 



The divergent reports are due to the fact that up to the year 1886 

 only one village of this people had been visited, 2 and since that time 

 only a few hasty trips have been made into their territory. 



1 The writer believes that the Libabaoan are probably the same as the Divavaoan 

 who are classed as a branch of the Mandaya. See p. 165. 



- Blair and Robertson, Vol. XLIII, pp. 242-3. 



