FLINT.........BOTOTITIK IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

FLINT OR BOTOTITIK was a very important resources and object of trade among the Highland B'laan. Flint, which was used to produce a spark in the lightning of fire, was a valuable and highly prized substances used by every Highland B'laan family. Flint would be mined from various outcrops and then traded and exchanged for other valued items, such as clothes and etc. Since the introduction of matches in the Highland region, flint has been considerably devalued. The flint is given freely, without any form of compensation or payment, to anyone who might require it. The process of the fire making among the Highland B'laan consisted of striking two pieces of flint together until sparks are produced. Crystals or steel can also be struck against the flint in order to produce sparks. The sparks would be directed into a cotton like fiber, obtained from the center of palm trees. The sparks would then catch the fire in the dry basag or cotton like fiber and produce flames.......

CHEWING.........GIL ALU MAMA IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

Highland B'laan have been chewing for so many years, and popularly important past time of the lives of the B'laan people of Pula Bato, Tampakan, South, Cotabato. The substances used in chewing, the ingredients are, betel nut or bunga, fresh pepper leaves vine or buyo, lime powder or apog and damp tobacco leaves. Chewing of betel nut, lime powder is often wrapped in a fresh pepper leaf and damp tobacco are blended with lime powder mix to produce a chewing compound. When chewing the substances, find the red saliva and blackened teeth resulting from regular use. It is an old tradition, enjoyed by the Highland B'laans of both genders, that provides mild stimulation and sweating of the breath. They believe the chewing of betel, tiredness when they work for long hours can make them feel better. Because of the tobacco like taste good and hot bring effects, that users keep warm and alert so long as they are chewing. Betel nut was the most important social act among the Highland B'laans. Men and women B'laans carried the necessary ingredients with them in little special basket or pouches or in betel nut boxes ready to share these with friends and relatives. Among Highland B'laan tribe, many of whom continue to take part in traditional rituals, and they believe that betel nuts are seen as powerful medicine, and conside

red to be an effective home remedy. Children and youth no longer follow the custom of betel chewing. But some Highland B'laans continued their cultural practice of chewing betel nut for social custom, and cultural rituals....PHOTO POSTED ...MY OIL PAINTING COLLECTION......

B'LAAN BRIDE PRICE OR WEALTH.......SONGGOD IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

BRIDE PRICE, refers to money or goods that are paid by the potential of future groom or groom's family to the potential future bride wife or to the wife's family. Among Highland B'laan, the term songgod is used to refer to bride price or wealth. In B'laan society, the future groom pays the father of his future wife on specified amount.This amount usually consists of two kamagi or four horses, hand woven upper garment and knee length, carabao and brass gongs. The monetary value of one horse in the Highland B'laan region is equivalent between 5,000 or 6,000 pesos. A Fulong exchanged one kamagi for a horse worth 6,000 pesos.The horse is exchange for one brass gong or falimak...........SONGGOD AND LOSS OF LAND.....Highland B'laan claimed that, in times of economic difficulties, they would mortgage or sanla their lands at a low price to Visayans so they would have money for the songgod. Since they could not redeem the mortgage, they would normally lose their lands by default. The selling of land did not happen immediately. At first, they mortgaged their kalyak or material goods, before selling them. When the B'laan dimenised their supply of kalyak, they mortgaged their carabao,and horse. Then when the carabao and horse were gone, they dispensed of their lands, either through sanla or sale. Economic difficulties were the predominant motive for kalyak or material goods and land disposition. Economic difficulties arose, as previously noted, when money was required for the payment of singgod. However, land has been lost through or an account of the payment of songgod in marriage negotiation........DIVORCE can be a voluntary decision on the part of the married couple. In case no songgod is returned, where the wife leaves the husband, she is compelled by costummary law to return the songgod. Where the wife abducted by another man, the man who abducted the woman should repay the soggod to the woman's original husband. If this action is not undertaken, then a dispute or conflict is likely to occur. The consideration of the songgod is fundamental in determining who should get custody of particular children. It is considered a reward of the girls are given to the father, since he receives songgod from the potential groom before the girls marriage. He takes their songgod when it is their turn to get married. This can be a device to discourage the husband from leaving the relationship on the occasion that wife does not want to separate from the husband......SONGGOD ARE......KAMAGI,

HORSE, CARABAO, HAND WOVEN UPPER GARMENT OR KNEE LENGTH PANT, AND BRASS GONGS.....

B'LAAN MARRIAGE.........B'LAAN SAMSUNG

Traditionally B'laan marriage still o

ccur in Highland B'laan, of Pula Bato.......POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE, where a man is permitted to marry more than one woman, are permitted and are even condoned among the Highland B'laan.....AS A RULE....A young boy does not take a wife of his own choosing. Having decided upon a suitable girl, he informs his parents and relatives he may wish to accompany him when he goes to her home. Upon arrival at the house, the father of the boy expresses his belief that his son wishes to reside there since he now asks the daughter for his wife. In reply he told that the family is poor, having neither gongs, animals, or other things of value. The boy or the suitor at once makes an offering of some of these desired articles, but whatever the gift may be, a returned present equal to half it's value must be made. Both families are well aware of and favorable to the expected wedding sometimes before the visit of the grooms parents. After the exchanging of gifts, food is furnished first to the quests and later to the couple, who in the presence of all the families, feed each other with rice and are hence forth considered as husband and wife..........MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT..........Arrangement between two families, by searching for a marriage partner. The parents of the groom look for a prospective bride. There is no clear age range, sometimes, unborn child female. The transaction becomes automatically nullified if the new born child is a male. Similarly, marriage arrangement upon them being of the approximate sexes. The tanda or signals the start of the giving of the songgod or bride price while the child are still small. The exchange of komot or malong, which as the children have grown, the second stage of the marriage arrangement, which is referred to as alminti or commences. At this point, the amount of the desired songgod would be revealed. The exchange of goods might also begin. The third stage, which is referred to as the mao mulo or the proper marriage, follows the alminti. During this stage, the formal exchange of the songgod commences. Most of the goods and or money desired by the bride's part is completed with by the groom's party. Expensive songgod, such as carabao, horse, and expensive kalyak or materials goods and or money to the groom's family, However, this is usually equal to half the value of the songgod or bride price. When some of the songgod has not been delivered, an agreement would be reached on the specific date when the debt would be settled. The setting of the settlement date is referred to as mikat butang. If the no songgod is received on the given date, another kasfala process begins. The whole process of giving and receiving songgod is called kasfala. When a family cannot afford to deliver the required songgod, the Datu or Bong Fulong's assistance is solicited. Often, the Datu would voluntarily intervene, either by providing the material requirements or by facilitating the bargaining process. However, this intervention is left to the discreation of the Datu....During the marriage ceremony, the bride often a komot or malong and a comb, the groom wraps a tubaw or scarf or otob on the head, hangs a komot on his shouders.......MAFAS .....ONE TYPE OF MARRIAGE.....By embarrasing the woman. The man who embarrassed woman would be brought to the Fulong and pleading guilty. meted with appropriate fine. The fine would become part of the songgod if the embarrassed woman agreed to a marriage. If not, the fine is collected by the aggrieved party. If the embarrassed woman is ready married, a conflict between the desirous man and the woman's husband is likely to result. The payment of the fine to the woman's husband, can prevent a violent confrontation between the two men. In some instances, a challenge is issued by the husband against the offending man is not found is not found by the husband, he may keep the woman as his wife. However, if the man is found, a physical conflict would result. The victor would then be entitled to marry the woman or retain his wife........

B'LAAN ANIMALS........DAD AMANAF IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

The ownership of animals such as carabao, pig, horse and chicken, are often indicate of a person's wealth and status within Highland B'laan society. Only a wealthy man would have the necessary resources to purchase own and support a few carabao. Carabao is an indigenous livestock resources whose important role in farming activities......One carabao can be used the obligations of songgod and can be exchanged for a wife. Carabao not only physically embody a majority of a family's wealth, but are also vital component in the agriculture process. Carabao provides one of the only sufficient means currently available to the Highland B'laan of tilling the soil in preparation for a food, usually corn crop. Families who own carabao are able to extend their economic base, as well as their net work of bedtime and obligation by loaning their carabao to other families who are without their own animals. Without carabao, the B'laan would be forced to rely on the manual tilling of their land. carabao in the Highland B'laan region, with the formation of gold deposits. The carabao, which is believed to be the creation of arfunda a named of guardian spirit within the subcategory of fon bolol or spirit of the hill or mountain, is believe to leave behind a deposit of gold where ever it settles. In the Highand B'laan region, gold is therefore associated with the carabao or calebew.

THANK YOU PRAYER.....BONG KAMDOM ADMASEL IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

THANK YOU LORD, FOR MY GOOD FRIENDS...MY B'LAAN FRIENDS, WHO I CAN TALK TO...I CAN LAUGH WITH AND I CAN CALL ON...AND UNDERSTAND ME AND THINK OF ME EACH DAY...THANK YOU MY FRIENDS, I'M LUCKY PERSON I FOUND YOU...GOD BLESS VERY MUCH.............IN TAGALOG LANGUAGE.......PANALANGIN SA PAGPASALAMAT......SALAMAT SA 'YO PANGINOON, SA MGA KAIBIGAN KO...SA KAIBIGAN KONG B'LAAN NA PWEDING KAUSAPIN...PWEDE KAMING TUMAWA AT MAARING KUNG TAWAGAN...NAUNAWAAN NILA AKO AT NAISIP ARAW ARAW...SALAMAT SA INYO KAIBIGAN...AKO'Y MAPALAD NA NATAGPUAN KITA...PANGINOON, PAG PALAIN MO PO SILA.................IN B'LAAN LANUAGE........BONG KAMDOM ADMASEL ...........TOO BUNG KAMDOM DWATA DO DAD SAG BUT GO... DAD B'LAAN ASAGBET NEH DARE ME GOH STOLEN DADTO...GEL KAMDEM DO DWATA GO DO...NON SAGBET GOH TOUGH GLOT.......

B'LAAN PEOPLE......B'LAAN DADTO IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

B'LAAN PEOPLE AND THEIR CHANGES.......The B'laan people are proud of their culture. Traditionally music and dance play an important parts of the community. The B'laans play a variety of unique instrument called faglung with accompaniment of gongs to their traditional songs and dance of all occasions. The popular weaving with it's geometric patterns in a beautiful hand woven fabric, which takes several months to finished. With their embroidered costumed, bangles, bracelets and brass, and beaded belts, they are the most colorful of the Filipino indigenous groups......The B'laan people of Pula Bato, Tampakan, South Cotabato, are exceedingly timid, and are of peaceable disposition and are the most industrious of all the interior, they occupy. Their language is characterized by the possession of the letter "F". It was noted that the B'laans were the superior tribe because they were hospitable, cleanly, industrious and wealthy. B'laans are very superstitious people, few are Christians, most of them continues to believe in what they believe in the past, they want to preserve their culture and tradition of the tribe. Some believe in the spirits who live in several places in the natural environment. Cultural heritage is visible in their brass bangles and as part for their personal finery. Most ethnic communities, the B'laans possesses an ancient culture that distinguishes from other groups. Highland B'laans, each family live in the house at least one half mile from any other house. The B'laans like other indigenous group, seek and secure future and wish to raise their standard of living which can only be achieved by increasing income by improving housing, educations, and providing the means to ensure a stable subsistence base through sustainable agricultural practices. The B'laans are proudly independent people, who values their culture and traditions. Their fundamental law, "Help your neighbors, do good and give rice, do not steal, do not kill the ennocent, do something peacefully among themselves and their neighbors". To B'laans, the secret of long life is "Good and righteous living, to do good, God grants long life. For the B'laans, their culture and tradition preserved of their ethnic identities..........CHANGES OF B'LAAN PEOPLE..........Education is one important changes in the culture of B'laans. Technology and advancement, this things generated a big change to the B'laan people. They allowed their children to study in other schools. B'laan children were fortunate to have finished a college education through scholarship grants and leave their village and work elsewhere. Changes of younger B'laans, women wear something to cover their upper part of the body, not like before the're showing their upper part of the body. B'laans, second generation particularly, give their chance to choose whom to marry among other tribes or Christian people. B'laan women learn to adorn themselves from early childhood, they apply cosmetics and arrange their hair adoring with earrings, necklaces and other accessories. B'laan farming was changed by the used of new technology for the stability of food production....Some B'laans want to learned more alternative work to earn extra money, but mostly of the indigenous people still live like in the past. They still live in a traditional way, compared with how ancestors lived before. We should help them to continue the changing world........B'LAAN PRAYER......LORD, TEACH THE B'LAAN PEOPLE AND THEIR CHILDREN TO LOVE, TO RESPECT,AND TO BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER THAT THEY MAY LIVE WITH PEACE AND JOY. AMEN........IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE.......B'LAAN ADMASEL.......DWATA, FGARE DAD B'LAAN DADTO NEKU DAD NGA FARA DE AKSULI NAWA DE KRU E DADTO NEKU BEG AMGAMI FEW NAWA. AMEN....Photos of some B'laans in Pula Bato community.......PHOTOS POSTED ARE MY COLLECTIONS.....THE B'LAAN PEOPLE.......

B'LAAN RITUAL......DAMSO IN BLAAN LANGUAGE

B'LAAN RITUAL OR DAMSO IS TO PROTECT THE CROPS AND HARVEST........ This ritual consists of a food offering, which is prepared prior to the commencement of planting. A small hut is constructed in order to house offering. offerings are varied, but usually consist of rice and betel nut. When planting has been completed,

a portion of the food offering is removed from the small hut and consumed by the family. However, the remainder of the offering is retained within the small hut for approximately one month. It is believed that the guardian spirits consume the food offerings at night........

B'LAAN AGRICULTURE AND RITUAL.......B'LAAN MELEH NE DAMSO IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

AGRICULTURE OR MELEH in the high region, are still preserved and practiced among the Highland B'laan. These activities are closely associated with the strong and continuing association between the Highland B'laan and the spirit realm.....B'laan women plays a large part in subsistence activities, particularly in respect to agricultural practices upon female labor. B'laan women are largely responsible for kamlo or clearing the field, amla or planting and muko or harvesting. A B'laan man who possesses numerous wives is greatly advantaged, a man with multiple wives might delegate nearly all the agricultural activities to his wives......THE HIGHLAND B'LAAN FOLLOW THEIR CALENDAR FOR THEIR AGRICULTURAL CYCLE..........Salel refers to the time of clearing the kaingin or alnigo. The period is usually last for one month. The following activities were said to occur during the period....Planting or amla, Hrvesting or muko, Kaingin or alnigo, Burning or amtem, and Amnulok or removing of unburned trees and cogon grass.....Lamklong, refers to the time of burning....Tobung refers to the time of planting.....Fongol adket refers to weeding.....Dangan kamto refers to the time of harvesting........BEFORE THE ACTUAL HARVESTING, ONE B'LAAN MAN PERFORMED THE RITUAL.........As part of this ritual, a B'laan man

bundles several stalks of rice. Some grains from this bundle are then mixed with rice, which is being cooked. The B'laan believe that this will increase the quantity of the rice that will subsequently be cooked as well as the rice that will be harvested. It is believed that if anyone, other than the owner of the rice bundle, touches it, they are likely to become ill. Even the slightest touch of another's rice bundle could result in blindness, sickness, or stomach bloating. The next activity after harvesting is building of a fol or rice granary in the middle of the rice field. A wheel-like mechanism is installed at the posts of the fol. This mechanism is to prevent rats from climbing into fol......After harvesting, B'laan family left or vacate and transferred to another area.........

MOUNTAIN........BOLOL IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

MOUNTAIN OR BOLOL, an area of land that rises very high above the land around it that is higher than a hill. A mountain is very large amount of rocks raised portion of the earth's surface can form an active volcano......THERE ARE NUMEROUS KNOWN MOUNTAINS IN PULA BATO .........Bolo Kleb the hunting ground, where B'laan hunters made offerings before entering the forest.....Bolol Atdo Almugan, a significant mountains to the B'laan in Pula Bato bong banwu or big community.....Bolol Klutang, a significant mountains, with Gumna Busay in Pula Bato bong....Mt. Matutum or Amtutung, sacred mountain among the Highland B'laans........OTHER KNOWN MOUNTAINS FOUND IN THE PULA BATO MOUNTAINS.......Bolol GO marong, Kanlang Bolol, Bolol B UN, Bolol Lam Mal, Bolol Lam Kwa in Pula Bato, Bolol Lumot, Bolol Flaback,and many

other mountains.......PHOTOS POSTED ARE MY COLLECTIONS.......

FROG...... FAK IN BLAAN LANGUAGE

A frog or fak is an amphibian with strong long legs, short arms, moist skin, webbed feet for leaping and no tail when fully grown. Frogs mostly spends more of its time in water, but some species such as tree frogs, live on land. The river and creek systems of the highlands provide B'laan of this region with a supply of frogs which are considered to be delicacies among the B'laans, are usually caught by young men during the time of the new moon or falmi aksot bolum. The frog or fak is usually caught, using only the bare hands of the B'laan hunters, along the river bank. Occasionally, the bow and multi-prolonged arrows are used to catch the frogs. Catching of frogs are usually consumed by

the B'laan people of Pula Bato community........

BOW AND ARROW......SEGTI IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

BOW AND ARROW OR SEGTI consist of a carved body and has strings to store energy when pulled back to launch a long projectile typically with head at fast speeds of potentially great accuracy. Bow and arrow is a weapon of B'laan men consisting of arrow and the bow to shoot wild animals during hunting. Bow is composed of a curved piece of resilient wood with a taut cord to propel the bow. The arrow consist of bamboo shaft with a steel head. This head, fastened to the bamboo shaft by layers or wooden rattan vine. Often, a double stringed steel head was placed on arrow used for bird hunting. The bamboo as given additional strength and flexibility by the placement of the woven rattan vine straps located approximately 5 cm. along the length of the bow. The bow string of the nito consist of a single strip of bamboo is finely attached to the base of the arrow. The top of the string, however, is formed into a woven loop which easy fits into a notch.......

COIN TOSS GAME......STALONG IN B'LAAN LANGUAGE

The B'laan of Pula Bato, play coin toss game that be described as three coins. Toss game or hantak is toss up, which is played by the groups of men, women, and children, involves the tossing of the three coins. The three coins fall in combination of head or tail. The person who either tosses or wagers on the different coin face either heads or tails is deemer to be winner. The winner collects the wager that have been placed in the result of each round of the coins game. The wager however, usually consist of small denominators of cash money. One peso Philippine coins are usually used the coin toss game. The toss game was introduced to the Highland B'laan region by Visayans. In spite of the relatively recent introduction the popularity of the game among the Highland B'laan seems to increased.....