BUTUAN CITY, MY HOME!

Butuan city is the heart of industry and trading in Region Xlll or Caraga region reigned by Raja Columbo at the rustic age. Raja Columbo is the city's king used the name Butuan from the legend Datu Bantuan who was the primary tribal chieftain. Prior to Butuan city's evolution, it is formed by the different ethnic groups but precisely the Manobo tribe. The indigenous group possesses their artifacts exhibited in Butuan Museum.



When entering the museum, the fresh air from the river bank, bamboo trees, palm trees, mango trees, and the tree of Bantuan welcome us.

The tree of Bantuan is the Philippine oldest tree that is more than 500 years old.
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Before enjoying the trees, read the guidelines.



We need to pass by the metal bridge when we crossing the river bank. Once we can cross, we can enjoy climbing the older trees.

(THIS PICTURE IS CREDITED TO NALIYAGAN FESTIVAL 2017 in FACEBOOK PAGE)
From the dawn of the history, the color yellow, red, white, and black is significant for Manobo jewels and the tribal attires as "patadiong" made by the abaca garments.

This tribe originally from the Southern China and Austrian blood that drifted in Mindanao. Habitually, Manobo tribe dwells in Caraga region, Davao, and Bukidnon.

(THIS PICTURE IS CREDITED TO NALIYAGAN FESTIVAL 2017 IN FACEBOOK PAGE)
Yearly, Manobo celebrates a "Kahimunan festival" in January to glorify the woman deity they pray and offer the blood of a pig by drinking its fresh blood and dances to the enchantress.

The entrance of the museum is surrounded by the frames and photographies of Butuan city's milestones and events.

The most well-known and unparalleled memorabilia of Butuan city is the Balangay boat. There are 11 remainders of the Balangay boats according to the history after the foregoing battles of Butuan city's authors in exchanging mid dynasties.

Butuan city has many dialects including Manobo, Mamanua, Higaunon, Tausog, Cebuano, Tagalog, and English.



The wooden coffin is a symbol of Butuanons civilization after the preceding battles that are presented at the museum.


Butuan city has collected the skulls Ambangan Pit Grave discovered in Bohol for several years.

"Sanggot and Sugong" (sickle and a bamboo container used to gather tuba or fresh vinegar) used by the Manobo to gather vinegar from the coconut tree and sell to the market. If the vinegar is cleaned, the transparent jar is ready to be filled with vinegar.

"Agong or Kundiman" is an equipment to produce a louder beat while the different individual dance enclosing the slaughtered swine. This folkloric dance is the Manobo's custom to praise the goddesses.


"The bubo" or a fish trap creatively made by the bamboo is quite powerful to catch much fish. When the fish get inside the trap for the bait, they cannot go back its way.

"Buyot (bayong)" or a woven bag is a bin to place the fruits, clothes, and other things in the past rather than kinds of cellophane and bags made of clothes and animal skin. This bin is an eco-friendly to always reuse because essentially it is made by rattan and screw pine.
"Kambi," just like the buyot, this container is likewise made of the screw pine, rattan, and also the thorny pandanus tree.

This is a "Pandayan ug Sundang" or a knife is built. The pipe cleaner is the blower of the metal in the fire. The bamboo is used to form knives over the fire as chisel and tongs.


"Lusak-Lusong" is a bronze and cemented mortar and pestle used by the separate ethnic groups in antiquity where the crops are crumbled.

"Banga" is an antique water container to preserve a cold water instead of using a fridge.

This huge stone as an artifact is a knives sharpener. Before the Manobos hunted preys in the forest and cut woods, the tool is sharpened on this rock.



These archaic decors and other tools are used in the past in their quarters.





The ceramics are the records of the Spaniard colony bequeathed in the place after the conflicts.



Some of these belong to the trading intervention amid Philippines and China.

These wooded paddles were used during the Balangay voyage.

According to the Manobo ancestors, they get their beads from the tree called Tuhugonon that usually found in the forest.

This historical Balangay or Balanghay boat is the most remarkable relic made in 1974.


The Balangay boat parts are wingsteem, planks, and frame. The most startling remark in this boat is the usage of the wooden nails to strengthen. Its frame is constructed of peduncles of the trees.

This apparatus for gathering tuba is safer used by Manobo. The sanggot shielded by a wooden covering is hanged at the man's shoulder while climbing the coconut tree and the bamboo container at the back.

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It's astonishing that continuously, the cultures and traditions of Manobo is not dying as it is the region's remarkable tourist attraction. Nevertheless, the tribe's dogma in fairies is deliberately converted into Christianity since the first mass of Ferdinand Magellan in Mazua. In this era, there are mixed denominations in Butuan but the place is a fast urbanized capital because of the plenty commercialism and industrialization.

DISCLAIMER: All the photos are mine captured by an iphone7+ except the credited.