(Blogger’s note: The following is an excerpt from Defending the Land: Lumad and Moro People’s Struggle for Ancestral Domain in Mindanao, specifically pp. 117–18. The publishers welcome and even encourage the reproduction of the book in part or in its entirety, so I am posting this excerpt here without prior permission. Not a single word has been changed, and the style of the text as they appear on the book has been preserved. For citation details about the book, see Webliography.)
The Dulangan Manobos in Kulaman, Sultan Kudarat have a simple and functional political set-up easily understood by the ordinary Manobo constituents.
The position of sultan is unusual in a non-Muslim aggregation. It has its legendary beginnings in the marriage of Shariph Kabungsuan, an Islamic leader, to Tabunaway, a Manobo princess. Their male descendants became Sultans and the sultanate was institutionalized even in Manobo settlements up to the present. However, the assembly of datus must acknowledge the sultan, even if the position is hereditary.
At the top of the political structure in Mnaobo community is the Sultan, the highest-ranking tribal leader. He lords over the datus and presides meetings, especially in their antang-antang—an assembly of tribal leaders to discuss and resolve community issues. He also signs legal documents of government agencies in representation of the entire tribe.
He judges conflicts that arise among members of the family or among Manobo residents of different barangays. He also performs marriage and other rites when the occasion arises. He presides over the legislative process of the community or among tribal leaders in a meeting called for the purpose. Aware of the existing conditions of the community that abet changes in societal practices, he urges respect for cultural traditions. He is the unifying factor of all datus and of all the members of the tribe.
When there is no direct heir to the position such as a son, a close male relative may become a Sultan. The chosen one must show ability to handle situations and to command the respect of his constituents. The datuship is also a hereditary position. In the absence of an heir, the closest male relative may be a successor.
The datu is the second highest-ranking official of the tribe. He assists the sultan in community or tribal matters. He performs marriage or burial rites and their consequent celebration in the absence of the sultan. In the local sitio or barangay where he resides, he settles family and community problems in an antang-antang. As such he elicits respect and loyalty from the company. There may be several datus in a small community. In such a situation, the eldest and the most respected datu heads the village antang-antang.
The tribal chieftain acts as the adviser of the community. He heads the tribal council and leads in community projects such as constructing a tribal hall. The Sultan and Datu of the community select him via consultation with the other Manobos of the village.
Each community has a tribal council consisting of six members who have indeterminate tenure and serve for as long as they effectively deliver their job. Not doing well in their task is reason enough o change the council member. The council may choose a woman or two as a member to take care women’s affairs.
At present, there are nine datus in the sitio, namely, Datus Angked Talombo, Hindot Abog, Lantig Labe, Felipe Ilas, Kaleb Imbog, Buat Uba, Glem Katel and the informant himself. They meet once a month to engage in antang-antang.
Some of the children attended school in far away Kulambo. They learned the value of education, but were not able to go beyond secondary school due to financial constraints.
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