BLAAN

THE BLAAN TRIBE

The most industrious
of all unchristianized
tribes in the
Philippines.
It is a Proto-Malayan
Group and a
neighbor of Tboli.

The Blaan culture is peculiarly

fascinating in the differentiation
of patterns that totally continue
its psycho dynamics.

Blaans have rituals for

everything that they do, from
selecting a place from a farm
planting, harvest and post
harvest because of their belief on
the supremacy of the great
creator.

Blaan religious belief and

practice range between customs
and traditions directly associated
with the established Christian
churches in the areas to highly
traditional animistic beliefs which
encompass both natural and
supernatural elements from the
environment in which they live.

ORIGIN OF THE
NAME

The name of this Indigenous group

comes from the word BLA and
AN, meaning Opponent People.

 Also known as:

Tagalacad or
dwellers in the
back country
Tagakogon or
dwellers in the
cogon
Buluan in Lake
Buluan
Bira-an/Bilanes
Balud/Tumanao in
Sarangani Island

LANGUAGE
It is said to be the source of
the name for Koronadal City
from two Blaan words.
Koron (cogon grass) and
Nadal (plain) and for the
name Marbel, which is a
Blaan term for the
poblacion.
The term is derived from
Malbel which means murky
waters referring to a river,
now called Marbel River.

Some Blaan terms and

phrases:
English
Blaan

Tagalog

Good Morning
Affiu Flafus

Good Afternoon
Affiu Flabi

Good Evening
Affiu Kifu

Eat
maan

Drink Water
Minum-e-el

Uminom ng tubig

Its finished
afngu

Tapos na

Spoon
Salirut

Magandang Umaga
Magandang Hapon
Magandang Gabi
Kakain

Kutsara

Ak-

Ta-

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
The B'laan believe in the existence of a
supreme being known as God (Dawata).
He is the planters (Mele) of heaven
(langit) and earth (tana) and everything
thereof. Under Him and other
supernatural beings with lower ranks of
power or authority- the guardian spirit
(L'nilong).
To the B'laans nature is entrusted for
safekeeping. The guardian spirit are not
creator, since creator belong to God. As
guardians (snalig), they are often
referred as the owner of nature (M-fun).

 Thus, there is the owner of

the sea (M'fun mabin),
with owner of the forests
(M'fun D'lag), God is the
creator and the guardian
spirit are guardians and
man as the user
(occupier).
They believes on the
supremacy of the great
Creator named Malu or
Dwata.
Strong believers on the

Blaan believes that their

weaving designs were
imparted to the dreamer
through the Inilong (fairies)
To make offerings to their
deities requesting for signs to
know where to best make a
clearing for a particular
planting session.

CUSTOMS
Blaan men wear their hair long
and have tattoos on their back,
chest legs and arms, some of
the main characteristics
practiced by men and woman of
this tribe is the shaving of the
eyebrows and the blackening of
their tongues and filed incisors.
A hand-woven mat is spread on
the ground or floor and is
considered to be a sacred place.

It has ritual dances. One of their wellknown ritual dances is the Blit Blaan
which is a courtship dance of the
imitating the movements of the male
and female birds during mating season.

The B'laan Dance ceremony is often

performed when the authority of the
Datu (Fulong) has been held in trust and
marital status to assume the
responsibility of the Datu (Fulong).
B'laan Dance
(maral) is conducted when a Fulong
decides to pass the status of Fulong in
his son. These ceremonies, which
formally recognized the power,
authority, status and prestige of the new
Fulong. The occasion of
great celebration, attended be Fulong
and datus from all the surrounding of the
community (Banwu).

ETHNIC ART AND

HANDICRAFTS
Colorful native customes
woven from abaca and
decorated with embroidery,
buttons, beads and heavy
brass belts with numerous
tiny bells are worn by the
women of the Blaan.
The sequin-like capiz shells
called takmon are used to
give a distinct designs and
color to their clothes.

INSTRUMENTS
It creates the brass
ornaments and traditional
beadwork.
They have their own
system of weaving using
abaca fibre.
Their musical instruments,
like wooden lutes, flutes
and bamboo tubes with
strings are used
extensively with their
rituals and dances.