The Blaan Tribe

The Tribe
The most industrious of all the unchristianized tribes in the Philippines Is a proto-malayan group The neighbor of the TBoli

Origin of Name
The name of this Indigenous group comes from the words 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/Bara-an Villanes/Bilanes Balud/Tumanao in Sarangani Island

Language
Said to be the source of the name for Koronadal City from two Blann words, koron (cogon grass) and nadal (plain) and for the name Marbel, which is a Blann term for the poblacion. The term is derived from Malbel which means "murky waters" referring to a river, now called Marbel River.

Social Structure
Organized under the Fulong Close family ties is a core value of Blann society
Fulong Heads Family Religious Leaders Tribal Members

Religious Beliefs
believes on the supremacy of the great Creator named Malu or D'wata
strong believers on the interdependency with the environment and must respect the will of the Creator

 Believes that their weaving designs were imparted to the dreamer through the l'nilong (fairies) make offerings to their deities requesting for signs to know where to best make a clearing for a particular planting session

Customs
practice Sweden agriculture Bilaan men wear their hair long and have tattoos on their back, chest legs and arms, some of the main characteristics practised 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

 Has ritual dances. One of their well-known ritual dances is the Blit B'laan which is a courtship dance of the imitating the movements of the male and female birds during mating season.

Ethnic Art and Handicrafts

Colourful native costumes woven from abaca and decorated with embroidery, buttons, beads and heavy brass belts with numerous tiny bells are worn by the women of the Bilaan The sequin-like capiz shells called takmon are used to give a distinct design and colour to their clothes

 Creates the brass ornaments and traditional beadwork have their own system of weaving using abaca fibre Musical instruments, like wooden lutes, flutes and bamboo tubes with strings are used extensively with their rituals and dances

In the Modern Era

Although many have adopted the ways of the modern Filipino and have been integrated into the main body politic, they still believe and practice their indigenous rituals and customs. The Bilaan of Southern Mindanao are still upholding their traditional ways of living, their values and their distinctive culture.