Veteran journalist Rommel Rebollido submitted this story to Rappler on Monday, October 28. It was the last story he would ever write. He passed away on Tuesday, October 29. – Editors
SARANGANI, Philippines – The old burial traditions of the Tboli and Blaan indigenous peoples are quietly fading in the hinterland villages of Sarangani in the Soccsksargen region, eroded by modernity and the slow pull of assimilation.
For Ener Toguin, a project assistant for the Sarangani provincial government who has spent years documenting indigenous practices, the silence surrounding these customs speaks volumes.
Even among the Tboli and Blaan, it’s becoming rare to hear anyone talk about the old ways, he said.
The Tboli live in the mountainous areas straddling South Cotabato and Sarangani, while the Blaan are scattered across Mindanao’s southern provinces. Their burial customs, once intricate and symbolic, are now largely unknown to younger generations.
“The young often ask, ‘Why talk to the dead when they are already gone?'” Toguin said, noting the indifference of many youth toward traditional burial practices.
Toguin said that in the past, the Tboli observed extended periods of mourning that could last for a year or more. When a Tboli died, the remains were cleaned and placed inside a hollowed-out log, which was then sealed with tree sap. The log often stayed with the family for months, sometimes years, before burial.
For infants, the Tboli followed a simpler ritual. The body was wrapped in cloth, placed in a basket, and hung from a tree branch. This custom, once common, is now rare.
However, Toguin said, some communities, like those in Sitio Falel in Barangay Tamadang, Kiamba, still practice these rites.
“We personally saw these customs, including the baskets of dead infants hanging on tree branches,” he said.
Jacelyn Tuan-Miguel, a 34-year-old Tboli public school teacher, recalled witnessing the old practices as a child.
“I remember seeing the large logs, halved and hollowed out, to hold the deceased,” she said.
However, modern influences have led to a shift toward more conventional burial methods, slowly erasing these traditions, she added.
The Blaan people also have unique burial customs, according to Toguin, who is Blaan himself.
Some involved placing the body on tree branches or in mountain crevices. In cases where death was believed to be caused by malevolent forces, the entire house might be abandoned, he said.
As indigenous communities deal with the pressures of globalization, these burial practices are at risk of disappearing.
While some remote villages still cling to these customs, the overall trend is toward assimilation, Toguin said.
Sonny Valiente, an elderly Blaan community leader, lamented the growing indifference among younger generations.
To preserve this invaluable cultural heritage, efforts must be made to document and promote these practices, he said.
Valiente emphasized that only by understanding and appreciating indigenous traditions “can we ensure that their legacy lives on for generations to come.” – Rappler.com