Mangyan

  • Location: Mindoro Island
  • Subgroups: Iraya, Alangan, Batangan, Tadyawan, Buhid, Tao Buid, Hanunoo, Ratagnon
  • Population: 30,000 (1980)

Mangyan is a generic term that comprises the indigenous peoples of Mindoro Island. The people live in settlements of from five to twelve single-family houses perched on slopes overlooking mountain streams.

Also known in literature as Mangianes, Manghianes, Manguianes, Tiron, Lactan, Buquit, Barangan, Tagaydan, Pula, Nauhan, and Buid) The term is a generic one to refer to the indigenous peoples of the island of Mindoro. Several groupings have been noted by different authorities to include 1) Hanunoo, southern part of Oriental Mindoro, 2) Buhid, just north of the Hanunoo, 3) Batangan, in the interior forests north of the Buhid, 4) Ratagnon, in the southern tip of the island, 5) Iraya, on the northern tip of Mindoro, 6) Tadyawan, on the east and northeastern side and 7) Alangan, about Mt. Halcon. The range of the other names by which they are known is also very wide, especially with reference to exonyms. The estimated population is 30000 (NSO 1980) with core areas located in the towns of Sablayan (4140 NSO 1980), Bulalacao (5316 NSO 1990) and Mansalay (4090 NSO 1980). Settlements are usually composed of from five to twelve houses composed of single families, on slopes near mountain streams. Each settlement is usually identified by the name of the oldest member. An aggregation of settlements may be geographically identified. The basic subsistence is shifting cultivation with corn and rice as crops, intercropped with beans and sugar cane, later planted to sweet potato, yams and taro. The single most impressive distinction of the Mangyan as a whole is their continued use of a native Indic-based script or syllabary for writing their "ambahan" or "urukay" a form of poetry, and for songs. These are written by stylus or knives on slivers of bamboo. These are sang or chanted accompanied by guitars, fiddles, flutes or jew’s harps. Only the Hanunoo about southeastern Mindoro and the Buhid about the area south of Bongabon River actually use the script, although there is a second type of script unknown to the two above groups. This script is used by the Buhid along the Tangon River.