This is Karl Gaspar's latest book, a scholar-cum-activist's account of a familiar and recurring episode in Mindanawon history, the struggle over the Lumad's ancestral lands. When the Manobos in Arakan Valley had to confront the colonization of their lifeworld and the potential loss of their homeland to logging concessionaires, a group of missionaries, community organizers and theater workers joined forces with them to put up a truly collective resistance and in so doing affirmed their own cultural identities

"This study sets out to investigate the social system of a pagan group in central Mindanao which has never attracted attention previously. The intention is to describe the Manuvu' social system as it functions in the ethnographic present and as it has functioned during the recent past (up to and until 1941) in the important aspects of its social (family system and kinship system), economic, ritualistic, legal, and tribal) organizations. These aspects are studied primarily to formulate general statements concerning the nature of Manuvu' society and regularities in its structure and development by following the concept dynamically through time." --from the Introduction

There are two main indigenous groups in the south of the Philippines: the Lumad and the Moro. Together, the Lumad, who have retained their traditional beliefs, and the Islamized Moro communities, regard themselves as the original inhabitants of the greater part of the island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. Both these peoples have shown themselves to be enduring in the face of Spanish and US colonization, and the policies of the predominantly Christian Philippine national government. The Philippines is a country with a low per-capita income and a growing and land-hungry population. In order to solve some of these problems, including a worsening energy crisis, the government is attempting to exploit Mindanao's abundant natural resources - but this directly conflicts with the interests of the Lumad and Moro. The situation is inextricably linked with the fact that, since 1972, the government has been engaged in a war of attrition with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), who have been fighting for political control within Mindanao. THE LUMAD AND MORO OF MINDANAO outlines the origins of these two peoples, historical issues of land ownership and settlement programmes, the effect of big business and development, the campaigning strategies of the Lumad, and the Moro's journey to self-determination. Written by Professor B.R. Rodil, a member of the Tiruray Lumad community, this is a timely. and essential exploration of the situation of these two indigenous groups who have been increasingly marginalized by the central government of the Philippines. Please note that the terminology in the fields of minority rights and indigenous peoples’ rights has changed over time. MRG strives to reflect these changes as well as respect the right to self-identification on the part of minorities and indigenous peoples. At the same time, after over 50 years’ work, we know that our archive is of considerable interest to activists and researchers. Therefore, we make available as much of our back catalogue as possible, while being aware that the language used may not reflect current thinking on these issues.

Cover; Contents; Preface; Indonesia; Malaysia; Philippines; Asia, Southeast Asia, and Global; Maps and Atlases; Journals; Subject Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; P; R; S; T; V; W; Contributors.

Many authors, ancient and modern, native and foreign, have been preoccupied with 'primitive' religion, or even better said, the paganism of the Natives of the Philippines; however, their writings about the religion of the natives, non-Christianized or from the mountains, who until now keep their ancient practices, are always reduced to form a chapter indistinct from the other historical or ethnographic notes of their published works. There exists no work, [major] or minor, dedicated specifically and especially to the study of the religion of all the indigenous races of the Philippine Archipelago. The purpose of this dictionary is to put together the religious groups of the Philippines, and removing those of Christian or Mohammedan origins. This work will provide an opportunity to make comparative studies and give an idea of the wealth of names that are in the mythologies of this country.