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According
to the writing of John Garvan in his memoir in the New York Academy of
Sciences, the Mandaya is "probably the greatest and best tribe in Eastern
Mindanao". Miguel Sadera-Maso writes that the Mandaya "are considered
by the non-Christians as the oldest and most illustrious of the peoples."
Indeed, Mandaya culture continues to amaze and interest many people as it
becomes enduring and persevering generation after generation. The term Mandaya
means "inhabitants of the uplands". Quite interestingly, areas
occupied by the Mandaya in the Pacific Rim are characterized by rugged topography
with few plains along the coastal areas (as cited by Ompang, 2011).
Due to
political and economic influences, Mandaya tribe has evolved over time with
sub-groups named after their geographical ascriptions. Among these are the
Mansaka, Dibabaon, Pagsaupan, Mangguangan, Maragusan, Dibabaon, Kalagan, Kamayo, and Tagacaolo (as cited by Ompang,
2011). Presently, the concentration of the Mandaya is in Davao Oriental.
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