AtaManobo

The Ata-Manobo are an indigenous ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, part of the larger Manobo peoples of Mindanao. They traditionally inhabit forested interior areas of Mindanao, with communities in the Davao region and nearby provinces. Population estimates vary, and the group is typically described as one of the Mindanao’s indigenous communities with strong ties to rural land and customary practices.

The Ata-Manobo language, or languages, belongs to the Manobo branch of the Austronesian language family. Many Ata-Manobo people are bilingual, using regional linguae francae such as Cebuano or Tagalog in daily life, education, and interethnic interaction.

Traditional livelihoods center on farming, hunting, and gathering. The main agricultural system has historically been shifting cultivation (kaingin) in forest clearings, complemented by fishing and small-scale trade. Social organization is rooted in kinship networks and customary practices, with rites of passage, planting and harvest ceremonies, and various communal activities. Weaving, basketry, and other craft traditions are notable cultural expressions.

Religious beliefs among the Ata-Manobo have included indigenous animist practices, centered on ancestral spirits and nature worship, alongside Christian or Muslim influences due to historical contact and missionary activity. Many communities today maintain a syncretic blend of beliefs.

In contemporary governance, the Ata-Manobo are recognized as Indigenous Peoples under the Philippine Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA). They participate in ancestral-domain claims and local governance, while facing challenges such as land-rights disputes, environmental pressures from mining or logging, and broader development processes affecting Mindanao’s indigenous communities.