A study of Bagobo Tagabawa folk speech using Murdock’s and Eugenio’s classification

Abstract

Around 60, 000 in number, the Bagobo people constitute one of the indigenous peoples in Davao, Philippines. This study analyzes the Bagobo Tagabawa folk speech, specifically their proverbs and riddles. Also, this study aims to help in preserving the Bagobo Tagabawa folk speech and fostering a better understanding and appreciation of their life, literature, and people. The researcher analyzed the 90 proverbs and the 97 riddles in form and style using the classification of the riddles of George P. Murdock and the category of proverbs used by Damiana Eugenio. The concept of cultural anthropology by Franz Boas was employed in the study to determine the cultural contents of each literary piece of the said indigenous group. Findings reveal that the Bagobo people have rich and varied folk literature, constituting an important part of Philippine national literature that could vanish amid modernization. This study has contributed to the preservation of the cultural materials of the Bagobo Tagabawa. Thus, it is hoped that it will make it easier for non-Bagobo Filipinos and the rest of the world to know and appreciate Bagobo folk speech. Furthermore, the researcher recommends that this study be disseminated among folklore enthusiasts to enrich the Bagobo Tagabawa folk speech analysis. This research can help the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) promote, protect, and recognize the culture of the indigenous peoples, particularly in the territory of Mindanao.