T'boli Myth and Deities

The  T’boli   ( Tagabili to lowlanders) are an animist ethnic group inhabiting highland areas in southwestern  Mindanao , centering on   Lake Sebu  ( TauSebu  is another of the people’s names). Their immediate neighbors are the   Manobo  and  Bilaan , other animist upland peoples (with whom they are often in conflict). The T’boli rely on Muslim traders for contacts with the lowlands and maritime trade. In the T’boli origin myth, the god  D’wata  warns humans of a coming deluge.   La Bebe , La Lomi , T’mefeles ,  and  La Kagef hide inside a huge bamboo. After the waters recede, the four split their way out of the bamboo. La Bebe and La Lomi married, becoming the ancestors of the Christian Filipinos. La Kagef and T’mfeles also join and go on to produce 10 sons and daughters. Of these,  Bou  and  Umen  are the ancestors of the T’boli. The other 8 form couples; their descendants are the other non-Christian peoples of Mindanao, both Muslim and non-Muslim. The T’boli culture is