"The Bagobo Tagabawa are the indigenous people of Davao del Sur. Their ancestral lands lie at the foothills of Mount Apo. Like many indigenous cultures, their way of life is on the brink of extinction.

The chieftain of the Bagobo Tagabawa in Bitaug, Matanam Bonifacio Embaan, recalls that his grandparents used to share the story of Mallaki Tarumpu during meals and at bedtime. Today, only a few people remember it. Without continued retelling, it will soon be lost, like many other indigenous oral narratives.

This groundbreaking children's book, written in Bagobo Tagabawa, seeks to preserve these fading stories. Through its pages, we hope to inspire children to treasure their unique culture and identity, and and to pass it on to future generations."

Details

Adapted from the Oral Narration of 
Matanám Bonifacio Embaan 
by Vanessa Mae Empasis Segura

Illustrated by
Octopus&Whale

Edited by
Joey David Tiempo
Leila Rispens-Noel

ISBN:
978-621-101313-8