English - Balay Mindanaw

Part 2 - Four Datus: Stories of the Higaunon Lifeprevious incidents and had been warned by his fellow datusnot to go because these people consisting of Ilonggo, Warayand even a few Moros were armed and dangerous. WhenTatay Malindahay and Pastor Dadulo reached Mintapod,they were searched and instructed to go to the house wherethe armed group’s pastor lived. They were ushered insidethe chapel. When the cult leader and Tatay Malindahay met,he introduced himself and his companion and discussed thepurpose of their visit:“Our purpose of coming here is to check your situation,because you know my brothers, this place, Mintapod, is sacredto us. This is the place where the Higaunons from the fourprovinces converge to pray and worship. This is true becausePanimahon is a place of worship for us. Hence, this is sacredfor us tribal people.”The head of the group listened intently and immediatelyapologized because they did not know that the place is sacredto the Higaunons. He even said that if only the three datushad only spoken to them the way Tatay Malindahay did, theymight not have been killed. The armed group then promisedto leave the place but left a reminder to Tatay Malindahay notto sell their houses and their crops, otherwise they would notbelieve him.Tribal ChieftainTatay Malindahay now occupies the position of a supremedatu of Misamis Oriental but he said the title of “chieftain” isa newly introduced concept. “No one was above nor belowothers. The chieftain thing, this is a new concept introducedby the government.” Tatay Malindahay narrated how he gotthe position of Tribal Chieftain:“There was an election. There were so many leaders,over a hundred of them. But the people were told to choose83