Tbolis are of proto-Malayan stock and found in the mountain ranges of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces. Some scholars agree that an ethnic stock that may be distinguished as proto-Malayan came early into the Philippines.
The proto-Malays are thought to have come from several specific sources at different parts of the island. The proto-Malay are considered less Mongoloid than the Malay, and probably derived from various inter-mixtures in south-eastern Asia.
The proto-Malay and the Malay are people fairly closely related, and the chronology of their movements and the cultural heritage of their groupings are the chief basis for the distinctions now made between them. In broad terms, both set of groups at third time are either to deal merely in characteristics not fully agreed upon historical, cultural, and regional data.
The Spanish made little headway with these hinterland people, who were warlike or reclusive. For the most part, these groups remained outside the Spanish pale, and their descendants in the modern Philippines, such elements were raided by the Muslim groups, making them even more reclusive in nature and diminishing in numbers. North of the zone of Muslim raids, small populatoins of proto-Malay groups remain viable at the present time.
Tbolis-known among the lowlanders as "Tagabili", and the same , derived from the word "Tao Belil" which means, man living in the hills in their own native tongue. They occupy an area of about 750 square miles (2000 square kms) where the southern ends of the Southwest Coast Range and the Cotabato Cordillera also known as the Tiruray Highlands merged.
The center of the Tboli culture is in the central and southern portion of Mindanao whose points are the city of General Santos, the province of South Cotabato and Sarangani.
In the early 16th centruy, Tboli clans who lived in the south-central portion of South Cotabato (now the municipality of Tboli) were once scattered when the volcano erupted (now Mt. Parker & Holon Lake as crater) from where lava/lahar almost covered its vicinities. History tells that only Mt. Temgefit ridges remained uncovered that became an escape place of the survivors while other groups evacuated in some far areas. The Tboli clans who survived from the calamities were the parents of the new Tboli generation in the area including other in-migrants of the late Tboli lineage. These groups began to resetlle spatially by clans under the leadership of the Datus or village headmen and started cultivating the second growth vegetation of their homeland.
Brief Town History
Tboli came into existence on March 5, 1974 by virtue of Presidential Decree 407 with Kematu designated as the seat of its government and Mai Tuan who was appointed as the first mayor together with a set of municipal officials. It is predominantly inhabited by the different cultural tribes like Tboli, Blaan, Maguindanaon, Manubo Sdaf and Manubo Blit before the arrival of settlers from Luzon and Visayan islands. The municipality derived its name from the Tboli word "Tao Belil" which means man living in the hills.
In 1953, two American missionaries from the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) came to serve the cultural communities in this area. Writing was introduced by them and helped the natives develop a written literature which preserved the Tboli artistry and culture. The missionaries were also instrumental in bringing the natives to the attention and care of the government.
The ensuing decades witnessed the institution of a government entity called the Presidential Assistance on National Minorities (PANAMIN) created on August 10, 1967 with all intent to alleviate the socio-economic and cultural condition of the natives. The program was initially launched on September 1968 at Kematu thereby establishing a settlement project consisting of thirty (30) Tagabili families. The project involves educational services, medical assistance, improvement of farmin technologies, community development, introduction of electric and water facilities, construction of settlement, farm-to-market roads and promotion of recreational activities. Given these progress, people move into the settlement until it reached 227 families who, later on were permanently settled in their respective home lots.
On June 9, 1970, Presidential Proclamation No.697 reserved 5,224 hectares for the people living in the peripheral areas and surrounding hills of the settlement project.
The wide political territory and desire for socio-economic equity development within the community triggers the creation of more barangays and subdivision of areas and powers until 25 barangays were formed.
Succession of Leadership (since creation)
