Matigsalug

The Matigsalug people are mountain-dwellers whose way of life was taken away in the 1970s when commercial logging destroyed the forest that sustained them. Today, they build houses on stilts and try to grow enough corn or sweet potatoes to survive. They face the daily challenges of hunger, poverty, exploitation, sickness and isolation.

Until recently, the Matigsalug people were ashamed of their language and culture. But God has given Matigsalug Christians a hunger for His Word in their language. Pastors from several denominations are working together to promote the use of translated Scriptures, and Matigsalug “mini-Bibles” have sold out. Now Christians are asking for the entire Bible in Matigsalug!

The Matigsalug people live in the mountains of Mindanao, Philippines. Many dwell in houses built on stilts with sturdy bamboo floors. Until the 1970s, the people made their living as hunter-gathers in the mountain forests. But then commercial logging stripped the trees from around them, and their way of life was taken away. Today, most survive by growing corn or sweet potatoes in restricted patches of poor soil. Many people live in very remote areas, some accessible only by foot. Education, healthcare and income are limited or lacking throughout the region, creating tremendous and ongoing challenges for the Matigsalug people.